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Water Pollution and How it Harms the Environment

Global pollution is a problem. Pollution can spread to remote areas where no one lives, despite the fact that urban areas are typically more polluted than the countryside. Air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution are the three main categories of pollution. Some contaminated water has a terrible smell, a muddy appearance, and floating trash. Some contaminated water appears clean, but it contains dangerous substances that you can't see or smell.

Together, developed and developing nations must fight to conserve the environment for present and future generations. Today, we dig deep into the subject of Water Pollution. This article can be an introduction to water pollution for kids as we will read many things such as the causes of water pollution further in the article.

What is Water Pollution?

Water contamination occurs when pollutants pollute water sources and make the water unfit for use in drinking, cooking, cleaning, swimming, and other activities. Chemicals, garbage, bacteria, and parasites are examples of pollutants. Water is eventually damaged by all types of pollution. Lakes and oceans become contaminated by air pollution. Land contamination may contaminate an underground stream, a river, and ultimately the ocean. As a result, trash thrown on an empty lot can eventually contaminate a water source.

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Water Pollution

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The water cycle, called  the hydrological cycle, involves the following steps:

Evaporation- Because of the sun's heat, the water bodies such as oceans, lakes, seas etc., get heated up, and water evaporates in the air, forming water vapours.

Transpiration- Like evaporation, the plants and trees also lose water from them which goes to the atmosphere. This process is called transpiration.

Condensation- As the water evaporates, it starts to become cool because of the cold atmosphere in the air and because of this cooling down of water leads to the formation of clouds.

Precipitation- Because of the high movements of the wings, the clouds start to collide and then fall back to the earth’s surface in the form of rain. Sometimes they also fall back in the form of snow, hail, sleet etc., depending upon the temperature.

Runoff or Infiltration- After precipitation, the water either flows to the water bodies called runoff or is absorbed into the soil, called infiltration.

Causes of Water Pollution

There are many reasons for water pollution. Some of the reasons are directly affected by water pollution and some indirectly. Many factories and industries are dumping contaminated water, chemicals, and heavy metals into major waterways as a result of direct water pollution. 

One more reason for water pollution is the use of modern techniques in farms. Farmers apply nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium in the form of chemical fertilizers, manure, and sludge. It causes farms to discharge large quantities of agrochemicals, organic matter, and saline drainage into water bodies. It indirectly affects water pollution.

Pollutants can be of various types such as organic, inorganic, radioactive etc. Water pollutants are discharged either from one point from pipes, channels etc., which are called point sources or from various other sources. They can be agricultural areas, industries etc., called dispersed sources. 

Some of the major forms of water pollutants are as follows:

Sewage- Domestic sewage from homes contains various forms of pathogens that threaten the human body. Sewage treatment reduces the risk of pathogens, but this risk is not eliminated. 

Domestic sewage majorly contains nitrates and phosphates, and excess of these substances allows the algae to grow on the surface of water bodies. Due to this, the clean water bodies become nutrient-rich water body and then slowly, the oxygen level of water bodies reduces. This is called eutrophication or cultural eutrophication (if this step rapidly takes place by the activities of humans). This leads to the early death of water bodies.

Toxins- The industrial or factory wastes that are not disposed of properly and contain chemicals such as mercury and lead are disposed of in the water bodies making the bodies toxic, radioactive, explosive and cancerous.

Sediments- Sediments are the result of soil erosion that is formed in the water bodies. These sediments imbalances the water bodies ecologically. They also interfere in the reproductive cycle of various aquatic animals living in the water.

Thermal pollution- Water bodies get polluted because of heat, and excess heat reduces the oxygen level of the water bodies. Some of the species of fish cannot live in such water bodies with very low oxygen levels. The disposal of cold waters from the power plants leads to increased thermal pollution in the water bodies.

Petroleum oil pollution- The runoff of oil into the water bodies, either accidentally as happened in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, or intentionally, leads to an increase in water pollution.

As water is an important element of human health, polluted water directly affects the human body. Water pollution causes various diseases like typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, cancer, etc. Water pollution damages the plants and aquatic animals present in the river by reducing the oxygen content from the water. Polluted water washes the essential nutrients which plants need out of the soil and also leaves large amounts of aluminium in the soil, which can be harmful to plants. 

Wastewater and sewage are a by-product of daily life and thus produced by each household through various activities like using soap, toilets, and detergents. Such sewage contains chemicals and bacteria which are harmful to human life and environmental health. Water pollution also leads to an imbalance in our ecosystem. Lastly, it also affects the food chain as the toxins in the water bodies are consumed by aquatic animals like fish, crabs etc., and then humans consume those animals forming turmoil. 

Sometimes our tradition also becomes a cause for water pollution. Some people throw the statues of deities, flowers, pots, and ashes in rivers.

There are various standards to define water quality standards. Water meant for swimming may not be clean enough for drinking, or water meant for bathing may not be good for cooking. Therefore, there are different water standards for defined:

Stream standards- Standards that define streams, lakes, oceans or seas based on their maximum use.

Effluent standards- Define the specific standards for the level of contaminants or effluents allowed during the final discharge of those into the water bodies.

Drinking water standards- Define the level of contamination allowed in water that will be supplied for drinking or cooking in the domestic areas.

Different countries regulate their water quality standards through different acts and amendments.

While many of the solutions for water pollution need to be applied on a broader macro-level for that individual, companies, and communities can have a significant and responsible impact on the water quality. Companies, factories have to dispose of leftover chemicals and containers properly as per the product instructions. Farmers also have to reduce the use of nitrates and phosphates from fertilizers, pesticides, and contamination of groundwater. 

