Water Pollution Prevention

Introduction

Ecology is a very popular word today. But what does it mean? Ecology is a since which studies the relationship between all forms of life on our planet and the environment. This word came from Greek “oikos” which means home. The idea of home includes our whole planet, its population, Nature, animals, birds, fish, insets and all other living beings and even the atmosphere around our planet.

Since ancient times Nature has served Man giving everything he needs: air to breathe, food to eat, water to drink, wood for building and fuel for heating his home. For thousands of years people lived in harmony with the environment and it seemed to them that the resources of nature had no end or limit. With the industrial revolution our negative influence on Nature began to increase. Large cities with thousands of steaming, polluting plants and factories can be found nowadays all over the world. The by-products of their activity pollute the air we breathe the water we drink the fields where our crops are grown. That’s why those who live in cities prefer spending their days off and their holidays far from the noise of the city, to be closer to nature. Perhaps they like to breathe fresh air or to swim in clear water because the ecology is not so poor as in the cities.

So, pollution is one of the most burning problems of nowadays. Now millions of chimneys, cars, buses, trucks all over the world exhaust fumes and harmful substances into the atmosphere. These poisoned substances pollute everything: air, land, water, birds and animals. All these affect harmfully. Water pollution is very serious, too. Ugly rivers of dirty water polluted with factory waste, poisoned fish are all-round us. And polluted air and poisoned water lead to the end of the civilization. So, nowadays a lot of dead lands and lifeless areas have appeared.

2. What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution is an undesirable change in the state of water, contaminated with harmful substances. Any change in the physical, chemical, and biological properties of water that has a harmful effect on living things is called water pollution. It affects all the major water bodies of the world, such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater.

Water pollution has been increasing at a worrying rate. If consumed in a contaminated state, it may prove fatal to both -- human beings and the environment. Let's find out how this pollution affects the ecological balance and poses a threat to our lives.

Causes of Water Pollution

Pollution in the ocean is a major problem that is affecting the ocean and the rest of the Earth, too. Pollution in the ocean directly affects ocean organisms and indirectly affects human health and resources. Oil spills, toxic wastes, and dumping of other harmful materials are all major sources of pollution in the ocean. People should learn more about these because if people know more about pollution in the ocean, then they will know more about how to stop pollution.

What are toxic wastes?

Toxic wastes are poisonous materials that are being dumped into the ocean. They harm many plants and animals in the ocean and have a huge impact on our health. Toxic waste is the most harmful form of pollution to sea life and humans. When toxic waste harms an organism, it can quickly be passed along the food chain and may eventually end up being our seafood. In the food chain, one toxic organism get’s eaten by another, larger animal, which gets eaten by another animal, and can end up being our seafood. Toxic waste gets into seas and oceans by the leaking of landfills, dumps, mines, and farms. Farm chemicals and heavy metals from factories can have a very harmful effect on marine life and humans.

Many fishermen believe that the toxic chemicals in the ocean are killing much of the fish population. One of the most harmful chemicals in the ocean is lead. Lead can cause many health problems. It can damage the brain, kidneys, and reproductive system. Lead can also cause birth defects for people. It has been shown to cause low IQ scores, slow growth, and hearing problems for small children. House and car paint and manufacturing lead batteries, fishing lures, certain parts of bullets, some ceramic ware, water pipes, and fixtures all give off lead.

Many things found in the ocean may cause seafood to be dangerous to human health. The effect on humans from contaminated seafood may include birth defects and nervous system damage. Medical waste found in the ocean is being tested to see if swimmers have a chance of developing Hepatitis or AIDS. Other waste has been known to cause viral and bacterial diseases. This type of pollution can be stopped by watching what pollution we are letting into the ocean. People are trying to decrease the amount of waste in the oceans by recycling as much garbage as they can so there is a smaller amount of very harmful materials in the ocean.

Boating Pollution Prevention Tips

Whenever someone takes their boat onto the water for a ride, it is creating pollution that can be very harmful to the sea life. Boating pollution is the pollution that comes from the boats engine when it is running, and it pollutes the water, killing animals with the chemicals in the exhaust from the engine. The engine gives off excess gasoline, which pollutes the waters and ends up killing the animals. In order to make as little pollution as possible, what everyone can do to help is:

Only turn a boat engine on all the way when you need to.

