pesticides/insecticides/herbicides and other pollutants into water bodies such as lakes, rivers, ponds). The usual efect of this type of pollution consists in algae growing in afected water bodies. This is a sign of increased nitrates and phosphates in water that could be harmful for human health. Storm water runof carrying various oils, petroleum products and other contaminants from urban and rural areas !ditches). These usually forms sheens on the water surface. Leaking sewer lines may add trihalomethanes !such as chloroform) as well as other contaminants into groundwater ending up contaminating surface water, too. "ischarges of chlorinated solvents from "ry #leaners to sewer lines are also a recognized source of water pollution with these persistent and harmful solvents. Mining activities mining activities involve crushing the rock that usually contains many trace metals and sul$des. The left material may easily generate sulfuric acid in the presence of precipitation water. %lease, read more at &ining 'ites. Foundries have direct emissions of metals !including (g, %b, &n, )e, #r and other metals) and other particulate matter into the air. %lease, read more at )oundry. *ndustrial discharges may add signi$cant pollution to water bodies, but are usually regulated today. %lease, read more at *ndustrial 'ites. Accidental leaks and spills associated with handling and storage of chemicals may happen anytime and, although they are usually contained soon after they occur, the risk of polluting surface and groundwater e+ist. ,n e+ample are ship accidents such as -++on .aldez disaster which spilled large amounts of petroleum products into the ocean/ Intended/illegal discharges of waste while such occurrences are less common today, they may still happen due to the high cost of proper waste disposal/ illegal waste discharges into water bodies were recorded all over the world/ Burning of fossil fuels the emitted ash particles usually contain to+ic metals !such as ,s or %b). 0urning will also add a series of o+ides including carbon dio+ide to air and respectively water bodies. ransportation even though %b has been banned in gasoline in the 1.'. and many other countries, vehicle emissions pollute the air with various tailpipe compounds !including sulfur and nitrogen compounds, as well as carbon o+ides) that may end up in water bodies via deposition with precipitation water. Construction activities introduce a series of contaminants into the ground that may eventually end up in groundwater. %lease, read more at #onstruction 'ites. !lastic materials/wastes in contact with water may degrade slowly releasing harmful compounds for both human health and ecosystem. "isposal of personal care products and household chemicals !including detergents and various cleaning solutions) this is a serious problem since the releases to water are unpredictable and hard if not impossible to control. *t is up to each of us to minimize this contribution to water pollution by controlling our consumption and disposal of such products as well as trying to recycle as much as we can2 Improper disposal of car #atteries and other batteries may add metals Leaking land$lls may pollute the groundwater below the land$ll with a large variety of contaminants !whatever is stored by the land$ll). Animal wastes contribute to the biological pollution of water streams. 0asically, anything that can cause air or the soil pollution, may also afect water bodies. %lease read more about ,ir %ollution #auses and 'oil %ollution #auses. %ater #lean and plentiful water provides the foundation for prosperous communities. 3e rely on clean water to survive, yet right now we are heading towards a water crisis. #hanging climate patterns are threatening lakes and rivers, and key sources that we tap for drinking water are being overdrawn or tainted with pollution. 45"# e+perts are helping to secure safe and su6cient water for people and the environment by7 %romoting water e6ciency strategies to help decrease the amount of water wasted/ %rotecting our water from pollution by defending the #lean 3ater ,ct and advocating for solutions like green infrastructure/ (elping prepare cities, counties and states for water-related challenges they will face as a result of climate change/ and -nsuring that waterways have enough water to support vibrant a8uatic ecosystems. %romoting 3ater -6ciency "espite the many e+isting pressures on our water resources, there are cost-efective solutions that will allow us to transform our relationship with water. To address increasing water scarcity in many places in the nation, 45"# is working to promote investments and policies that increase water use e6ciency and decrease water waste, such as7 ,dopting sensible standards for e6cient appliances, buildings, and irrigation/ 'upporting cost-efective investments by utilities to help customers save water/ and *mproving pricing structures to save both water and money. %rotecting #lean 3ater "irty water is the world9s biggest health risk, and continues to threaten both 8uality of life and public health in the 1nited 'tates. 