Water pollution

When toxic substances enter lakes, streams, rivers, oceans, and other water bodies, they get
dissolved or lie suspended in water or get deposited on the bed. This results in the pollution of
water whereby the quality of the water deteriorates, affecting aquatic ecosystems. Pollutants can
also seep down and affect the groundwater deposits.
Water pollution has many sources. The most polluting of them are the city sewage and industrial
waste discharged into the rivers. The facilities to treat waste water are not adequate in any city in
India. Presently, only about 10% of the waste water generated is treated; the rest is discharged as
it is into our water bodies. Due to this, pollutants enter groundwater, rivers, and other water
bodies. Such water, which ultimately ends up in our households, is often highly contaminated
and carries disease-causing microbes. Agricultural run-off, or the water from the fields that
drains into rivers, is another major water pollutant as it contains fertilizers and pesticides.

Domestic sewage
Refers to waste water that is discarded from households. Also referred to as sanitary sewage,
such water contains a wide variety of dissolved and suspended impurities.
It amounts to a very small fraction of the sewage by weight. But it is large by volume and
contains impurities such as organic materials and plant nutrients that tend to rot. The main
organic materials are food and vegetable waste, plant nutrient come from chemical soaps,
washing powders, etc. Domestic sewage is also very likely to contain disease-causing microbes.
Thus, disposal of domestic waste water is a significant technical problem. Sewage generated
from the urban areas in India has multiplied manifold since 1947.
Today, many people dump their garbage into streams, lakes, rivers, and seas, thus making water
bodies the final resting place of cans, bottles, plastics, and other household products. The various
substances that we use for keeping our houses clean add to water pollution as they contain
harmful chemicals. In the past, people mostly used soaps made from animal and vegetable fat for
all types of washing. But most of today’s cleaning products are synthetic detergents and come
from the petrochemical industry. Most detergents and washing powders contain phosphates,
which are used to soften the water among other things. These and other chemicals contained in
washing powders affect the health of all forms of life in the water.

Agricultural Run off

The use of land for agriculture and the practices followed in cultivation greatly affect the quality
of groundwater. Intensive cultivation of crops causes chemicals from fertilizers (e.g. nitrate) and
pesticides to seep into the groundwater, a process commonly known as leaching. Routine
applications of fertilizers and pesticides for agriculture and indiscriminate disposal of industrial
and domestic wastes are increasingly being recognized as significant sources of water pollution.
The high nitrate content in groundwater is mainly from irrigation run-off from agricultural fields
where chemical fertilizers have been used indiscriminately.

Industrial effluents
Waste water from manufacturing or chemical processes in industries contributes to water
pollution. Industrial waste water usually contains specific and readily identifiable chemical
compounds. During the last fifty years, the number of industries in India has grown rapidly. But
water pollution is concentrated within a few subsectors, mainly in the form of toxic wastes and
organic pollutants. Out of this a large portion can be traced to the processing of industrial
chemicals and to the food products industry. In fact, a number of large- and medium-sized
industries in the region covered by the Ganga Action Plan do not have adequate effluent
treatment facilities. Most of these defaulting industries are sugar mills, distilleries, leather
processing industries, and thermal power stations. Most major industries have treatment facilities
for industrial effluents. But this is not the case with small-scale industries, which cannot afford
enormous investments in pollution control equipment as their profit margin is very slender.

Effects of water pollution

The effects of water pollution are not only devastating to people but also to animals, fish, and
birds. Polluted water is unsuitable for drinking, recreation, agriculture, and industry. It
diminishes the aesthetic quality of lakes and rivers. More seriously, contaminated water destroys
aquatic life and reduces its reproductive ability. Eventually, it is a hazard to human health.
Nobody can escape the effects of water pollution.
The individual and the community can help minimize water pollution. By simple housekeeping
and management practices the amount of waste generated can be minimized.

     Sollution on water pollution

The need for water pollution solutions that work is growing intensely. Despite laws that are
designed to protect our water from pollutants and contaminants, water pollution continues to be a
very large part of our planet’s peril.

There are many laws in place to help protect the waters from pollution. However, enforcement of
these laws is very slim.

Since the ocean is a vast territory, many vessels are still discharging and dumping directly into
our oceans and poisoning them with contaminants.