Don't take your boat out into the water if you don't need to.

Be sure to store and transport gasoline in places where there isn't any direct sunlight because the gasoline will evaporate, and all of the gases that have been evaporated will pollute the air.

Every year, buy new or cleaner marine engines for your boats.

Garbage Dumping

Garbage dumping is the dumping of harmful materials into the ocean like human waste, ground-up garbage, water from bathing, and plastics. Most of the waste that has been dumped into the ocean in the early 1990s is still there today. One main cause of garbage dumping occurs when sewage pipes share their space with storm water drains. Rainfall causes the sewage pipes to overflow and the sewage waste mixes with the storm water drain, which flows into another water source such as a lake or river. After that, the garbage pollutes the ocean, kills plants and animals in the water (for example, the plastic rings that are around pop cans can get around an animals neck, causing it to suffocate), and makes the water dirty.

Waste water

Waste water is a disposal problem that needs to be taken care of. Waste Water is run-off from rainwater and usually ends up in rivers, lakes, and oceans. In order to reduce the amount of waste water, we need to make sure that the water that ends up in the ocean is clean. We can do this by watching how much pollution we put into the ocean. Whenever even a small amount of pollution gets into the ocean, it damages the environment. A lot of people don’t realize that this same pollution is going into the ocean every day and all the small amounts add up to a major problem. To decrease the threat to public health, safety, and the environment, we need to watch how much waste water we produce.

Other Sources of Pollution

Pollution causes a lot of plant and animal deaths in the ocean. In addition to boat pollution, other things that cause water pollution are agriculture (like pesticide run-off), land clearing, and people that pollute the environment without thinking about what harm it can do to animals and humans.

How are cars polluting the oceans?

Cars pollute the ocean a lot. Whenever a car gets driven, you may have noticed a lot of smoke that is coming out from the back of the car. This smoke doesn't go directly into the ocean. It ends up being in acid rain. Acid rain is pollution mixed with regular rain, and when acid rain gets into the ocean, it pollutes the waters and kills many fish over a period of time. Cars are big pollution source. If pollution from cars cannot be stopped or at least cut down, then pretty soon the amount of fish and other creatures in the ocean will decrease.

How is agriculture polluting the oceans?

Chemical pesticides, chemical substances used to kill harmful animals or insects, and fertilizers, chemical or natural substances put on the land to make crops grow better, are another source of pollution. When it rains, the pesticides and fertilizers get taken off of the plants and end up in our oceans, killing ocean plants and animals. They are used by animal and agricultural farms, plantations, industries (especially illegal ones), and believe it or not, our very own gardens. A way to decrease the amount of pesticides and fertilizers polluting rivers, lakes, and oceans is by watching the amount of pesticide spray that you put on the plants in your garden. You can also buy organic products, which are grown with only natural pesticides and fertilizers.

Households polluting the ocean

Chemical detergents, batteries, plastics, and sewage are all produced by homes and everyday human activity. Every day humans create and use these things, and every day, people are creating a risk to the plants and animals that live in the oceans and lakes by doing things like driving without carpooling and making sure batteries are not leaking. Some ways that you can protect the oceans are by recycling plastics, disposing of batteries properly, using rechargeable batteries instead of regular batteries, using less water, carpooling, and recycling.

The Ocean Zones

From the shiny, clear sunlight zone to the dark, murky midnight zone, lie facts about the three different zones of the ocean. Even though the very bottom zone is about ninety percent of the ocean, more than ninety percent of the oceans sea life lives in the top zone, which is why it is important that we do not pollute our oceans.

Sunlight Zone

The sunlight zone is also called the Euphotic Zone. This zone is the top zone, and it is also the smallest. The sunlight zone is only about 600 feet deep, but ninety percent of the oceans sea life lives in the sunlight zone. This zone is home to a wide variety of marine life because plants can grow here. Plants can grow here because sunlight can get to the plants in this zone, so the plants can do photosynthesis and grow. Also, the water temperature is warmer than any other zone in the ocean. The sunlight can reach this zone and warm the ocean water, so it is warm enough for fish and other sea life. Sharks, tunas, mackerels, jellyfish, sea turtles, sea lions, seals, and stingrays are a few of the animals that live in the sunlight zone.

