WATER

PULLUTION What is water pollution?

Water pollution happens when toxic substances enter water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans and so on, getting dissolved in them,

lying suspended in the water or depositing on the bed. This degrades the quality of water.

MAIN CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION

Rising global temperatures

caused by CO2 emissions
heat the water, reducing
its oxygen content.

Felling forests can exhaust water

resources and generate organic
residue which becomes a breeding
ground for harmful bacteria.
THE TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF OIL AND ITS
DERIVATIVES IS SUBJECT TO LEAKAGE THAT
POLLUTES OUR WATER RESOURCES.

CHEMICAL DUMPING FROM

THESE SECTORS IS ONE OF
THE MAIN CAUSES OF
EUTROPHICATION OF
WATER.

EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION

ON HUMAN HEALTH
TO PUT IT BLUNTLY: WATER POLLUTION KILLS. IN FACT, IT CAUSED
1.8 MILLION DEATHS IN 2015, ACCORDING TO A STUDY PUBLISHED IN
THE LANCET. CONTAMINATED WATER CAN ALSO MAKE YOU ILL. EVERY
YEAR, UNSAFE WATER SICKENS ABOUT 1 BILLION PEOPLE. AND LOW-
INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AT RISK BECAUSE
THEIR HOMES ARE OFTEN CLOSEST TO THE MOST POLLUTING
INDUSTRIES.

MARINE ECOSYSTEMS ARE THREATENED BY MARINE DEBRIS, WHICH CAN

STRANGLE, SUFFOCATE, AND STARVE ANIMALS. MUCH OF THIS SOLID
DEBRIS, SUCH AS PLASTIC BAGS AND SODA CANS, GETS SWEPT INTO
SEWERS AND STORM DRAINS AND EVENTUALLY OUT TO SEA, TURNING OUR
OCEANS INTO TRASH SOUP AND SOMETIMES CONSOLIDATING TO FORM
FLOATING GARBAGE PATCHES. DISCARDED FISHING GEAR AND OTHER
TYPES OF DEBRIS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HARMING MORE THAN 200
DIFFERENT SPECIES OF MARINE LIFE.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT WATER

POLLUTION?
REDUCE YOUR PLASTIC REDUCE AND SAFELY
CONSUMPTION AND REUSE OR TREAT WASTE WATER SO
RECYCLE PLASTIC WHEN YOU
CAN. THAT, AS WELL AS NOT
POLLUTING, IT CAN BE
REUSED FOR IRRIGATION
AND ENERGY
PRODUCTION.

PROPERLY DISPOSE OF CHEMICAL

CLEANERS, OILS, AND NON-
BIODEGRADABLE ITEMS TO KEEP
THEM FROM ENDING UP DOWN THE
DRAIN.