In 1970 the Clean Water Act was passed to eliminate the discharge of all contaminants
throughout the waterways. Discharging can mean anything from human waste to bilge waters
contaminated with diesel, oil, or chemical residue or spills. In some cases it means biological and
hazardous waste with lethal potential.

Factories and plants are still discharging harmful contaminants into streets, alleyways, and the
ground which all have the potential to become dangerous to our groundwater or our waterways.

While there are laws to prevent these discharges, the likelihood of getting caught and the
associated fine is often not steep enough to prevent the companies from repeating the action.
These laws were put into place to encourage water pollution solutions and yet are rarely
enforced throughout some of the most populated areas.

Fortunately, some cities are starting to crack down on violations of pollution laws. New York is
a leader in emissions testing and spot checking factories and plants for violations of dumping
and discharging laws.

The environmental police have taken charge of enforcing water pollution solutions. They have
targeted everyone from delivery vehicles to the largest and wealthiest companies in the city. If
more cities would follow suit, we would be well on our way to protecting our planet from
intolerable water supplies.
Solutions To Water Pollution – What You Can Do
Outside of enforcing the current laws and creating even tougher regulations to prevent the
continued pollution of water, there are dedicated and relatively simple objectives that everyone
can participate in so that we can provide water pollution solutions to the average citizen.

Simple steps like driving hybrid cars and using home water coolers can reduce water pollution.
Littering in any form can also create additional pollution. Conserving clean water supplies can
be beneficial in many ways, including preventing the need for use of tainted water supplies.

For instance, if everyone supported clean agriculture there would no longer be a market for
agriculture that is responsible for poisonous runoff and ground water pollution. Clean
agriculture is easier than ever to recognize because of the new standards for organic labeling.

Organic foods mean that there were no pesticides or other harmful contaminants used in the
growing of the food. When a food product is labeled organic, federal law requires that it meets
the criteria for being 75% organic or better.

When a food product is labeled 100% organic it meets the criteria for being 99% organic or
better. 100% organic foods include the soil in which the product was grown as well as the
process of which the product was packaged, shipped, and distributed.  But supporting organic
foods you are supporting water pollution solutions through clean agriculture.

The preservation of natural wetlands provides a relatively simple water pollution solution.
Wetlands serve as nature’s filter and create a natural buffering zone between the water and the
land. The vast amount of various plant life, naturally occurring bacteria and algae, and
microorganisms help to filter destructive pollutants.

Wetlands can be easily preserved through replanting efforts. Planting appropriate foliage can
help a wetland survive. While some wetlands have been filled and developed, wetlands tend to
make rather poor environments to build upon.
Discouraging wetland development and encouraging wetland replanting is one way that
everyone can get involved in finding solutions to water pollution .

Types of water pollution

Despite the many types of water pollution many people still see this as a single source issue,
usually blaming big business for the depletion of many natural bodies of water and the life within
it.

While big business is partially to blame, homeowners, recreational and professional boaters, and
even farmers can contribute to the condition of the planet’s water.

Something as simple as flicking a cigarette butt out the window, which is often carried away by
storm drains that may eventually empty out into bays, rivers, or oceans, leads to rather basic but
contributing pollutants in the waters of the world. We can all contribute to cleaning up the planet
when we all realize that we have a shared culpability in its health.

Various types of water pollution point to the different sources that can cause pollutants that
affect the waterways.

fAct of water pollution

Separating water pollution facts from water pollution myths is a bit like separating oxygen
from hydrogen with tweezers. The facts about water pollution have gotten rather mixed up in
between hype, hope, skilled political spin, and a host of other issues that have been deemed by
the notorious “they” as more important.

Yet it is important to educate oneself when it comes to the water pollution issues that are facing
not just the country, but the whole world.

Marine ecosystems are more than just interesting places to water ski. They are the life’s blood of
the planet. Without marine ecosystems there would be no planet, and no life. That is why
preserving our water is so vital to ensuring that the planet has a brighter tomorrow.

First of all, it is important to recognize that not all of the pollutants that end up in the water come
from water based activities. In fact, an interesting water pollution fact reveals that only 20% of
the pollutants in oceans, rivers, bays, streams, lakes, and other bodies of water come from
water based activities.
The remaining 80% is derived from land based activities. This means that it is not just the
responsibility of the beach goers to clean up the ocean. We are all responsible for doing what we
can to protect and preserve the planet’s water supplies.