3hen water from rain and melting snow runs of roofs and roads into our rivers, it picks up to+ic chemicals, dirt, trash and disease- carrying organisms along the way. &any of our water resources also lack basic protections, making them vulnerable to pollution from factory farms, industrial plants, and activities like fracking. This can lead to drinking water contamination, habitat degradation and beach closures. 45"# is working to protect our water from pollution by7 "rawing on e+isting protections in the #lean 3ater ,ct, and working to ensure that the law9s pollution control programs apply to all important waterways, including headwater streams and wetlands, which provide drinking water for ::; million ,mericans/ *mproving protections to reduce pollutants like bacteria and viruses, which threaten ,mericans9 health and well being/ and -stablishing new pollution limits for top problem areas, such as sources of runof and sewage over<ows. 12 simple things you can do to reduce water pollution 3ater and #limate #hange )rom more severe and fre8uent droughts to unprecedented <ooding, many of the most profound and immediate impacts of climate change will relate to water. &ore than one-third of all counties in the lower => states will face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as a result of global warming. ?ther impacts will include sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, harm to $sheries and more fre8uent and intense storm events. To help communities prepare, 45"# is creating tools that help the public and government o6cials to better understand and anticipate the water-related impacts of climate change at astate, county, and city level. 3e also promote ways to reduce wasted energyresulting from ine6cient water collection, treatment and distribution. %reserving 3ater -cosystems )ish, birds and wildlife depend on clean water, @ust as people do. 45"# works to protect and restore important waterways to ensure that there is enough water <owing to keep these ecosystems intact and functioning. *n the 'an )rancisco 0ay-"elta -- the largest estuary on the west coast -- we are stopping unsustainable water withdrawals that threaten endangered $sh species and their habitat through a range of litigation tools. 3e are also continuing to restore water <ows to #alifornia9s second largest river, the 'an Aoa8uin 5iver. Through implementation of the historic 'an Aoa8uin 5iver 5estoration 'ettlement, an agreement won after :> years of litigation brought by a coalition of conservation and $shing groups, and led by 45"#, the settlement will restore water <ows and reintroduce salmon to the 'an Aoa8uin. #auses and -fects of 3ater %ollution 3ater pollution has been seriously afecting the life of humans, plants as well as animals. The eco-system of rivers, streams, lakes, seas and oceans is also getting deteriorated due to the contamination of water, through various sources. This condition also leads to the outbreak of numerous diseases, ma@ority of them being lethal and contagious. (owever, before going about $nding a solution to the problem, we need to look into its underlying causes. *n the following lines, we have provided information on the causes and harmful efects of water pollution. Bo through them and then decide on your course of action. Sources of %ater !ollution "umping of industrial wastes, containing heavy metals, harmful chemicals, by-products, organic to+ins and oils, into the nearby source of water is one of the visible causes of water pollution. ,nother cause for the contamination of water is the improper disposal of human and animal wastes. -Cuents from factories, re$neries, in@ection wells and sewage treatment plants are dumped into urban water supplies, leading to water pollution. , number of pollutants, both harmful and poisonous, enter the groundwater systems through rain water. The residue of agricultural practices, including fertilizers and pesticides, are some of the ma@or sources of water pollution. 1ntreated pollutants are drained into the nearest water body, such as stream, lake or harbor, causing water pollution. ,nother ma@or source of water pollution comprises of organic farm wastes. 