WATER POLLUTIONCAUSES.EFFECT.PREVENTION

GROUP:ZACHRY ZAHANEE

AHMAD DZARFRANEMIR MALIK

SOH CHOON KEAT

WATER POLLUTION• Water pollution is a major global problem which requires ongoing evaluation and revision of

water resource policy at all levels (international down to individual aquifers and wells). It has been suggested that water pollution is the leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases,[1][2] and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily.[2] an estimated 580 people in india die of water pollution related illness every day.[3] around 90% the water in the cities of china is polluted,[4] and as of 2007, half a billion chinese had no access to safe drinking water.[5] in addition to the acute problems of water pollution in developing countries, developed countries also continue to struggle with pollution problems. For example, in the most recent national report on water quality in the united states, 45 percent of assessed stream miles, 47% of assessed lake acres, and 32 percent of assessed bays and estuarine square miles were classified as polluted.[6] the head of china's national development agency said in 2007 that one quarter the length of china's seven main rivers were so poisoned the water harmed the skin.[7]

• Water is typically referred to as polluted when it is impaired by anthropogenic contaminants and either does not support a human use, such as drinking water, or undergoes a marked shift in its ability to support its constituent biotic communities, such as fish. Natural phenomena such as volcanoes, algae blooms, storms, and earthquakes also cause major changes in water quality and the ecological status of water.

CAUSE OF WATER POLLUTION• The specific contaminants leading to pollution in water include a wide spectrum of chemicals, pathogens, and physical changes such as elevated

temperature and discoloration. While many of the chemicals and substances that are regulated may be naturally occurring (calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, etc.) the concentration is often the key in determining what is a natural component of water and what is a contaminant. High concentrations of naturally occurring substances can have negative impacts on aquatic flora and fauna.

• Oxygen-depleting substances may be natural materials such as plant matter (e.g. leaves and grass) as well as man-made chemicals. Other natural and anthropogenic substances may cause turbidity (cloudiness) which blocks light and disrupts plant growth, and clogs the gills of some fish species.[11]

• Many of the chemical substances are toxic. Pathogens can produce waterborne diseases in either human or animal hosts.[12] Alteration of water's physical chemistry includes acidity (change in pH), electrical conductivity, temperature, and eutrophication. Eutrophication is an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in an ecosystem to an extent that increases in the primary productivity of the ecosystem. Depending on the degree of eutrophication, subsequent negative environmental effects such asanoxia (oxygen depletion) and severe reductions in water quality may occur, affecting fish and other animal populations.

• The specific contaminants leading to pollution in water include a wide spectrum of chemicals, pathogens, and physical changes such as elevated temperature and discoloration. While many of the chemicals and substances that are regulated may be naturally occurring (calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, etc.) the concentration is often the key in determining what is a natural component of water and what is a contaminant. High concentrations of naturally occurring substances can have negative impacts on aquatic flora and fauna.

• Oxygen-depleting substances may be natural materials such as plant matter (e.g. leaves and grass) as well as man-made chemicals. Other natural and anthropogenic substances may cause turbidity (cloudiness) which blocks light and disrupts plant growth, and clogs the gills of some fish species.[11]

• Many of the chemical substances are toxic. Pathogens can produce waterborne diseases in either human or animal hosts.[12] Alteration of water's physical chemistry includes acidity (change in pH), electrical conductivity, temperature, and eutrophication. Eutrophication is an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in an ecosystem to an extent that increases in the primary productivity of the ecosystem. Depending on the degree of eutrophication, subsequent negative environmental effects such asanoxia (oxygen depletion) and severe reductions in water quality may occur, affecting fish and other animal populations.

EFFECT 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 causes skin rashes and health problems like cancer, reproductive problems, typhoid fever and stomach sickness in humans. Which is why it’s very important to make sure that your water is clean and safe to drink.

• 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 TO WATER POLLUTION• Many people don't know that washing vehicles on pavement causes

harm to local waterways. Water entering storm drains, unlike water that enters sanitary sewers, does not undergo treatment before it is discharged. So, when cars are washed on streets, parking lots and driveways, that dirty water eventually winds up in rivers, streams and lakes. Washing one car may not seem to be a problem, but collectively, car-washing activity adds up to big problems for our waterways and aquatic life.