Stanich 1

Hannah Stanich

Mrs. Palcko

English 112

10 May 2017

Water Pollution

Water. A colorless, transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid that all living things need in

order to survive. Why is it that most bodies of water today do not fit this definition? Simply, it is

redefined as under water pollution. Water pollution is the addition of harmful chemicals into

water directly or indirectly. Water pollution is a worldwide issue that affects millions of people

around the globe. The disastrous effects on people and animals makes the world ask the question,

who is responsible for our contaminated bodies of water?

Water pollution affects millions of people around the globe. Many do not have access to

clean drinking water. When people hear this, one might think of a poor or undeveloped country,

but that is not the only case. Water pollution is evidenced here in the United States as well. For

example, a major case in the US was found recently just in 2016. According to a Harvard study,

they found, unsafe levels of polyfluoroalkyl- industrial chemicals linked with cancer, hormone

disruption and other health problems- in the drinking water of 33 states, affecting 6 million

Americans (McLendon). Millions of people in the US are drinking dangerous tap water without

even knowing it. Aside from the US, third world countries have a much more serious problem in

having access to clean drinking water. A Third World Center for Water Management, estimates

at least three billion people worldwide still drink water of dubious quality (Asit K). Many of

these people come from the worlds third world countries. In Afghanistan, only 13% of the
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country has clean drinking water readily available (World Water). They have a huge population

and no water to support it. In Ethiopia, the state has a population estimate of 82 million. Only

11% have access to clean sanitation water (World Water). There are many more countries like

these two with devastating numbers that are suffering today. The lack of clean drinking water

should be societys top concern, due to the overbearing demand of it.

Water pollution has disastrous effects on people and animals. Water provides life and

health, but when it is contaminated, serious health problems can occur. The effects can either be

present right away or more likely, long term. Long term effects in people can be very dangerous

because they can include, cancer, liver and kidney damage, disorders of the nervous system,

damage to the immune system, and birth defects (Health Effects). These effects can lead to

serious health cases including death. Also, according to the Health Effects article, immediate

health effects can include nausea, lung irritation, skin rash, vomiting, and in some cases death.

By just drinking water, there is a possibility that you can die. A major disease, known as

diarrhoea, leaves around 842,000 people dead each year from contaminated water. People are

also affected when the seafood they eat is contaminated. Animals are much bigger victims of

water pollution because they can not escape it. For example, chemical pollution kills off smaller

aquatic life, which as a result, leaves the bigger fish with nothing to eat. It is a chain reaction that

leaves many species dead. Also, the dumping of solid trash causes small animals to get trapped

inside. There are many many ways that water pollution affects our animals and as well as us.

Water pollution affects the world (Shukla).

Who is responsible for the contaminated bodies of water? Simply, everyone has

contributed in some way to this problem. From an individual littering, to a huge factory dumping
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oil into the ocean, to farmers spraying their crops with pesticides, it all ends up in our waterways.

Woodford says, virtually any human activity can have an effect on the quality of our water

environment. This is why education on this topic is so important. Everyone needs to be fully

aware of what their actions can be and are leading to. About eighty percent of water pollution

comes from land activities. Woodford also says, water pollution has many different causes and

this is one of the reasons why it is such a difficult problem to solve. There might not be a

perfect solution to completely ending water pollution, but there can definitely be limits and laws

made to help ensure the world does not exceed and destroy our water for good. supply

permanently.

Overall, water is a necessity for every living organism. Two-thirds of the world is made

up of water, and a lot of it is labeled as water pollution. This contaminated water effects ocean

life and everyone around the globe. At least three billion people drink this questionable water as

many do not have any access to clean drinking water. Much of the responsibility for this problem

is on us. Many have contributed in some way big or small. Water pollution enters our waterways

directly or indirectly from one person to big factories. Water pollution is a result because of each

and everyone one of the people on this planet. So, what have you done today to contribute to this

growing problem?
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Works Cited

Asit K. BiswasFollow @asitkbiswas !function (d, s, id) { var js, fjs =

d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (!d.getElementById(id)) { js = d.createElement(s);

js.id = id; js.src = "//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,

fjs); } }(document, "script", "twitter-wjs"); Asit K. Biswas is Distinguished Visiting

Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore and co-founder of

the Third World Center for Water Management. He was a founder of the International

Water Resources Association and World Water Council. The Third Worlds Drinking

Problem. Project Syndicate, 19 Feb. 2014,

www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/asit-k--biswas-and-peter-brabeck-letmathe-reco

mmend-a-new-approach-to-addressing-developing-countries--water-and-sanitation-challe

nges. Accessed 14 May 2017.

Drinking-Water. World Health Organization, World Health Organization,

www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs391/en/. Accessed 12 May 2017.

Health Effects From Drinking Contaminated Water. Drinking Contaminated Water -

CompareHomeWaterFilters.Com,

www.comparehomewaterfilter.com/health_effects.html. Accessed 12 May 2017.

McLendon, Russell. How polluted is U.S. drinking water? MNN - Mother Nature Network,

Mother Nature Network, 22 Mar. 2017,

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www.mnn.com/earth-matters/translating-uncle-sam/stories/how-polluted-is-us-drinking-

water. Accessed 14 May 2017.

Shukla, Ishani Chatterjee. These Tragic Effects of Water Pollution on Animals are Saddening.

Buzzle, Buzzle.com, 5 Oct. 2016,

www.buzzle.com/articles/effects-of-water-pollution-on-animals.html. Accessed 14 May

2017.

Woodford, Chris. Water pollution: An introduction to causes, effects, solutions. Explain that

Stuff, 5 June 2016, www.explainthatstuff.com/waterpollution.html. Accessed 14 May

2017.

World Water Day: 10 Places Most in Need of Clean Water. Ecorazzi,

www.ecorazzi.com/2012/03/22/world-water-day-10-places-most-in-need-of-clean-water/.

Accessed 14 May 2017.