Water Pollution: Is Drinking Water A Cause?

Water is essential for all life on Earth, but it is also extremely vulnerable to pollution. Water pollution occurs when water becomes contaminated by chemicals or microorganisms, rendering it toxic and unsafe for human consumption. This contamination can be caused by various human activities, including industrial waste, agricultural runoff, improper waste disposal, and sewage treatment. Polluted water has severe implications for human health, causing diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and cancer, and it also negatively impacts the environment and the economy. With increasing water consumption and industrialization, addressing water pollution is crucial to ensure the sustainability of this vital resource.

Industrial waste

Water is highly vulnerable to pollution as it acts as a "universal solvent", able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on Earth. This means that toxic substances from farms, towns, and factories readily dissolve into and mix with it, causing water pollution.

The main types of industrial waste that cause water pollution include:

• Petroleum products: Used as fuel or lubricating oil and produced during the manufacture of plastics.
• Heavy metals: Such as copper, lead, and selenium, which come mainly from industry, car manufacturing, mines, or exhaust air systems.
• Hazardous wastes: Highly flammable and corrosive, they come mainly from construction and demolition, manufacturing and trade, and waste treatment processes.
• Sediments: Due to the discharge of polluted industrial wastewater, non-degradable toxins accumulate in aquatic sediments for years and slowly enter the groundwater or are stirred up into the water during floods or dredging.
• Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS): These come mainly from the textile industry, hard chrome plating, and extinguishing agents.

Agricultural activities

Water can be a source of pollution in various ways, and human activities often play a significant role in this process. One of the key sectors that impact water pollution is agriculture.

Natural factors

Water is a natural solvent, able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on Earth. This makes it extremely vulnerable to pollution. While this quality is useful for everyday tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and taking medication, it is also why water is so easily polluted.

• Oil seeps: Oil is released from under the ocean floor through fractures known as seeps.
• Radioactive waste: Radioactive waste is any pollution that emits radiation beyond what is naturally released by the environment. It is generated by uranium mining, nuclear power plants, and the production and testing of military weapons.
• Algal blooms: Nutrient pollution, caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water or air, can cause toxic blue-green algae to form.
• Groundwater: When rain falls and seeps deep into the earth, filling the cracks, crevices, and porous spaces, it becomes groundwater. Groundwater can be contaminated by human and animal waste, which carries bacteria and viruses, as well as chemicals and heavy metals.
• Loess and mudstone: High concentrations of hexavalent chromium in groundwater and surface water are caused by the natural environment, specifically loess and mudstone.
• Water cycle: The water cycle is a natural process where water turns to vapour, undergoes condensation, and falls back to Earth as precipitation. This precipitation can carry pollutants from the air and deposit them into bodies of water.

Sewage treatment

Water is a natural solvent, able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on Earth. This quality, which makes it so useful for everyday tasks, also means that water is easily polluted. Water pollution has severe health, environmental, and economic impacts. It is estimated that in 2015, 1.8 million people died from water pollution, and every year, unsafe water sickens about 1 billion people.

There are multiple stages of sewage treatment, including primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment. Preliminary filtration removes large solids and waste, followed by the primary stage, which separates solids from liquids. The secondary stage is a biological treatment that breaks down organic contaminants in wastewater using 'good' bacteria. After secondary treatment, wastewater is sometimes released if there is a low risk to human and animal life and the environment. Tertiary treatment is required for water to be released in protected waters, and involves disinfection and the removal of nutrients such as phosphorus.

Microplastics

Water is highly susceptible to pollution due to its ability to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on Earth. This quality, which makes it a "universal solvent", is also what causes water to become polluted easily. Water pollution has severe implications for human health, the environment, and the economy.

The presence of microplastics in water poses a severe threat to aquatic life. Entanglement in plastic can lead to drowning, suffocation, or strangulation in 55% of marine organism incidents, with sea turtles, seabirds, and crustaceans being among the most vulnerable species. Additionally, the ingestion of microplastics contributes to 31% of all incidents, as aquatic life and birds may mistake them for food.

Addressing the issue of microplastics in water requires a multi-faceted approach. Individuals can reduce their use of single-use plastics, recycle and reuse plastic products, and opt for biodegradable alternatives. Clean-up programs, technological innovations, and public education also play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of microplastics on the environment.

Frequently asked questions