Final answer:
The tactic that involves applying water to a water-soluble material to reduce its hazard is dilution. This process decreases the concentration of the substance, making it less harmful, which is particularly useful in mitigating the impact of chemical spills.
Step-by-step explanation:
The spill control and confinement tactic that involves applying water to a water-soluble material in order to reduce the hazard is known as dilution. Dilution is a process that decreases the concentration of a solute within a solution by adding more solvent. In the context of spill control, this means if a hazardous material is soluble in water, adding water to it can decrease its concentration, making it less harmful. An example of this can be compared to iced tea becoming more diluted as the ice melts, where the solute's concentration decreases relative to the volume of the tea.
Dilution is often used in various industries to reduce the potential damage of an effluent before it is released into the environment. For instance, if a chemical spill occurs and the material is water-soluble, emergency responders might use water to dilute the substance, thereby mitigating the impact it could have on the surrounding area, wildlife, and people.