3hen farm land, treated with pesticides and fertilizers, is irrigated, the e+cess nitrogen and poisons get mi+ed into the water supply, thereby contaminating it. %athogens, sediments and chemical pollutants are other sources of water pollution. The corporeal wastes produced by humans and farmed organisms pollute rivers, lakes, oceans and other surface waters. &armful 'fects of %ater !ollution , number of waterborne diseases are produced by the pathogens present in polluted water, afecting humans and animals alike. %ollution afects the chemistry of water. The pollutants, including to+ic chemicals, can alter the acidity, conductivity and temperature of water. %olluted municipal water supplies are found to pose a threat to the health of people using them. ,s per the records, about :=DDD people perish or incur various communicable diseases due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water. The concentration of bacteria and viruses in polluted water causes increase in solids suspended in the water body, which, in turn, leads to health problems. &arine life becomes deteriorated due to water pollution. Eethal killing of $sh and a8uatic plants in rivers, oceans and seas is an afterefect of water contamination only. "iseases afecting the heart, poor circulation of blood and the nervous system and ailments like skin lesion, cholera and diarrhea are often linked to the harmful efects of water pollution. #arcinogenic pollutants found in polluted water might cause cancer. ,lteration in the chromosomal makeup of the future generation is foreseen, as a result of water pollution. "ischarges from power stations reduce the availability of o+ygen in the water body, in which they are dumped. The <ora and fauna of rivers, sea and oceans is adversely afected by water pollution. 'fects on 'cos(stem :) 0esides inorganic nutrient input, with the in<ow of waste water, decomposition of organic wastes, plant nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates takes place. This promotes the growth of o+ygen consuming algae !algal bloom), especially the blue-green algae. The growth of o+ygen consuming algae, which deo+ygenates water killing $sh and other animals is referred to as eutrophication. F) ,ddition of o+ygen not su6cient to support life. G) ,ddition of non-degradable broad-spectrum pesticides, which cause mass destruction of agnatic life. =) ,ddition of oil destroys life by reducing o+ygen and catching $ne, destroying ecosystem. 0iological o+ygen demand or 0?" stands for the amount of o+ygen regained by the microorganism of polluted water to complete the decomposition of organic matter present in the water. The term is usually used to know the amount of o+ygen consumed. (igher in the amount of o+ygen consumed, higher is the degree of organic pollutants. 0?" is e+pressed in milligrams of ?F per litre of water. , weak organic waste has a 0?" less then :HDD mg/ litre, a strong one has higher than this. , survey of the river Iamuna recorded 0?" of FDDD at "elhi, JDDD at &athura and :F,DDD at ,gra. 'hifts in biodiversity of animals and plants in polluted ecosystem. *mbalance in host - parasite relations in the ecosystem and changes in food - webs and food chains. *mbalances in microbial population and efects due to such imbalances. "epositions of deleterious chemicals in soil leading to loss of soil fertility.
'fects on Animal &ealth
Earge scale death of a8uatic and terrestrial animals 5educed reproduction rate *ncreased incidence of diseases *mbalances created in secondary food chains ,ccumulation of bio accumulative and non-biodegradable pollutants in animal bodies. 'ome organ chlorine pesticides !like ""T, 0(#, -ndrin) are known for bio accumulative and biomagni$able characters. Bioaccumulation *t is a concept wherein pesticides are not sub@ected to disintegration and e+cretion from animal/human body. Bio magni$cation "ue to bio accumulative characters, these pollutants pass through the food chain and food web. 3hile passing through the organisms, the concentration of pollutants gets increased. This is called bio magni$cations. )or e.g., D.H ppm ""T in grasses gets magni$ed to Fppm in sheep. *t may be magni$ed to :D ppm in human beings who eat such polluted mutton. 'ome organ chlorine pesticides cause health hazards like impotence, cancerous tumors beyond a threshold limit of accumulation. 'fects on &uman &ealth *ncreased incidence of tumors, ulcers due to nitrate pollution. *ncreased incidence of skin disorders due to contact with pollutants. *ncreased incidence of constipation, diarrhea and infections to intestine. "angerous efects on growing fetus in pregnant women. #oncentration of pollutants due to bioaccumulative pesticides. through secondary and tertiary food chain in case of non - vegetarians. 'till births, abortions and birth of deformed children. 90lue baby9 disease caused by methane globinemia - which results in asphy+ia !reduced ?F supply). 5educed activity of immune system. Eoss of memory power and reduced mental sharpness. 3ater borne diseases like @aundice, hepatitis, gasteroenteritis will be more prevalent due to water pollution. 5educed bone development and muscular development. 5educed male fertility. 