Water Pollution: Causes, Effects, Prevention Essay Example

apply fertilizers on their plants, the chemicals found in the fertilizers are eventually washed away by the rain and introduced into water bodies like rivers and eventually finding their way into the ocean. The chemicals can also be washed into groundwater (Calhoun & Seideman, 2015). Sewage and fertilizers combined can cause a massive increase in the growth of algae and plankton that cover large areas of water bodies like rivers, lakes, or oceans. This kind of phenomenon is known as harmful algal bloom. It removes oxygen from water and this definitely results to the death of living organisms in water. The Gulf of Mexico is one of the regions whereby this condition has been observed (Calhoun & Seideman, 2015).

Another cause of water pollution is improper sewage disposal. This is one of the leading causes of water pollution (Goel, 2012). With high population distribution across the globe, disposing sewage waste is a major problem. 11 percent of the world’s population does not have access to safe drinking water while 40 percent does not have proper sanitation. Sewage disposal affects people’s immediate environments and can cause water-related illnesses like diarrhea (Goel, 2012). At times, untreated sewage is pumped directly into the sea. For example, in accordance to the information provided by the UK government’s Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, the sewers of Britain collect approximately 11 billion liters of wastewater every day, of which some is pumped untreated into the sea. Sewage usually contains chemicals from pharmaceutical drug papers, plastic and waste flushed from toilets. When people are sick due to viruses, there are high chances that the same viruses will be carried forward

to their wastes. The sewage they produce carries the same viruses to the environment and this poses the risk of spreading the viruses. Illnesses that can be acquired in that way are like typhoid, cholera and hepatitis (Calhoun & Seideman, 2015).

The other cause of water pollution is disposal of contaminated water into water bodies (Goel, 2012). This constitutes of chemicals washed down the drains from factories. About 50 percent of all ocean pollution is caused by wastewater together with sewage. In the United States for example, approximately 400,000 factories pump polluted water back to the same rivers they acquired clean water from. Apart from wastewater from factories, water can be polluted by ordinary people from non-point sources. Pollutants could be in form of detergents used in washing machines, dishwashing detergents, pesticides from gardens, fuels and brake fluids or highway runoffs. These substances are moved to water bodies either by being poured directly or being washed away by rainwater (Harrison, 2011).

Chemical wastes like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are some of the toxic wastes that can cause water pollution. Traces of PCBs have been found in birds and fish in the Arctic regions. The possibility of this could be as a result of being carried through the oceans over the years. Other toxic chemicals include heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium (Harrison, 2011). An example of heavy metal pollution took place in 1938 when a Japanese factory discharged a large amount of mercury into the Minamata Bay. This resulted into contamination of the fish at the bay and resultant poisoning of the people who consumed the fish. The poisoning caused deaths of the local population while

some were left disabled (Harrison, 2011).

Radioactive waste when released into water results to contamination of that water body. The waste is then transmitted across the water body, like an ocean, by currents. The biggest source of radioactive pollution is from two European factories that reprocess waste fuel from nuclear power plants (Calhoun & Seideman, 2015). They are Sellafield and Cap Da Hague. The two plants discharge radioactive waste into the sea, which is transmitted across the world by ocean currents. Another cause of water pollution is oil spills. Oil spills contribute to a large percent of the intensity of pollution in seawater. Oil spills originate from tanker accidents, routine shipping and oil poured by people on land.

The cause of water pollution is plastics. Plastic being a commonly used substance means that a lot of it is available as waste material. Plastic is light and that means that bit can be easily transported over long distances within short periods. Plastics are also not biodegradable and this means that plastic material can survive in the marine environment for very long periods of time. For example, a plastic bottle can survive up to a period of 450 years. When present in water bodies, plastics can cause harm to seabirds, fish, and other marine creatures (Goel, 2012). This can happen when sea organisms like fish choke on plastic material that is present in water.

Invasive species like the water hyacinth are a major cause of water pollution in regions where they occur. These are species from one region that have been introduced into a different ecosystem that they did not originally exist in. In their new environment, they bring about

overcrowding and they bring pressure to the plants or animals that existed in that region before. In addition, they have no natural predators hence controlling them is difficult and they tend to grow out in very large numbers over a short period of time.
Effects of Water Pollution

Water pollution has a lot of negative impacts to humans, animals, plants and the environment in general. For example, sewage released in water sources that human beings have access to leads to waterborne diseases. Water pollution can cause diseases to human beings if the consume contaminated water. Sewage can cause poisoning of fish, which in turn result to poisoning in human beings when they eat the fish (Goel, 2012). Water pollution also leads to destruction of aquatic life. For example, oil spill and water hyacinth prevent oxygen from reaching aquatic animals like fish. Another effect of water pollution is death of aquatic animals. Water pollution is one of the main causes of death of aquatic animals. The other effect is destruction of the ecosystem. Polluted water destroys the surrounding especially vegetation. When vegetation is destroyed, plants and animals that depend of the vegetation suffer a lot. Water pollution generally results to destruction of the environment. Destroying the environment means destruction of life. Mitigation of pollution should be people’s responsibility (Woodford, 2016).

