Kiera Jefferson
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, which has a negative impact on their uses. Water pollution is usually a result of human activities, such as industrial and municipal discharge, runoff, spills, and deposition of airborne pollutants. It can also be caused by natural factors, such as the natural composition of water, which can make it unfit for certain uses. Water pollution can lead to many problems, including the degradation of aquatic ecosystems, the spread of water-borne diseases, and a reduction in ecosystem services such as drinking water. It is a significant issue that affects the lives of millions of people worldwide and requires appropriate infrastructure, management plans, and legislation to address it effectively.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Water pollution is the addition of substances or energy forms that directly or indirectly alter the nature of the water body, impairing its legitimate uses. |
| Contaminants | Toxic waste, petroleum, disease-causing microorganisms, sewage, industrial waste, agricultural waste, urban runoff, stormwater, oil spills, radioactive waste, plastic, pesticides, inorganic substances, solvents, volatile organic chemicals, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, hormones, synthetic materials, fertilizers, plant nutrients, toxic chemicals, sediments, heat, etc. |
| Causes | Human activities such as industrial and agricultural production, urban life, and poor waste management. Natural factors can also cause water pollution. |
| Effects | Water pollution can lead to the degradation of aquatic ecosystems, the spread of water-borne diseases, and a reduction in ecosystem services such as drinking water. It can also have significant impacts on human health, including an increased risk of diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio. |
| Statistics | More than 80% of sewage generated by human activities is discharged into rivers and oceans without treatment, resulting in environmental pollution and contributing to over 50 diseases. In 2022, 1.7 billion people used a drinking water source contaminated with feces. |
| Prevention and Solutions | Improved water supply and sanitation, better management of water resources, and appropriate infrastructure and management plans, legislation, and intervention measures are needed to reduce water pollution and protect public health. |
What You'll Learn
Oil pollution
Natural Sources of Oil Pollution
Some oil pollution is a result of natural processes. For instance, oil can seep from the ocean floor through fractures known as seeps, with about 200 such natural underwater oil seeps identified worldwide. Additionally, oil can originate from eroding sedimentary rocks. One notable example is Coal Oil Point off the California coast, which releases an estimated 7,500 to 11,400 litres of crude oil daily.
Land-Based Sources of Oil Pollution
On land, oil pollution can occur through spills during transportation, storage, or industrial operations. This includes pipeline ruptures, well blowouts, and leaks from refineries, factories, farms, and cities. Oil can also enter water sources through stormwater runoff, which carries oil, grease, and other contaminants from roads and impervious surfaces.
Marine Sources of Oil Pollution
In marine environments, oil pollution is often associated with the shipping industry. Operational discharges of oily tank washings from tankers, known as bilge, contribute significantly to oil pollution in the oceans. While it is illegal to release bilge into ocean waters, these discharges are difficult to monitor, and each small discharge adds up. Additionally, oil spills from tankers, barges, or ships on major inland waterways can result in large-scale pollution events.
Impacts of Oil Pollution
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Sewage and wastewater
Domestic households, industrial practices, and agricultural activities produce wastewater that can pollute lakes and rivers. This wastewater contains a toxic mix of contaminants, including pathogens, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, heavy metals, and endocrine disruptors. These pollutants can have far-reaching consequences for climate resilience, aquatic biodiversity, and food and water security. More than 80% of the world's wastewater flows back into the environment untreated, according to the United Nations.
In the United States, wastewater treatment facilities process billions of gallons of wastewater daily, reducing pollutants such as pathogens, phosphorus, nitrogen, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals. However, ageing and overwhelmed sewage treatment systems also release billions of gallons of untreated wastewater annually. This untreated wastewater can lead to health issues such as skin rashes, pink eye, respiratory infections, and hepatitis, with young children, the elderly, and those already ill being particularly vulnerable.
To address sewage and wastewater pollution, it is essential to invest in updating wastewater infrastructure and treatment systems. This includes expanding natural areas, such as planting trees, restoring wetlands, and creating green roofs, to prevent stormwater runoff and increase the capacity of sewer systems. Additionally, strong notification programs are necessary to alert the public when there is a risk of exposure to raw sewage. By combining improved infrastructure, innovative solutions, and public awareness, we can work towards reducing the impact of sewage and wastewater pollution on our health and the environment.
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Industrial and agricultural activities
Industrial agriculture is one of the leading causes of water pollution in the United States. According to the 2017 National Water Quality Inventory of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 46% of the nation's rivers and streams are in "poor biological condition", and 21% of lakes are "hypereutrophic", meaning that high levels of nutrients and algae are degrading water quality.
Agricultural activities were the largest nutrient source in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin, which drains about 41% of the contiguous US. The area equipped for irrigation has more than doubled in recent decades, from 139 million hectares in 1961 to 320 million in 2012, transferring agricultural pollution to water bodies.
