Category: Urban Systems

The Health Effects of Manganese in Drinking Water

The Health Effects of Manganese in Drinking Water

The Health Effects of Manganese in Drinking Water

03/21/25

“What are the health effects of manganese in drinking water?”

Manganese in drinking water can come from a wide range of sources, whether its local industry or naturally occurring minerals. But no matter the case, having too much manganese in drinking water can lead to cognitive and motor skills problems. These are The Health Effects of Manganese in Drinking Water.

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Why Rivers Were Channeled Into Culverts

Why Rivers Were Channeled Into Culverts

Why Rivers Were Channeled Into Culverts

03/20/25

“Why were rivers channeled into culverts?”

It’s common to hear about the dangers of culverting rivers and the need to daylight these bodies of water. But why were rivers culverted in the first place? Well, the thinking was that open rivers are difficult to control, flood during storms, and prevent construction from taking place. Channeling rivers into a culvert allowed flood control and development to occur. This is Why Rivers Were Channeled Into Culverts.

Manganese Pollution Sources for Drinking Water

Manganese Pollution Sources for Drinking Water

Manganese Pollution Sources for Drinking Water

03/19/25

“What are the sources of manganese pollution in drinking water?”

Manganese pollution in drinking water can be deadly. But where does it come from? In addition to being naturally occurring, it can also originate from steel production, fracking, coal mining, and agriculture. Governing organizations should look out for Manganese Pollution Sources for Drinking Water if the supplies borders one of these land uses.

Image credit: https://harvardpublichealth.org/

Rewilding Landscapes

Rewilding Landscapes

Rewilding Landscapes

03/18/25

“How can we return landscapes to nature?”

Humans cultivate landscapes through all sorts of methods, whether it’s by building physical infrastructure or cultivating specific plant species. But sometimes, we may want to return landscapes to nature. This Rewilding Landscapes process can happen in a number of different ways, from dechanellizing rivers to reintroducing native tree species. Rewilding is a fantastic way to build climate resilience and biodiversity in a region.

Why Your Kidneys Are Like a Water Filtration System

Why Your Kidneys Are Like a Water Filtration System

Why Your Kidneys Are Like a Water Filtration System

03/17/25

“Why are your kidneys like a water filtration system?”

We tend to think of body organs as functioning completely differently than built infrastructure. But this is not always the case. Take the kidneys for example. A kidney filters extra water from incoming into urine, much like how a water filtration system filters contaminants from incoming water. This is Why Your Kidneys Are Like a Water Filtration System.

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Why Colloids Are Hard to Remove From Drinking Water

Why Colloids Are Hard to Remove From Drinking Water

Why Colloids Are Hard to Remove From Drinking Water

03/14/25

“Why are colloids hard to remove from drinking water?”

Colloids are substances dissolved in another substance but microscopic and non-settling. These properties make colloids hard to remove from drinking water because they’re difficult to visually detect, can pass through filters easily, and are stabilized in water through electrostatic charges. This is Why Colloids Are Hard to Remove From Drinking Water.

Flocculation

Flocculation

Flocculation

03/12/25

“How can we use substances to remove colloids from water?”

Colloids are incredibly difficult to remove from water due to their small size and electrostatic charges. However, we can remove them by adding a charged substance to water to remove the negative charge of the colloids, pulling them away from the water, and then adding other substances to bind the colloids together that can be later settled out. This Flocculation is vital for many forms of water filtration.

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