causes of water pollution

Water pollution- is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers,       oceans, aquifers  and groundwater), very often by human activities. 

Water pollution occurs when pollutants (particles, chemicals or substances that make water contaminated) are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without enough treatment to get rid of harmful compounds. Pollutants get into water mainly by human causes or factors.

Water pollution is the second most imperative environmental concern along with air pollution. 

Sulphur – This is a non-metallic substance that is harmful for marine life.

Asbestos – This pollutant has cancer-causing properties. When inhaled, it can cause illnesses such as asbestosis and many types of cancer.

Lead and Mecury – These are metallic elements and can cause environmental and health problems for humans and animals. It is even more poisonous. It 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.

Oils – Oils 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. It is also harmful for fish and marine birds. A classic example is the BP oil spill in 2012 with killed thousands of animal species. 

Sewage and waste water
Everyday, we cook, do laundry, flush 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.

Where do you think all the water, liquid waste, toilet and urine ends up? In many developed communities, all this water and soluble waste (called sewage) is treated, cleaned and dumped into the sea. Even though they are treated, they are never the same as fresh water.
In some not-so-developed countries, the sewage is not treated, but quickly dumped into the sea or water bodies. This is VERY dangerous because they contaminate the environment and water bodies and bring many deadly diseases to us.

Septic Tanks
Every domestic (home) toilet is connected to septic tank usually located outside the house. Each time poop is flushed down the toilet, it goes into this tank, where the solid part is separated from the liquid part. Biological processes are used to break down the solids and the liquid is usually drained out into a land drainage system. From this stage, it can escape into the soil and nearly water bodies. 

Ocean and marine dumping

Again, think of the rubbish we all make each day. Paper waste, food waste, plastic, rubber, metallic and aluminum waste. In some countries, there are deposited into the sea. All these waste types take time to decompose. Example, it is know that paper takes about 6 weeks, aluminum takes about 200 years and glass takes even more. When these end up in the sea, they harm sea animals and cause a lot of deaths

Underground storage and tube leakages.
Many liquid products (petroleum products) are stored in metal and steel tubes underground. Other sewage systems run in underground tubes. Overtime, they rust and begin to leak. If that happens, they contaminate the soils and the liquids in them end up in many nearby water bodies.

Atmospheric
Atmospheric deposition is the pollution of water bodies caused by air pollution. Each time the air is polluted with sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, they mix with water particles in the air and form a toxic 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 affects animals and water organisms.

Effects of Water Pollution

• Groundwater contamination from pesticides causes reproductive damage within wildlife in ecosystems.
• Sewage, fertilizer, and agricultural run-off contain organic materials that when discharged into waters, increase the growth of algae, which causes the depletion of oxygen.  The low oxygen levels are not able to support most indigenous organisms in the area and therefore upset the natural ecological balance in rivers and lakes.
• Swimming in and drinking contaminated water can cause skin rashes, cancer, reproductive problems, typhoid fever and stomach sickness in humans.
• Industrial chemicals and agricultural pesticides that end up in aquatic environments can accumulate in fish that are later eaten by humans.  Fish are easily poisoned with metals that are also later consumed by humans.  Mercury is particularly poisonous to small children and women.  Mercury has been found to interfere with the development of the nervous system in fetuses and young children.
• Ecosystems are destroyed by the rising temperature in the water, as coral reefs are affected by the bleaching effect due to warmer temperatures.  Additionally, the warm water forces indigenous water species to seek cooler water in other areas, causing an ecological damaging shift of the affected area.
• Human-produced litter of items such as plastic bags and 6-pack rings can get aquatic animals caught and killed from suffocation.
• Water pollution causes flooding due to the accumulation of solid waste and soil erosion in streams and rivers.
• Oil spills in the water causes animal to die when they ingest it or encounter it.  Oil does not dissolve in water so it causes suffocation in fish and birds.

Prevention of water pollution. Dealing with water pollution is something that everyone (including governments and local councils) needs to get involved with. Here are a few things you can do to help. Learning about the issue (like you are doing) is the greatest and most important step to take. Here are a few more: You can help Never throw rubbish away anyhow. Always look for the correct waste bin. If 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.Learn more about waste disposal here. Use water wisely. Do not keep the tap running when not in use. Also, you can reduce the amount of water you use in washing and bathing. If we all do this, we can significantly prevent water shortages and reduces the amount of dirty water that needs treatment. Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain, or the toilet. In many cities, your local environment office can help with the disposal of medicines and chemicals. Check with your local authorities if there is a chemical disposal plan for local residents. Buy more environmentally safe cleaning liquids for the use at home and other public places. They are less dangerous to the environment. If you use chemicals and pesticides for your gardens and farms, be mindful not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers. This will reduce runoffs of the material into nearby water sources. Start looking at options ofcomposting and using organic manure instead. If you live close to a water body, try to plants lots of trees and flowers around your home, so that when it rains, chemicals from your home does not easily drain into the water. \Governments, local councils and laws Many 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. Do you know the laws in your country? This is the time to find out. In many developed cities, waste or sewage treatment is very efficient, and designed to minimise pollution of water bodies. Click on the button below to see an example 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. It is always great to join these groups, because they regularly encourage other members of their communities to have a better attitude towards water. Watch this video