Another interesting albeit not surprising water pollution fact reveals that claiming a chunk of that
20% of pollution due to water based activities is caused by cruise ships. A one week cruise on a
cruise ships yields more than a million gallons of grey water.

Grey water refers to waste water that has been tainted by soaps, detergents, and other sources of
negative environmental impact but does not include human waste. These soaps and detergents
from grey water can literally poison the ecosystem and pollute the water which in turn kills
valuable wildlife.

These floating cities are also responsible for producing over 200,000 gallons of raw sewage,
much of which is dumped during ocean transit. The bilge water, which is loaded with oils, diesel
fuel, and other pollutants can account for at least 35,000 gallons of weekly contamination.

Most of us feel we have no control over how a cruise ship operates and many have never even
been on one.

So let’s move some of our water pollution facts closer to home. Littering jeopardizes marine
wildlife, which interrupts the balance of the ecosystem. Annually, plastic litter is responsible for
the deaths of more than 100,000 marine mammals like porpoises and sea otters.

This same plastic pollution is responsible for the deaths of at least a million sea birds and
waterfowl like pelicans and gulls. There is no way to accurately tally the number of fish deaths
caused by plastic pollution but the estimates are up near three or four million on an annual basis.
Littering and a failure to recycle plastics, even if you don’t live near the coastline, have some
pretty dramatic consequences.
Worldwide, ocean pollution become just as much of a human problem as a marine problem.
Water pollution facts that have been the result of numerous studies have shown that at least 50%
of worldwide groundwater is unsuitable for drinking thanks to pollution.

Polluted groundwater can be pinpointed as the cause for more than 250 million diseases
including cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. Of these 250 million cases, about 8 million result in
death from polluted groundwater.

The world’s water pollution facts include potentially life threatening waters that are found on
every continent and in nearly every country.

Asia’s rivers are filled with human waste and thus are not sanitary. Human waste encourages
the development of dangerous bacteria which can be harmful to people as well as to animals.

Ireland suffers from a similar problem as 30% of her rivers are either contaminated with raw
human sewage or have been polluted with fertilizer. The Sarno River, a river in Europe, has
turned into a collection river for raw human waste, chemicals which have been dumped, raw
waste from the agriculture, and waste from industrial and manufacturing plants.

The world’s water pollution facts leave no country untouched by the dangers of river and ocean
pollution.

Point—source pollution is generally a single element caused by one main source. An industrial
spill into a river would be an example of point—source pollution.

Alternatively, nonpoint—source pollution is the result of numerous causes of contaminants that

create pollution. These pollutants can travel great distances in the form of runoff or through
storm drains.
Surface water pollution is the most recognizable form of water contamination. This is the
pollution that can be visibly seen floating on the top of the water. While surface water pollution
is often in the form of trash it can also be chemically based, such as gasoline or oil slicks floating
on the water’s surface.

Groundwater pollution refers to the effects of chemicals (such as pesticides) that seep through
the ground and enter water sources that originate underground. Well water is groundwater, thus
groundwater pollution can be extremely dangerous to the health of humans as well as to the
health of the planet.

Some types of water pollution are derived from an imbalance within the ecosystem which can
be caused by natural and unnatural sources. When an ecosystem is out of balance, oxygen
depletion can occur. A water based ecosystem is made up a multitude of living organisms,
including microorganisms.

A natural balance of “healthy” and “unhealthy” microorganisms keeps the water based
ecosystem thriving. When that ecosystem is thrown off balance, the “healthy” microorganisms
are outnumbered by the “unhealthy” microorganisms, which cause a depletion of oxygen within
the water and releases gasses such as sulfides or ammonia.

With a wide variety of types of water pollution, a single action will not be enough to ward off
more pollutants. Prevention starts with awareness and continues with a dedicated effort to not
only prevent further contamination but also clean up the present pollutants.

Everyone from the bosses of large production companies to the cigarette butt flicker has to do
their share in order to prevent water pollution.

As research becomes more accurate and the data can help indicate which types of water pollution
are doing the most destruction to our natural resources, focused projects and laws can become a
bigger part of the solution.

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