'hifts in physiological cycles of human body. Improvement of %ater )ualit( 3ater pollution cannot be altogether checked, but measures can be taken to reduce it. These one as follows7 a* !rimar( treatment *n this method mechanical screening and sedimentation of un- dissolved solids in raw sewage is done. 0ut it fails to remove any dissolved substance from water. #* Secondar( treatment 'ewage treated in primary treatment is brought in contact with o+ygen and aerobic micro-organisms. They break down the organic matter into harmless materials as #?F and (F?. )urther, chlorination is done to reduce the bacteria. *t may be further treated to tertiary level zero measures are adopted for secondary treatment. They are !i) Trickling $lter method !ii) ,ctivated sludge process. i* rickling $lter method *n this case sewage water passes through a thick bed of gravel stones so that bacteria consume most of the organic matter. ii* Activated sludge process (ere the sewage water is pumped into an aeration tank. The tank contains sludge consisting of bacteria and algae. The bacteria are able to decompose most of the organic matter and algae produces o+ygen to promote the growth of these decomposers. c* Advanced water treatment or temporar( treatment )inally in the third step, salts like nitrates and phosphates are removed by precipitation techni8ue. +everse osmosis 0y this techni8ue sewage water can he converted into fairly clean drinking water. %hat is water pollution, 3ater pollution is the contamination of water bodies !e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, a8uifers and groundwater), very often by human activities. %ater pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without ade8uate treatment to remove harmful compounds. 3ater covers over ;DK of the -arthLs surface. *t is a very important resource for people and the environment. 3ater pollution afects drinking water, rivers, lakes and oceans all over the world. 3ater pollution is the second most imperative environmental concern along with air pollution. An( change or modi$cation in the ph(sical- chemical and #iological properties of water that will have a detrimental conse.uence on living things is water pollution/ Eakes, rivers, oceans and groundwaterLs are afected by pollution every now and then. Today we shall learn all about water pollution and what you can do about it. 5eady...M (pes of water pollution, 3ater comes from many sources. This means they can be polluted in many scenarios. Eet9s see a few types of water pollution7 0/ 1utrients !ollution 'ome wastewater, fertilizers and sewage contain high levels of nutrients. *f they end up in water bodies, they encourage algae and weed growth in the water. This will make the water undrinkable, and even clog $lters. Too much algae will also use up all the o+ygen in the water, and other water organisms in the water will die out of o+ygen from starvation. 2/ Surface water pollution 'urface water includes natural water found on the earth9s surface, like rivers, lakes, lagoons and oceans. ,ny kind of activity that pollutes these surface waters can be called surface water pollution. 3/ 45(gen "epleting 3ater bodies have micro-organisms. These include aerobic and anaerobic organisms. 3hen to much biodegradable matter !things that easily decay) end up in water, it encourages more microorganism growth, and they use up more o+ygen in the water. *f o+ygen is depleted, aerobic organisms die, and anaerobic organism grow more to produce harmful to+ins such as ammonia and sul$des. 6/ 7round water pollution 3hen humans apply pesticides and chemicals to soils, they are washed deep into the ground by rain water. This gets to underground water. This means when we dig wells and bore holes to get water from underground, it needs to be checked for ground water pollution. 8/ Micro#iological *n many communities in the world, people drink untreated water !straight from a river or stream). 'ometimes there is natural pollution caused by microorganisms like viruses, bacteria and protozoa. This natural pollution can cause $shes and other water life to die. They can also cause serious illness to humans who drink from such waters. This is called microbiological pollution. 9/ Suspended Matter 'ome pollutants !substances, particles and chemicals) do not easily dissolve in water. This kind of material is called particulate matter. 'ome suspended pollutants later settle under the water body. This can harm and even kill a8uatic life that live at the <oor of water bodies. :/ Chemical %ater !ollution &any industries and farmers work with chemicals that end up in water. These include chemicals that are used to control weeds, insects and pests. &etals and solvents from industries can pollute water bodies. These are poisonous to many forms of a8uatic life and may slow their development, make them infertile and kill them. ;/ 4il Spillage ?il spills usually have only a localized efect on wildlife but can spread for miles. The oil can cause the death of many $sh and stick to the feathers of seabirds causing them to lose the ability to <y. "o you remember the 0% ?il spill in FD:DM !5ead about it here) ?ver :,DDD animals !birds, turtles, mammals) were reported dead, including many already on the endangered species list. ?f the animals afected by the spill that are still alive only about NK have been reported cleaned, but many biologists and other scientists predict they will die too from the stress caused by the pollution. Causes of water pollution, Sewage and waste water -very day, we cook, do laundry, <ush the toilet, wash our cars, shower and do many things that use water. Think about how we use water in schools, hospitals and public places. 