Oil Pollution

Pollution is major problem in the sunlight zone. The main kind of pollution that occurs in this zone is oil pollution. The two main causes of oil pollution in the ocean are big ships leaking oil or ships carrying oil crashing into things in the ocean.

Global Warming

Global warming is affecting many different parts of the ocean as well. It is causing the water to rise, and when it rises, it covers things such as low land islands with plants, animals, and even some peoples homes on them. This can hurt animals in the different layers of the ocean.

One other way ocean layers are affected by global warming is that warm water, caused by global warming, is hurting and even killing algae which is what some fish in the sunlight zone eat. These fish would die because all of their food would be gone. When the fish die, it is a break in our food chain, which would lead to a big problem for all of the animals that rely on the algae-eating fish for their food.

Twilight Zone

The twilight zone is also called the Disphotic Zone. In depth, the twilight zone is about 2,400 feet, making it the second largest zone. As the water becomes deeper, the water pressure becomes higher. Almost no sunlight can reach this zone. Therefore, very few plants can grow here. The only animals that can live here are those that can adapt to very little sunlight, really cold temperatures, and very high pressure. The few animals that can live in the twilight zone are lantern fish, rat-talk fish, hatchet fish, viper fish, mid-water jellyfish, octopus, and squid.

Many animals that live in the twilight zone have bodies that protect them from predators. The viper fish and the ratchet fish have fangs so they can easily protect themselves and help them eat their prey. Other fish are so thin that when a predator looks at them, they do not even see them! Some fish are colored red and black to blend in with their surroundings.

Some squid and fish can use their bodies to make light with special organs in their bodies called photophores. These photophores give off a greenish colored light, which helps them see. Most fish in this zone dont chase their prey. They wait for their pray to swim by. Then they snatch their prey and eat it.

Toxic Pollution

Some of the pollution that causes problems for the amazing creatures of the twilight zone are metals and toxic chemicals. These toxic chemicals settle in the sea, and eventually some of the fish eat these chemicals. Other fish eat these fish that ate the chemicals, and these fish, too, will eventually die because they are putting toxic pollution into their bodies.

Midnight Zone

The midnight zone is also called the Aphhotic Zone. Ninety percent of the ocean is the midnight zone. This zone happens to be the bottom zone, so it is completely dark. Very few creatures in the ocean live in the midnight zone because the water pressure is extreme and it is near freezing down that far.

Some of the very few creatures that live down in this zone are angler fish, tripod fish, sea cucumbers, snipe eels, opossum shrimp, black swallower's, and the vampire squids.

Because of the lack of plants at this depth, all of the creatures in this zone are predators. They survive by consuming bacteria which grows from the mineral-rich materials and hydrogen sulfide that are given off by underwater cracks in the earths crust. Since there is no light down in this zone, some fish do not even have eyes.

Anoxic Water

One problem caused by pollution that occurs in the midnight zone is called anoxic water. This means that there is no or hardily any dissolved oxygen in the water. When there is no dissolved oxygen, fish and other creatures can't breathe, and they will quickly die from a lack of oxygen. Some of the creatures that live at this depth might die or migrate to other parts of the ocean. If they do migrate, there is a possibility that there could become a problem in the food chain.

It is very important that we address the issues that affect the ocean. Ninety percent of sea creatures live in the sunlight zone, which is the zone that is most affected by global warming and oil pollution. We must stop these problems because if we don't, we will hurt and maybe even kill our sea life.

Oil spills. Pollution problems started when the factories were next to houses and the pollution was all over the place.

Effects of Water Pollution

» Due to surface runoff, the harmful anthropogenic matter gets dissolved in water. If this water is consumed, it can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, and intestinal problems.

» The dense cover of algae that grows over water as a result of eutrophication reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of water, thus affecting the aquatic plants and animals. Species, such as trout are unable to survive in dissolved oxygen-deficit waters, thereby leading to their death.