The use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture can contaminate both groundwater and surface water. Pesticides like neonics are bad for human health and also for pollinators, and have been a factor in the plummeting populations of insects such as the monarch butterfly and native bees. Elevated nitrate levels in drinking water can be dangerous to humans, causing low oxygen levels in infants ("blue-baby syndrome") and low birth weight. In a survey of state nitrate groundwater pollution, 53% of Delaware's groundwater was found to be polluted with more than five mg/L of nitrates, as well as 28% of Maryland's and 10% of California's. Each of these states has a large number of factory farm concentrations.
Livestock production now accounts for 70% of all agricultural land and 30% of the planet's land surface. Livestock and their manure pollute the air, and manure management alone accounts for 12% of all agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in the US, and 14.5% globally. Manure emits ammonia, which can acidify waterways and affect the ecology of streams and rivers. It can also combine with other air pollutants to create solid particles that are deadly when inhaled by humans.
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Radioactive substances
Radioactive contamination, also called radiological pollution, is the deposition of, or presence of, radioactive substances in places where their presence is unintended or undesirable. This includes solids, liquids, and gases, as well as the human body. Radioactive contamination can occur due to the release of radioactive gases, liquids, or particles. For instance, if a radionuclide used in nuclear medicine is spilled, it could be spread by people walking around. Radioactive contamination may also be an inevitable result of certain processes, such as the release of radioactive xenon in nuclear fuel reprocessing.
Radioactive contamination has been reported in many parts of the globe, and it is a growing concern for water pollution and human health. Radioactive elements are naturally found in the earth’s crust, and the percolation of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) from soil sediments to the aquifer causes groundwater contamination. Oceans and seas are natural repositories of naturally occurring uranium, and nuclear power plants in coastal regions add to the radiological contaminants in the marine water by releasing atomic waste. Water is also used as a coolant in these power plants, which can become contaminated.
Radioactive contamination can also occur due to nuclear weapons, X-rays, and other medical equipment, as well as mining activities of radioactive elements like uranium and thorium. Nuclear submarines can cause radioactive contamination in the marine environment, and there have been reports of contamination due to submarine accidents and sinkings. Radioactive waste can also be dumped into surface water bodies, causing water pollution.
The health effects of ingesting radioactive water are not yet fully understood, and more studies are needed. However, it is known that drinking water with radionuclides in it puts you in contact with low doses of radiation, and doing so every day for many years increases your risk of getting cancer.
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Microplastics and other pollutants
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, which negatively impacts their uses. Water pollution is usually a result of human activities. Water bodies that are polluted include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs, and groundwater. Water pollution occurs when contaminants mix with these water bodies.
Microplastics are a growing form of pollution in the aquatic environment. They are a result of plastic materials breaking down into tiny particles. These microplastics may transport toxic chemicals into food chains around the world. Research in this area is gaining considerable attention from both the worldwide media and the scientific community.
Other pollutants that contaminate water bodies include toxic waste, petroleum, and disease-causing microorganisms. Human activities that generate domestic sewage and toxic waste cause water pollution by contaminating water with poisonous substances and microorganisms. Oil spills are another source of water pollution that has devastating impacts on surrounding ecosystems. Sewage can promote algae growth, which can eventually result in eutrophic "dead zones" where aquatic life cannot survive due to a lack of oxygen.
Water pollution can also be caused by agricultural activities, such as the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste. When it rains, these contaminants are washed into water bodies, causing degradation and spreading water-borne diseases. Industrial activities also contribute to water pollution through the discharge of wastewater containing chemicals, metals, solvents, and toxic sludge.
Radioactive waste is another form of water pollution that is particularly challenging to address due to its persistence in the environment for thousands of years. It is generated by uranium mining, nuclear power plants, and military weapons production, among other sources.
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Frequently asked questions
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, including lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs, and groundwater, which negatively impacts their use.
Water pollution is usually the result of human activities. Contaminants can come from sewage discharges, industrial activities, agricultural activities, and urban runoff, including stormwater.
Water pollution can lead to the degradation of aquatic ecosystems and the spread of water-borne diseases when people use polluted water for drinking or irrigation. It can also reduce the ecosystem services provided by the water resource, such as drinking water.
Water pollution has a significant impact on human health. It can cause various diseases, with diarrhea being the most common, transmitted by enteroviruses in the aquatic environment. In 2022, it was estimated that globally, at least 1.7 billion people used a drinking water source contaminated with feces.
To address water pollution, we need to identify the source of pollution (point source or non-point source) and the type of water body affected (groundwater, surface water, or ocean water). Control of water pollution requires appropriate infrastructure, management plans, and legislation. Improved water supply, sanitation, and better management of water resources can contribute to poverty reduction and boost countries' economic growth.