Since water is one of the useful products in people’s lives there is need to prevent water pollution. As a result, there are several preventive measures of water pollution. The first method is creating awareness on the importance of avoiding water pollution. When people are made aware of the problem at hand, the rest will fall into place easily.

It is necessary that masses are given relevant education about causes of water pollution, dangers of water pollution and how to prevent it. Social work groups, volunteers, government agents, and teachers in schools can administer education on the need to protect water from pollution (Woodford, 2016). This is one of the best methods of preventing water pollution because people are made aware of the importance of clean water in the ecosystem.

The second method is formulating and enforcing laws and standards that prevent water pollution. One of the most causes of water pollution is industrial effluents. Industries tend to take loopholes in set laws to emit waste products into the water bodies (Woodford, 2016). As a result, there is need to formulate and enforce strict laws that aim at reducing water pollution. Governments should work hand in hand to ensure these laws are followed to the later so that the goal of curbing water pollution is achieved. This is because large water bodies like seas and oceans cover more than one country. Many rivers pass through different countries while seas span the whole continents. Pollution may occur in one country and the effect be felt in another country. Environmental laws should be put in place to make it difficult for people especially industry owners to release waste products into waterways. Some of the set laws include the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that was signed by over 120 nations in 1982 (Woodford, 2016). The European Union has a set of laws that aim at protecting water against pollution. Such laws apply to all of its member states and should be followed to the

latter. These laws have helped reduce water pollution in Europe.

When it comes to economics as one of the ways to curb water pollution, most experts agree that the most effective way to tackle pollution is through the adoption of the ‘polluter pays principle’. This is the same as fining individuals or parties who are involved in polluting water. This principle aims at preventing people from engaging in practices that will cause water pollution and also encouraging them to behave in an environmentally conscious way. For example, owners of oil tankers should take out insurance that covers the cost of oil spill clean ups as oil accidents are bound to happen more often than not. Shoppers should also pay for their plastic shopping bags to encourage recycling of the plastic bags and minimizing waste in the process. In some cases, factories that use rivers must have their water inlet pipes downstream of their effluent outflow pipes, in such a way that polluting the river will make them experience the pain first (Harrison, 2011).

The other method of preventing water pollution is proper agricultural methods. Since one of the causes of water pollution is poor agricultural methods like the use of chemicals, farmers should be educated on the best agricultural methods that prevent water pollution. Farmers should avoid the use of chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides in their agricultural activities. In addition, farmers should avoid cultivating in riverbanks because some of the soil is washed away into water bodies. Proper agricultural methods will ensure minimum water pollution.

Even though water pollution cannot be prevented at 100 percent, carrying out preventive measures is likely to improve the situations for the

good of both the current and future generations. Such measures include working together to keep the environment clean so as to save the lives of humans, animals and plants which thrive in the same environment. Another way is by using environmental friendly matter like detergents that do not put organic life at risk (Agarwal, 2012).

Other ways include avoiding practices like pouring oil into water sources, reducing the use of pesticides and other farm chemicals, and practicing cultivation that discourages washing down of soil and its constituents downstream. Governments should put together efforts of setting and passing laws that protect water bodies and the environment in general (Agarwal, 2012). Such laws should be enforced by all nations since environmental conservation is a global issue. The laws will work to protect the environment by making it hard for pollution practices to take place hence making the world a better place (Agarwal, 2012).

From the above explanation, it is clear that water pollution is the contamination of water bodies. Water pollution is caused by several factors like industrialization, farming, sewage, chemicals, oil spills, and plastics. Water pollution creates a harmful environment to aquatic animals like fish as well as people who use fish as food. In addition, it can lead to water related diseases. As a result, there is need to control water pollution by setting tough laws that prevent industries from disposing waste products into rivers and water bodies. Farmers should be educated on the best farming methods that help reduce water pollution. Despite, the fact that water pollution cannot be prevented in a 100% record, it is good to observe all the measures that prevent water pollution.

Therefore, the prevention of water pollution is the responsibility of all people.