» Aquifers -- underground geological formation providing water for wells and other purposes -- form a major source of drinking water in most parts of the world. However, with the increase in the amount of different types of pollution, pollutants often seep in through the soil, and the groundwater gets polluted with metals, such as fluoride and arsenic. This leads to instances of dental fluorosis and weakening of bones in humans.

» Oil spills infiltrate into the fur, feathers, and skin of animals and birds, affecting their buoyancy in water. It also hampers their ability to adapt to temperature fluctuations. Excessive exposure to oil can also affect the visibility in animals and birds. Often, it enters the lungs, leading to their death.

» When excess fertilizers are used on crops and the same crops are consumed by humans, the cadmium present in the fertilizers has adverse effects on the health. It affects the functioning of the liver and kidney, causing abdominal and intestinal complications.

Water Pollution Statistics

Water pollution is one of the raging environmental issues plaguing our planet today. Humans have always preferred to settle near water bodies because of obvious reasons; a practice which can be traced back to the ancient times. Like this practice, even the problem of water pollution can be traced to ancient times. What's new though, is the rate at which the planet's water sources are being polluted, and that definitely is a matter of concern. The amount of waste disposed in water bodies around the world has increased manifold over the last few decades. The facts and statistics provided below highlight the very plight of these water bodies.

· According to the data compiled by the United Nations World Water Assessment Program (WWAP), which monitors world's freshwater resources, 2 million tons of human waste is disposed in water bodies every single day.

· Interestingly, the developing countries of the world have a major share in water pollution. Around 90 percent of the total wastewater in these countries is diverted to sources like rivers, lakes, and sea, without subjecting it to proper treatment.

· Additionally, 70 percent of the industrial waste which is dumped in the water bodies―untreated obviously―comes from developing countries. Furthermore, industries dump 300 to 400 metric tons of waste―comprising heavy metals and toxic sludge―in water sources every year.

· As a result of this incessant pollution of water, around 20 percent of the world population is left without proper water to drink. It is estimated that one in nine people in the world don't have access to clean sources of water.

· A study, undertaken back in 90s, revealed that 1,200 million people are affected by water pollution. Furthermore, the data compiled by the United Nations reveals that world over 3.5 million people succumb to water scarcity as well as sanitation and hygiene related problems.

· If the data compiled by the non-profit organization, The Water Project is to be believed, 443 million school days are lost to water-borne diseases every year. Water pollution is in fact one of the major factors responsible for the death of children under five every year.

· Statistical data on ocean pollution reveals that every year 14 billion lbs of waste is disposed in the oceans all over the world. This includes garbage, sewage water, sludge, oil, etc. In fact, a single oil spill can contaminate thousands of liters of ocean water within a short span of time.

· Every year, around 900,000 metric tons of oil is spilled in the oceans, either intentionally or unintentionally. While natural oil seepage in these oceans is also known to pollute the water, the occurrence is not as prominent as the human-induced factors.

· The major factors associated with oil spills include marine transportation, flushing of oil tankers in mid oceans, etc. Roughly about 45 percent of the ocean water pollution can be attributed to marine transportation, while 32 percent is attributed to oil spills from the oil tankers.

· Over a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals succumb to ocean pollution every year. In some parts of the world, roughly half of the native freshwater fish species are affected by habitat loss triggered as a result of water pollution.

Water Pollution Facts

Water pollution is a problem that affects almost all nations of the world. If proper steps are not taken to control this menace, it would lead to disastrous consequences in the near future. The facts pertaining to water pollution are presented with the help of following points.

· Rivers in the continent of Asia are the most polluted. These rivers contain 20 times as much lead found in water bodies of industrialized nations of other continents. The bacteria (from human waste) found in these rivers are 3 times greater than that of the global average.

· In Ireland, fertilizers and sewage are the main pollutants of water. About 30% rivers in this country have these pollutants.

· Contamination of groundwater is a major problem in Bangladesh. Arsenic is a major pollutant which affects water quality in this country. About 85% of the total area of Bangladesh has contaminated groundwater. It means, over 1.2 million citizens of this nation are exposed to the hazardous effects of arsenic-contaminated water.

