Water Pollution: A Toxic Threat To Our Health And Environment

Water pollution is a pressing issue that poses significant risks to human health and the environment. It occurs when harmful substances contaminate water bodies, rendering them toxic and unsafe for human use. The main sources of water pollution include industrial waste, global warming, deforestation, pesticides, oil spills, waste disposal, sewage, and pharmaceutical products. These pollutants can cause acute toxicity, immediate death, or chronic health issues such as gastrointestinal diseases, neurological problems, and cancer.

Water pollution has severe consequences for both the environment and human health. It endangers aquatic ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss and changes in aquatic habitats. Additionally, it poses dangers to human health, with contaminated water causing diseases such as cholera, giardia, and typhoid fever. According to the World Health Organization, unsafe water results in approximately one billion illnesses annually.

Addressing water pollution is crucial to ensure the availability of clean water, protect human health, and preserve aquatic ecosystems. This can be achieved through responsible water use, proper waste disposal, reducing plastic consumption, and supporting initiatives that promote sustainable water management.

Sewage and wastewater

The effects of sewage and wastewater on the environment are largely negative. If not properly treated, sewage and wastewater can contaminate water sources and harm wildlife. Even properly treated sewage can have negative consequences, as researchers have found that microscopic plastic fibres can pass through wastewater treatment plants and enter marine ecologies, where they can harm animals and damage the food chain.

According to the United Nations, more than 80% of the world's wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused. In some less-developed countries, this figure is over 95%. This lack of treatment can have serious consequences for both the environment and human health.

Wastewater can contribute to habitat loss and extinction, threatening food and water security, as well as marine species. It introduces a range of contaminants, including pathogens, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, heavy metals, and endocrine disruptors. These contaminants can cause diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A, and polio. They can also lead to oxidative stress, inflammatory reactions, and metabolic disorders in humans.

In addition to the direct health impacts, wastewater pollution can also have economic consequences. For example, it can lead to closed beaches, collapsed fisheries, and algal blooms that suffocate aquatic life. It can also affect climate resilience and food security.

To mitigate the impacts of sewage and wastewater, proper treatment is essential. This includes reducing plastic consumption, recycling plastics, and properly disposing of chemicals and waste. It is also important to address the underlying causes of wastewater pollution, such as outdated infrastructure and insufficient treatment facilities, especially in developing countries.

Ingesting microplastics

The ingestion of microplastics can have a range of adverse effects on human health. A 2020 study estimated that humans ingest between 0.1 and 5 grams of microplastics weekly. These microplastics may cause oxidative stress, inflammatory reactions, and metabolic disorders in humans.

Microplastics can carry toxic chemicals, acting as vectors of transport. They are also a cocktail of hazardous chemicals that are added voluntarily during their production as additives to increase polymer properties and prolong their life. These additives include:

• Inert or reinforcing fillers
• Plasticizers
• Antioxidants
• UV stabilizers
• Lubricants
• Dyes
• Flame-retardants

Some of these additives are toxic and have been linked to serious health problems, including:

• Altered brain function
• Damage to the immune and reproductive systems
• Cardiovascular and kidney problems
• Respiratory infections
• Cancer
• Hormone disruption
• Mutagenic and carcinogenic effects
• Neurological and mental disorders
• Infertility
• Anemia
• Hypertension
• Miscarriages
• Oxidative stress and cell damage
• DNA methylation
• Apoptosis
• Genotoxicity

Consuming water contaminated by sewage

Water contaminated by sewage can contain harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, which can cause diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A, and polio. In addition, sewage-contaminated water can contain viruses, protozoans, and parasites, such as Cryptosporidium, which is the most common waterborne disease in the US.

The consumption of sewage-contaminated water can lead to a range of gastrointestinal issues, including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and diarrhoea. In severe cases, it can also result in death, particularly in young children and infants. For example, cholera, if not treated correctly or promptly, can be fatal.

In addition to the immediate health risks, sewage-contaminated water can also have long-term effects on human health. For instance, untreated wastewater often contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals, such as lead, copper, and cadmium, which can accumulate in the body over time and lead to chronic health issues.

Furthermore, sewage-contaminated water can also impact vulnerable populations, such as infants, young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, more severely. These individuals are more susceptible to developing serious illnesses or complications from consuming contaminated water.

To protect public health, it is crucial to ensure proper wastewater disposal and treatment. While municipal utilities typically treat water from surface sources, private wells are often unregulated and more susceptible to contamination. Investing in reliable water filtration systems can help remove bacteria, viruses, and heavy metals from drinking water, reducing the risk of waterborne illnesses.

Drinking water containing chemical waste

Chemical pollutants, such as pesticides, fertilizers, and heavy metals, can also cause serious health issues if ingested. These toxins can lead to altered brain function, damage to the immune and reproductive systems, and cardiovascular and kidney problems.

In addition, drinking water contaminated with chemical waste can increase the risk of cancer. Arsenic, nitrate, and chromium in drinking water have been linked to skin, kidney, bladder, and lung cancer.

The impact of drinking water pollution on human health is complex. For example, chlorinated by-products, heavy metals, radionuclides, herbicides, and pesticides left in the water can all have detrimental effects on human health.

Furthermore, nitrate contamination in drinking water may cause goitre in children, and arsenic in drinking water poses a potential carcinogenic risk.

Unsafe drinking water is a significant issue, particularly in developing countries. It can lead to water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, which is the most common disease caused by water pollution. According to the WHO, approximately 1.4 million people die each year due to poor sanitation, poor hygiene, or unsafe drinking water.

Swimming in contaminated water

The most common illnesses associated with swimming in contaminated water include gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, stomachache, and diarrhea. Other issues include skin, eye, ear, nose, and throat infections. In more extreme cases, swimmers may be exposed to more serious diseases, including flesh-eating bacteria.

To avoid these health issues, it is recommended to avoid swimming in bodies of water with known pollution issues, to avoid swallowing water when swimming, and to keep open wounds out of the water.

Frequently asked questions