Bronte Wells
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, including lakes, rivers, oceans, and reservoirs, with harmful substances that degrade water quality and render it toxic and unsafe for human and animal use. Water pollution is predominantly caused by human activities, such as industrial waste, agricultural runoff, sewage discharges, and urban stormwater runoff. These activities introduce toxic chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, plastics, and other pollutants into water sources, leading to a decline in water quality and posing significant risks to human health, the environment, and the economy.
What You'll Learn
Industrial waste
In the United States, wastewater treatment facilities process about 34 billion gallons of wastewater per day. These facilities treat pollutants such as pathogens, phosphorus, and nitrogen in sewage, as well as heavy metals and toxic chemicals in industrial waste. However, the nation's aging and overwhelmed sewage treatment systems also release more than 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater each year.
The escalating population has led to a rapid expansion of the industrial sector, resulting in increased industrial waste production. This waste is released into water bodies, causing major environmental havoc. The quality and quantity of wastewater generated depend on the type of industry. For example, the food products industry and the processing of industrial chemicals produce a large portion of toxic wastes and organic pollutants.
Technologies have been developed to address the environmental and health issues created by industrial wastewater. However, small-scale industries often cannot afford the enormous investments required for pollution control equipment. As a result, untreated wastewater is wrongly released back into bodies of water, causing significant pollution.
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Sewage and agricultural runoff
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, which has a negative impact on their uses. Sewage and agricultural runoff are two significant contributors to this issue.
Sewage
Sewage discharges are one of the main sources of water pollution. Sewage refers to used water from sinks, showers, and toilets, as well as commercial, industrial, and agricultural wastewater. When sewage is inadequately treated, it can contaminate water bodies with harmful substances. These include nutrients, pathogens, bacteria, viruses, and organic fecal matter. For example, Hepatovirus A (HAV) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) can be present in treated wastewater and receiving water bodies, posing risks to human health.
Agricultural Runoff
Agricultural runoff is another critical factor in water pollution. It occurs when water flows over farms and fields during rainfall or irrigation, picking up pollutants and eventually flowing into nearby water bodies. The use of fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste in agriculture can lead to nutrient pollution, with excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the water causing algal blooms that are harmful to people and wildlife.
Additionally, the decomposition of organic matter in manure contributes to increased biological oxygen demand (BOD) in water bodies, further degrading water quality. Large-scale concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) produce substantial amounts of waste, which can lead to spills and leaks during heavy rains, contaminating both surface and groundwater. Poor land management practices, such as tilling, can also disrupt soil structure, making it more susceptible to erosion and increasing sedimentation in rivers and streams, another significant source of non-point source pollution.
Impact of Sewage and Agricultural Runoff
The release of sewage and agricultural runoff into water bodies has detrimental effects on both aquatic ecosystems and human health. These pollutants can introduce pathogens, such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Cryptosporidium, into drinking water sources, causing waterborne diseases like typhoid, cholera, and giardia. They can also lead to the degradation of aquatic ecosystems, reducing the ecosystem services provided by the water resources.
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Oil spills and leaks
Oil is a fossil fuel, the liquid remains of ancient plants and animals, and is used to make a wide range of products, including gasoline, plastics, soaps, paints, and asphalt. When oil is spilled, it can have severe environmental, economic, and social consequences. It can harm sea creatures, ruin beaches, and make seafood unsafe to eat. Oil spills can also contaminate drinking water supplies, causing immediate negative health effects, including respiratory and reproductive problems, as well as liver and immune system damage.
Large oil spills are major disasters that occur when pipelines break, big oil tanker ships sink, or drilling operations go wrong. They can also be caused by trawling of fishing boats, natural disasters, pipe corrosion, construction defects, sabotage, or attacks. These spills can have long-lasting consequences for ecosystems and economies, and the cleanup and recovery process can be difficult and take years.
In addition to large spills, oil pollution can also come from stormwater runoff, which carries oil and fuel from roads and land vehicles into oceans and other water bodies. This type of pollution is harder to track due to underreporting, but it is estimated that runoff oil from rivers is responsible for 11% of oil pollution in the oceans.
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Climate change
Water and climate change are inextricably linked. Climate change is a major cause of water pollution, and the two issues are deeply interconnected.
Firstly, climate change leads to more frequent and intense heavy downpours, resulting in increased surface runoff. This runoff water picks up pollutants, dirt, and other harmful substances as it flows over the ground, ultimately flushing them into nearby bodies of water. The increased volume and speed of runoff water during heavy storms can also cause erosion, further adding to the pollution of water sources.
Secondly, climate change exacerbates water scarcity and water-related hazards, such as floods and droughts. Rising temperatures disrupt precipitation patterns, leading to unpredictable rainfall, more frequent and severe droughts, and increased flooding in certain regions. These extreme weather events not only reduce the availability of freshwater but also contaminate water resources. For example, flooding can cause saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources, and both flooding and droughts can damage water and sanitation infrastructure, compromising water quality.
Additionally, climate change impacts water quality through the increased growth of algae and microbes in water bodies due to rising water temperatures. This leads to more frequent and severe Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), which threaten the availability of source water and increase the need for drinking water treatment.
The effects of climate change on water pollution are far-reaching and complex. It is essential to recognize the intricate relationship between these two critical global issues and to address them through sustainable practices and climate adaptation strategies. By adopting climate-smart agriculture, improving water management techniques, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we can work towards mitigating the impacts of climate change on water pollution and securing safe and sustainable water resources for the future.
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Plastic pollution
The main sources of plastic pollution in water bodies are land-based, with plastic entering water sources through storm drains, stormwater runoff, littering, industrial activities, tyre abrasion, construction, and agriculture. Rivers play a significant role in transporting plastic pollution from land to the oceans, acting as conveyor belts that pick up trash as they move downstream. Once in the ocean, plastic pollution can be transported by ocean currents and reach even remote and uninhabited areas. Marine plastic pollution can occur in rivers, streams, lakes, and the open oceans, posing risks to a variety of ecosystems and species.
The impact of plastic pollution on wildlife is devastating, with ingestion, suffocation, and entanglement being the most visible impacts. Wildlife, including birds, whales, fish, and turtles, mistake plastic waste for food, leading to starvation as their stomachs become filled with indigestible plastic. Plastic pollution has also been found to block digestive tracts or pierce organs, causing death. In addition, studies have shown liver and cell damage and disruptions to reproductive systems in some species.
To address plastic pollution, it is crucial to focus on waste management and reducing plastic waste. This includes improving waste management systems, increasing recycling rates, improving product design to consider the short life of disposable packaging, and reducing the manufacturing of unnecessary single-use plastics. Solutions such as debris booms, trash interceptors, and floating trash skimmers can be effective in capturing and containing plastic pollution in water bodies. Additionally, addressing the issue requires a reduction in the production of plastic products, an increase in the circularity of supply and value chains, and changes in consumer behaviour to reduce plastic consumption.
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Frequently asked questions
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, which negatively impacts their uses.
Water pollution happens when harmful substances, often chemicals or microorganisms, contaminate a body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic or unusable.
Water pollution can come from four main sources: sewage discharges, industrial activities, agricultural activities, and urban runoff including stormwater.
Water pollution can have negative effects on health, the environment, and the economy. It can also lead to the degradation of aquatic ecosystems and the spread of water-borne diseases.