· The King river in Australia is amongst the most polluted rivers of the world. Around 1 million sea birds, 100,000 marine mammals and several other creatures have been killed due to the effects of acidic water present in this river.

· The situation in America with respect to water pollution is not very different from that in the rest of the world. It is observed that around 40% rivers in the US are polluted. One cannot use water from these rivers for drinking, swimming or any such activity. These rivers are not capable of sustaining aquatic life. Forty-six percent of lakes in USA are unfit for supporting aquatic life.

· Pollutants released in water by the construction industry includes cement, gypsum, metals, abrasives, etc. These materials are far more harmful than biological wastes - which can at least be diluted easily.

· Thermal pollution of water is caused by disposal of hot water by industries. Rise in water temperature is a threat to the ecological balance. Many aquatic creatures lose their lives because of thermal pollution.

· Drainage caused by rain is one of the major causes of water pollution. Waste materials like oils, chemicals released from automobiles, household chemicals, etc. are the major pollutants from urban areas. Chemical fertilizers and remains of pesticides form the main pollutants that are drained by rain.

· Oil spills in oceans is one of the global problems responsible for water pollution on a large-scale. Thousands of fish and other aquatic creatures are killed by oil spills every year. Apart from oil, non-degradable waste materials like plastic are also found in oceans. The article on ocean pollution facts should help gain a greater understanding of the subject matter.

· The process of eutrophication is one in which nutrients present in water bodies increase to a great extent. This leads to increase in the primary productivity of that water body. The result of eutrophication is excessive growth of phytoplankton. Level of oxygen in water reduces to a great extent and thereby, the lives of fish and other water creatures come under threat.

Different Types of Water Pollution

When the pollution has a single source like an oil spill, it is called point-source pollution. In case the pollution has multiple sources, it is called nonpoint-source pollution. Many types of pollution affect the immediate area surrounding the source.

· Surface Water Pollution. These are the natural water resources of the Earth. These are found on the exterior of the Earth's crust, oceans, rivers and lakes.

· Groundwater Pollution. Considerable amount of Earth's water is found in soil or under rock structures called aquifers. People use aquifers to obtain drinking water and build wells to access it. In case this water becomes polluted, it is called groundwater pollution. This is caused by pesticide contamination from the soil and this can infect the drinking water and lead to huge problems.

· Microbiological Pollution. This is a natural form of pollution caused by microorganisms. Most of these microorganims thrive in water and fish, land animals and humans to become ill. Microorganims like bacteria, viruses and protozoa cause serious diseases like cholera. In poor countries, there are no facilities to treat polluted water and hence the health of people are affected.

· Oxygen Depletion Pollution. Microorganisms that thrive in water feed on biodegradable substances. When a lot of biodegradable material is mixed with water, the number of microorganims increase and utilize the available oxygen. This is called oxygen depletion. As oxygen levels in water are depleted, harmless aerobic microorganisms die and anaerobic microorganims prosper. Some anaerobic microorganisms are harmful to people, environment and animals and they produce toxins like ammonia and sulfides.

· Nutrients. These are necessary for plant growth and development. Most of these are found in wastewater and fertilizers. These can cause excess weed and algae growth if there are large concentrations in water. Drinking water and clog filters can be contaminated. The algae use up the oxygen in the water and leave none for the surrounding marine life and this can damage other aquatic organisms.

· Suspended Matter. As the molecules are very large to mix between the water molecules, some pollutants do not dissolve in water. This material is termed as particulate matter and can lead to water pollution. The suspended particles finally settle and form a thick silt at the bottom. The marine life on the floor of rivers and lakes are harmed. Biodegradable substances are suspended in water and raise the quantity of anaerobic microorganisms present. The toxic chemicals that are suspended in water are harmful to the development and survival of aquatic life.

· Chemical. Agricultural and Industrial work has the use of many chemicals that can run-off into water and pollute it. Metals and solvents from industrial work pollute rivers and lakes. Aquatic life is endangered by these and made infertile. Pesticides are used to control weeds, insects and fungi. Run-offs of these pesticides poisons aquatic life. If birds, humans and other animals eat infected fish they may be poisoned. Petroleum is a different type of chemical pollutant that pollutes water by oil spills in case a ship ruptures. Oil spills have a localized effect on wildlife, but can spread for miles. This oil can cause the death of many fish and stick to the feathers of seabirds. This loses their ability to fly.

