WATER POLLUTION

Defination;

Water pollution is any contamination of water with chemicals or other foreign substances that are detrimental to human, plant, or animal health. These pollutants include fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural runoff; sewage and food processing waste; lead, mercury, and other heavy metals; chemical wastes from industrial discharges; and chemical contamination from hazardous waste sites. Worldwide, nearly 2 billion people drink contaminated water that could be harmful to their health.

Causes of Water Pollution

• Sewage from domestic households, factories and commercial buildings Sewage that is treated in water treatment plants is often disposed into the sea.  Sewage can be more problematic when people flush chemicals and pharmaceutical substances down the toilet.
• Dumping solid wastes and littering by humans in rivers, lakes and oceans.  Littering items include cardboard, Styrofoam, aluminum, plastic and glass.
• Industrial waste from factories, which use freshwater to carry waste from the plant into rivers, contaminates waters with pollutants such as asbestos, lead, mercury and petrochemicals.
• Oil Pollution caused by oil spills from tankers and oil from ship travel.  Oil does not dissolve in water and forms a thick sludge.
• Burning fossil fuels into the air causes the formation of acidic particles in the atmosphere.  When these particles mix with water vapor, the result is acid rain.
• An increase in water temperature is caused by global warming and thermal plants that use lakes and rivers to cool down mechanical equipment.
• The main causes for water pollution are :

  Disposal of waste:

  This waste includes sewage, garbage and liquid waste from factories and homes. Wastages from chemical factories contain many toxic or poisonous chemicals. These are discharged into rivers. The river-water becomes poisonous for fish and other aquatic animals and plants.

  Chemical fertilizers and pesticides:

  Farmers use fertilizers for growth, and pesticides to kill insects that damage crops. Fertilizers and pesticides which are good for plants, may be harmful to human beings and animals. Many of these chemicals get dissolved in rainwater which flows into ponds, canals, rivers and seas.

  Disposal of human excreta and animal dung:

  The rain washes away human excreta and animal dung into rivers, ponds and lakes. Drinking this polluted water may cause several water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice, typhoid and cholera. Polluted river-water can cause diseases to the whole population.

Effects of Water Pollution

• Groundwater contamination from pesticides causes reproductive damage within wildlife in ecosystems.
• Sewage, fertilizer, and agricultural run-off contain organic materials that when discharged into waters, increase the growth of algae, which causes the depletion of oxygen.  The low oxygen levels are not able to support most indigenous organisms in the area and therefore upset the natural ecological balance in rivers and lakes.
• Old Roofs can cause pollution if they are not properly maintained.  If water is being held on roofs the water can become polluted and then run down the home and cause more pollution to the water table.  If you invest in a green roof from Allstate Roofing you can help reduce the water pollution from your home.
• Swimming in and drinking contaminated water causes skin rashes and health problems like cancer, reproductive problems, typhoid fever and stomach sickness in humans.  Which is why it’s very important to make sure that your water is clean and safe to drink.
• Industrial chemicals and agricultural pesticides that end up in aquatic environments can accumulate in fish that are later eaten by humans.  Fish are easily poisoned with metals that are also later consumed by humans.  Mercury is particularly poisonous to small children and women.  Mercury has been found to interfere with the development of the nervous system in fetuses and young children.
• Ecosystems are destroyed by the rising temperature in the water, as coral reefs are affected by the bleaching effect due to warmer temperatures.  Additionally, the warm water forces indigenous water species to seek cooler water in other areas, causing an ecological damaging shift of the affected area.
• Human-produced litter of items such as plastic bags and 6-pack rings can get aquatic animals caught and killed from suffocation.
• Water pollution causes flooding due to the accumulation of solid waste and soil erosion in streams and rivers.
• Oil spills in the water causes animal to die when they ingest it or encounter it.  Oil does not dissolve in water so it causes suffocation in fish and birds.

• WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF WATER POLLUTION?

• There is no advantage to water pollution. Water pollution by definition is an unnatural substance introduced into the water. Since all life in the water is adapted to the natural condition of the water, any change in this natural state in disruptive to the biosphere of the water. Even something that you might tend to think would be helpful, such as fertilizer, has the effect of throwing the system out of balance, causing some life forms to increase to the point where they choke out or endanger others.

•   Disadvantages of Water Pollution

• Fresh sources of water are threatened by exploitation ecological degradation. Water pollution affects the delicate balance in the ecosystem which ultimately impacts the humans and other living organisms.  Water pollution effects depend upon the chemicals that are dumped in the particular water body. One of the ill effects is spread of diseases by intake of unclean water. It has been documented that water pollution is a wide range contributor to health problems and diseases to humans. It also impacts wild animals and environment.
  
  
  Some of the disadvantages of water pollution are as follows:

  • Water pollution seriously affects the ecosystem.
  • Pesticide contamination in the ground water causes reproductive damage in the wildlife ecosystem.
  • Discharge of polluted water which contains organic material from sewage, agricultural run-off causes eutrophication.
  • Destroys life in the water based ecosystem which is polluted which in turn disrupts natural food chain.
  • Aquatic life is destroyed due to the non-biodegradable pesticides and chemicals.
  • Water pollution affects the microbial population.
  • There is a steep increase in the BOD levels of water.
  • Water pollution brings and imbalance in the host-parasite relationship in the ecosystem, this affects the food webs and food chain.
  • The organisms that depend on these water bodies are in grave danger. Consumption infected fish by other animals and humans may cause serious illness.
  • Water which has been contaminated by oil spills causes the death of water birds from exposure to cold and air due to feather damage.
  • There is bioaccumulation and biomagnifications of pesticides and hazardous chemicals like organochlorines like DDT, BHC, etc in animal bodies.
  • Water pollution causes disease like hepatitis in humans on consumption of seafood which is poisoned or contaminated.
  • Drinking contaminated water causes disease like cholera, skin diseases and can also cause cancer, reproductive problems, typhoid and stomach ailments.
  • Heavy metal poisoning in humans due to consumption of contaminated fish interferes with the proper function of the nervous system.
  • Contamination of ground water by pesticides can cause endocrine and reproductive problems to humans and animals.

  • How to control water pollution?

    Water pollution can be controlled in the multiple ways. It is best controlled by the dilution of water. The pollutants must be treated chemically and must be converted into the non toxic substances. The low level of radioactive wastes in the water is removed by the oxidation of ponds. There are certain chemicals which act on the organic insecticide and are used in the pesticide. There are different techniques which are very helpful in the process of thermal pollution and involve the cooling, evaporation, water cooling; cooling can be wet or dry. Their main aim is to keep the water cool in rivers and streams. The shallow ponds must be used to store the domestic and industrial wastes. One must avoid the large ponds. The waste has a presence of sunlight and organic nutrients which may lead to the larger growth of bacteria which act on the waste matter. The reclaimed polluted water can be used in making fertilizers as it is rich in phosphorous, potassium and nitrogen. It can also be used for the irrigation and factories purposes. The proper sewage treatment plans play a crucial role in the reclaimed polluted water. There must be a law which ensures that the industries must treat the waste before the water is discharged into the rivers and seas. The polluted water can be treated by the use of a plant known as water hyacinth which is also referred as kaloli. It deals with the biological and chemical waste. The heavy metals are also removed by it.