Water pollution

· Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities, so that it negatively affects its uses.

· Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants mix with these water bodies.

· Contaminants can come from one of four main sources: sewage discharges, industrial activities, agricultural activities, and urban runoff including storm water.

· Water pollution is either surface water pollution or groundwater pollution. This form of pollution can lead to many problems, such as the degradation of aquatic ecosystems or spreading water-borne diseases when people use polluted water for drinking or irrigation.

· Another problem is that water pollution reduces the ecosystem services (such as providing drinking water) that the water resource would otherwise provide.

 

The Causes of Water Pollution

Ø Industrial Waste

Industries and industrial sites across the world are a major contributor to water pollution. Many industrial sites produce waste in the form of toxic chemicals and pollutants, and though regulated, some still do not have proper waste management systems in place. In those rare cases, industrial waste is dumped into nearby freshwater systems. When industrial waste is not treated properly (or worse, not treated at all), it can very easily pollute the freshwater systems that it comes into contact with.

Ø Marine Dumping

The process of marine dumping is exactly what it sounds like, dumping garbage into the waters of the ocean. It might seem crazy, but household garbage is still collected and dumped into oceans by many countries across the world. Most of these items can take anywhere from two to 200 years to decompose completely.

Ø Sewage and Wastewater

Harmful chemicals, bacteria and pathogens can be found in sewage and wastewater even when it’s been treated. Sewage and wastewater from each household is released into the sea with fresh water. The pathogens and bacteria found in that wastewater breed disease, and therefore are a cause of health-related issues in humans and animals alike.

 

Ø Oil Leaks and Spills

The age-old phrase “like water and oil” is used when describing two things that do not mix easily or at all. Just as the saying states, water and oil do not mix, and oil does not dissolve in water. Large oil spills and oil leaks, while often accidental, are a major cause of water pollution. Leaks and spills often are caused by oil drilling operations in the ocean or ships that transport oil.

Ø Agriculture

In order to protect their crops from bacteria and insects, farmers often use chemicals and pesticides. When these substances seep into the groundwater, they can harm animals, plants and humans. Additionally, when it rains, the chemicals mix with rainwater, which then flows into rivers and streams that filter into the ocean, causing further water pollution.

 

Water Pollution Prevention

ü Wastewater treatment

Wastewater treatment consists of removing pollutants from wastewater through a physical, chemical or biological process. The more efficient these processes are, the cleaner the water becomes.

ü Green agriculture

Globally, agriculture accounts for 70% of water resources, so it is essential to have climate-friendly crops, efficient irrigation that reduces the need for water and energy-efficient food production. Green agriculture is also crucial to limit the chemicals that enter the water.

ü Storm water management

Storm water management is the effort to reduce runoff of rainwater or melted snow into streets, lawns and other sites and the improvement of water quality”. It is important to avoid pollutants from contaminating the water and helps to use water more efficiently.

ü Air pollution prevention

Air pollution has a direct impact on water contamination as 25% of human induced CO2 emissions are absorbed by oceans. This pollution causes a rapid acidification of our oceans, and threatens marine life and corals. Preventing air pollution is the best way to prevent this from happening.

 

ü Plastic waste reduction

80% of plastic in our oceans is from land sources. In order to reduce the amount of plastic entering our ocean, we need to both reduce our use of plastic globally, and to improve plastic waste management.

 

“ A DROP OF WATER IS WORTH MORE THAN A SACK OF GOLD TO A THIRSTY MAN”