Water Pollution Prevention

Methods to Prevent Water Pollution

It is important to understand the causes of water pollution, only then can prevention of water pollution be carried out effectively. Preventing water pollution is indeed possible and these are some of the methods that will work best.

Industry Waste

Major industries, chemical factories, business houses and other multinationals that use methods of processing in their factories, dump the waste that is generated in varied water bodies. This comes about as a point source of pollution because it pollutes the water from a single source (drain pipe etc). Needless to say, this leads to alarming rates of water pollution. It is not that the waste cannot be treated before dumping it in the water, but waste water treatment is an expensive process that most industries ignore because it directly affects their profits. So also, the government policies that require industries to treat the waste are most often so lax that industries do not follow them. An example of a pollution prevention policy can be - paying a fine for not treating the waste. Industries prefer paying the fine (which is often quite minimal).

There needs to be immediate action taken in this direction. The rules, policies and laws regarding water purification systems need to be made stringent such that the industries cannot break them. Treatment of the waste needs to be a prerequisite and not an option for industries.

Chemical Usage

Industries are not the only culprits that lead to increased levels of water pollution. We, through our everyday activities add to water pollution as well. The chemicals that we use in our daily lives like the fertilizers and pesticides on our lawns seep into the ground and make their way into the water bed, thus polluting it. Or the detergent powders that are used for varied washing and cleaning purposes also find their way into the water bed. These chemicals do not have to be dumped into the water directly either. If these chemicals are used near water bodies, they still get carried into the streams and rivers through wind and other sources and affect the ecology of the fish and other creatures of the sea. Thus ruining the ecological balance and causing water pollution.

Vehicle Emissions

The toxic fumes exhumed by vehicles not only lead to air pollution, but also water pollution. These fumes go up into the air and settle there taking up the form of soot. The soot being heavy, is brought down to the ground and will not only make its way into varied water bodies, but also settle onto the ground and seep into the water table - thus destroying the water ecology.

Tips for Preventing Water Pollution

While bringing stringent laws and policies into action is the most important step in preventing water pollution, there are several steps that can be undertaken at the individual level to prevent and correct water pollution. Seems like the prevention methods mentioned above have got nothing to do with you? Actually, the opposite is true. Stop shirking away from your responsibility and put the following tips into action.

1. Thumbs Up Use a detergent that has low phosphate levels because high phosphate levels cause added pollution and are hazardous to the animals and plants in the water.

2. Thumbs Up Dispose off other forms of wastes like tissue papers and the odd trash bits by putting them in trash bins rather than flushing them down the drain.

3. Thumbs Up Use native plants instead of hybrid ones, since those require a lot of pesticides and chemicals for their protection. When it rains, these chemicals seep into the ground water, polluting it.

4. Thumbs Up Make sure that the products which can be recycled are given off to recycling units instead of disposing them off at random. This will ensure that pollution is prevented.

5. Thumbs Up Set up a compost unit so that all the household waste can be converted into manure or compost rather than being disposed off in the wrong manner and leading to more pollution.

6. Thumbs Up Take your vehicles for regular servicing. This will keep them in top running conditions and prevent pollution. Whenever possible, use a cycle or a public transport instead of bringing out the car. Carpool to work if possible.

7. Thumbs Up Plant more trees. They are easier to care for than lawns and prevent global warming as well as other forms of pollution.

8. Thumbs Up Carry your own cloth bags when out shopping. This will prevent the collection and thereby dumping of plastic bags in the water and destroying it.

1. Thumbs Down Do not keep the water running when you're brushing your teeth, washing your hands or washing the dishes. Taking small steps like these are an important way of preventing water wastage. Which is fast depleting due to water pollution.

2. Thumbs Down Do not allow household wastes like your pet waste or other items like petrol, motor oil, paint and batteries to be discarded in the trash or thrown into the sewer. These will seep down to the water source and pollute it in the worst possible way.

3. Thumbs Down Do not keep the engine running at signals. This releases toxic chemicals in the air which eventually lead to water pollution.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-23