3here do you think all the water, li8uid waste, toilet and urine end upM *n many developed communities, all this water and soluble waste !called sewage) is treated, cleaned and dumped into the sea. -ven though they are treated, they are never the same as fresh water. #lick below to see how sewage is treated7 *n some un-developed countries, the sewage is not treated, but 8uickly dumped into the sea or water bodies. This is .-5I dangerous because they contaminate the environment and water bodies and bring many deadly diseases to us. Septic anks -very domestic !home) toilet is connected to septic tank usually located outside the house. -ach time poop is <ushed down the toilet, it goes into this tank, where the solid part is separated from the li8uid part. 0iological processes are used to break down the solids and the li8uid is usually drained out into a land drainage system. )rom this stage, it can escape into the soil and nearly water bodies. 4cean and marine dumping ,gain, think of the rubbish we all make each day. %aper waste, food waste, plastic, rubber, metallic and aluminum waste. *n some countries, there are deposited into the sea. ,ll these waste types take time to decompose. -+ample, it is know that paper takes about N weeks, aluminum takes about FDD years and glass takes even more. 3hen these end up in the sea, they harm sea animals and cause a lot of deaths Industrial waste *ndustries also cause huge water pollution with their activities. These come from7 Asbestos This pollutant cancer-causing properties. 3hen inhaled, it can cause illnesses such as asbestosis and many types of cancer. Lead and Mercury These are metallic elements and can cause environmental and health problems for humans and animals. *t is even more poisonous. *t is usually very hard to clean it up from the environment once it get into it because it in non-biodegradable. Nitrates & Phosphates These are found in fertilizers, are often washed from the soils to nearby water bodies. They can cause eutrophication, which can be very problematic to marine environments. Sulfur This is a non-metallic substance that is harmful for marine life. Oils ?ils forms a thick layer on the water surface because they do not dissolve in water. This can stop marine plants receiving enough light for photosynthesis. *t is also harmful for $sh and marine birds. , classic e+ample is the 0% oil spill in FD:F with killed thousands of animalLs species. 4il !ollution 5outine shipping, run-ofs and dumping of oils on the ocean surfaces happen every day. ?il spills make up about :FK of the oil that enters the ocean. ?il spills cause ma@or problems, and can be e+tremely harmful to local marine wildlife such as $sh, birds and sea otters and other a8uatic life. 0ecause oil does not dissolve, it stays on the water surface and sufocates $sh. ?il also gets caught in the feathers of sea birds stopping them from <ying. 'ome animals die as a result. <nderground storage and tu#e leakages/ &any li8uid products !petroleum products) are stored in metal and steel tubes underground. ?ther sewage systems run in underground tubes. ?vertime, they rust and begin to leak. *f that happens, they contaminate the soils and the li8uids in them end up in many nearby water bodies. Atmospheric ,tmospheric deposition is the pollution of water bodies caused by air pollution. -ach time the air is polluted with sulfur dio+ide and nitrogen o+ide, they mi+ with water particles in the air and form a to+ic substance. This falls as acid rain to the ground, and gets washed into water bodies. The result is that, water bodies also get contaminated and this afects animals and water organisms. Important facts of water pollution/ =DK of ,mericaLs rivers and =NK of ,mericaLs lakes are too polluted for $shing, swimming, or a8uatic life. :.F trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water, and industrial waste are discharged into 1' waters annually. %olluted drinking waters are a problem for about half of the worldLs population. -ach year there are about FHD million cases of water-based diseases, resulting in roughly H to :D million deaths. *n FD:D, there was a huge oil spill in ,merica by 0%. ?f the =DD miles of Eouisiana coast, appro+imately :FH miles have been polluted by the oil spill. ?ver :,DDD animals !birds, turtles, mammals) have been reported dead, including many already on the endangered species list. ?f the animals afected by the spill that are still alive only about NK have been reported cleaned, but many biologists and other scientists predict they will die too. *n 4ovember FD:F, 0% agreed a settlement with the 1' government worth O=.Hbn, including a O:.FNbn criminal $ne. *n ,pril FD:D, The Transocean ?il 5ig e+ploded, killing :: workers. The disaster also damaged the Bulf of &e+ico coast causing one of the biggest environmental disasters in 1' history. *n Aanuary FD:G, the company paid O=DDm !PF=>m) in criminal penalties and a O:bn civil $ne after pleading guilty to violating the #lean 3ater ,ct. *n developing countries, ;D percent of industrial wastes are dumped untreated into waters where they pollute the usable water supply. Source: WWAP (ow the world uses freshwater7 Q about ;D percent for irrigation Q about FF percent for industry Q about > percent for domestic use Source: World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) F;K of the urban population in the developing world does not have piped water in their homes. Source: UNS!" , lack of safe water and sanitation in cities leads to cholera, malaria and diarrhea. 