Suburban Water Pollution
Location
CoLab, COM 211
Start Date
30-4-2026 10:45 AM
Document Type
Poster
Description
Water in suburban areas such as Johnson County, Kansas is generally considered safe for drinking due to municipal treatment systems; however, pollutants are still released into local ponds, lakes, and rivers. Because contaminants can vary widely, water hardness can serve as a useful indicator when evaluating the overall quality and safety of a water sample. In this study, water collected from a pond on the campus of Johnson County Community College was tested using several methods. The results from general test kits differed noticeably from those obtained through more precise analytical procedures. Overall, the findings indicated moderately high levels of hardness, suggesting the presence of metal ions likely introduced through runoff pollution. These results provide a clearer understanding of the extent of environmental pollution in local water bodies in Johnson County beyond what is observed in treated tap water.
Suburban Water Pollution
CoLab, COM 211
Water in suburban areas such as Johnson County, Kansas is generally considered safe for drinking due to municipal treatment systems; however, pollutants are still released into local ponds, lakes, and rivers. Because contaminants can vary widely, water hardness can serve as a useful indicator when evaluating the overall quality and safety of a water sample. In this study, water collected from a pond on the campus of Johnson County Community College was tested using several methods. The results from general test kits differed noticeably from those obtained through more precise analytical procedures. Overall, the findings indicated moderately high levels of hardness, suggesting the presence of metal ions likely introduced through runoff pollution. These results provide a clearer understanding of the extent of environmental pollution in local water bodies in Johnson County beyond what is observed in treated tap water.

Comments
The faculty mentor for this project was Lori Slavin.