'fects of water pollution/ Iou will notice in the previous pages that water pollution is very harmful to humans, animals and water life. The efects can be catastrophic, depending on the kind of chemicals, concentrations of the pollutants and where there are polluted. 0elow, we shall see a summary of the efects of water pollution. (Make sure you see the factsheet page for some ery unfortunate incidents of !ater pollution in recent time" The efects of water pollution are varied and depend on what chemicals are dumped and in what locations. &any water bodies near urban areas !cities and towns) are highly polluted. This is the result of both garbage dumped by individuals and dangerous chemicals legally or illegally dumped by manufacturing industries, health centers, schools and market places. The main problem caused by water pollution is that it kills life that depends on these water bodies. "ead $sh, crabs, birds and sea gulls, dolphins, and many other animals often wind up on beaches, killed by pollutants in their habitat !living environment). %ollution disrupts the natural food chain as well. %ollutants such as lead and cadmium are eaten by tiny animals. Eater, these animals are consumed by $sh and shell$sh, and the food chain continues to be disrupted at all higher levels. -ventually, humans are afected by this process as well. %eople can get diseases such as hepatitis by eating seafood that has been poisoned. *n any poor nations, there is always outbreak of cholera and diseases as a result of poor drinking water treatment from contaminated waters. -cosystems !the interaction of living things in a place, depending on each other for life) can be severely changed or destroyed by water pollution. &any areas are now being afected by careless human pollution, and this pollution is coming back to hurt humans in many ways. #an you think of some other efects that water pollution is having in your areaM !revention of water pollution/ "ealing with water pollution is something that everyone !including governments and local councils) needs to get involved with. (ere are a few things you can do to help. Eearning about the issue !like you are doing) is the greatest and most important step to take. (ere are a few more7 =ou can help 4ever throw rubbish away anyhow. ,lways look for the correct waste bin. *f there is none around, please take it home and put it in your trash can. This includes places like the beach, riverside and water bodies.Eearn more about waste disposal here. 1se water wisely. "o not keep the tap running when not in use. ,lso, you can reduce the amount of water you use in washing and bathing. *f we all do this, we can signi$cantly prevent water shortages and reduces the amount of dirty water that needs treatment. "o not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain, or the toilet. *n many cities, your local environment o6ce can help with the dispoasl of medicines and chemicals. 'peak to them 0uy more environmentally safe cleaning li8uids for the use at home and other public places. They are less dangerous to the environment. *f you use chemicals and pesticides for your gardens and farms, be mindful not to overuse pesticides and fertilisers. This will prevent runofs of the material into nearby water sources. 'tart looking at options ofcomposting and using organic manure instead. *f you live close to a water body, try to plants lots of trees and <owers around your home, so that when it rains, chemicals from your home does not easily drain into the water. 7overnments- local councils and laws &any governments have very strict laws that help minimize water pollution. These laws are usually directed to industries, hospitals, schools and market areas on how to dispose, treat and manage sewage. "o you know the laws in your countryM This is the time to $nd out. *n many developed cities, waste or sewage treatment is very e6cient, and designed to minimse pollution of water bodies. #lick here to see an e+ample of how a good sewage !wastewater) treatment works. There are also lots of organizations and groups that help educate people on the dangers of water pollution. *t is always great to @oin these groups, because they regularly encourage other members of their communities to have a better attitude towards water.