The Swachh Bharat Mission of the government had led to reduced groundwater contamination. Under the Namami Ganga program, the government has initiated several major projects to clean Ganga. Along with all these steps, conservation of water is the very basic and important step towards water conservation and should be followed globally, treatment of sewage before their disposal in the water bodies and using environment-friendly products that do not form toxins when dissolved in water. These are some small steps that have to be taken into consideration by every human being.

As we all know, “Water is life’s matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.” We have to save water. We must keep the water clean. If everyone will follow their responsibility against water to protect it from getting polluted then it will be easy to get clean and healthy drinking water. Clean water is a must for us and our kids' present, future, and healthy environment. 

We cannot just live with contaminated waters filled with toxins and no oxygen. We cannot see our wildlife being destroyed and therefore, immediate steps have to be taken by groups of people to first clean the already contaminated water bodies and then keep a check on all the surrounding water bodies. Small steps by every individual can make a huge difference in controlling water pollution.

Water Pollution Prevention

Conserve Water 

Our first priority should be to conserve water. Water wasting could be a big problem for the entire world, but we are just now becoming aware of it.

Sewage Treatment 

Cleaning up waste materials before disposing of them in waterways reduces pollution on a large scale. By lowering its dangerous elements, this wastewater will be used in other sectors or in agriculture.

Usage of Eco-Friendly Materials

We will reduce the amount of pollution produced by choosing soluble products that do not alter to become pollutants.

Water contamination is the discharge of pollutants into the water body, where they dissolve, are suspended, are deposited on the bottom, and collect to the point where they hinder the aquatic ecosystem's ability to function. Water contamination is brought on by toxic compounds that easily dissolve and combine with it and come from factories, municipalities, and farms.

Healthy ecosystems depend on a complex network of organisms, including animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi, all of which interact with one another either directly or indirectly. In this article, we read about water pollution, its causes and prevention. With this, we have come to the end of our article, in case of any other doubts, feel free to ask in the comments.

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FAQs on Water Pollution Essay

1. What are the effects of water pollution?

Water pollution has a great impact on human health. Water pollution kills. It's been recorded that in 2015 nearly 1.8 million people died because of water pollution. People with low income are exposed to contaminated water coming out from the industries. Presence of disease causing pathogens in drinking water are the major cause of illness which includes cholera, giardia, and typhoid. Water pollution not only affects human health but also our environment by causing algal bloom in a lake or marine environment. Water pollution also causes eutrophication which suffocates plants and animals and thus causes dead zones. Chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater contaminate waterways and harm aquatic life.

2. What are the causes of Water pollution?

Water being a universal solvent is vulnerable to pollution as it dissolves more substances than any other liquid on earth. Therefore, water is easily polluted. Toxic substances from farms, towns, and factories readily dissolve into water and mix with it, resulting in water pollution. Agricultural pollution is one of the major causes of contamination in rivers and streams. The use of excessive fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste from farms and livestock operations lets the rain wash the nutrients and pathogens—such as bacteria and viruses—into our waterways. The other major cause of water pollution is used water,  termed as wastewater which comes from our sinks, showers, toilets and from commercial, industrial, and agricultural activities. It's been reported that the world's 80% wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused. Oil spills and radioactive waste also cause water pollution to a great extent.

3. How to prevent water pollution?

It is important to keep our water bodies clean so we can take the following preventive measures to prevent from water pollution:

Chemicals like bleach, paint, paint thinner, ammonia, and many chemicals are becoming a serious problem. Dumping toxic chemicals down the drain or flushing them down the toilet can cause water pollution. Thus, proper disposal is important. Also, household chemicals need to be recycled.

Avoid buying products that contain persistent and dangerous chemicals. Buying non-toxic cleaners and biodegradable cleaners and pesticides cut down on water pollution.

Prevent from pouring fats or greasy substances down the drain as it might clog the drain resulting in the dumping of waste into yards or basement which can contaminate the local water bodies.

4. What is the role of medical institutions in polluting the water?

Pharmaceutical pollution affects aquatic life and thus there is a need to take preventive measures. Consumers are responsible for winding up pharmaceutical and personal care products in lakes, rivers, and streams. There's a lot of unused and expired medication that can potentially get into the water if not disposed of properly.

5. What are the major kinds of pollution?

The three main types of pollution are air pollution, water pollution or soil pollution. Some artificial pollution is also there, such as noise pollution. Factors leading to such pollution include:

Air Pollution: Industrial emissions, fires, traffic and transportation, burning of chemical waste, etc.

Water Pollution: No proper sewage disposal, pesticides in farms leaking into water bodies, industrial waste dumped into water bodies, etc.

Soil Pollution:  Oil spills, acid rains, irresponsible disposal of trash, chemical waste, etc.

Noise Pollution: Honking of horns, construction activities, loud parties, etc.

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Essay on Water Pollution: Samples in 200, 500 Words

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Essay on water pollution

Essay on Water Pollution: Water pollution occurs when human activities introduce toxic substances into freshwater ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater, leading to the degradation of water quality. The combination of harmful chemicals with water has a negative impact on these ecosystems. 

Various human actions, particularly those affecting land, water, and underwater surfaces, contribute to this pollution, disrupting the natural supply of clean water and posing a significant danger to all forms of life, including humans.

This Blog Includes:

What is water pollution, contaminants , solution , reasons for water pollution, methods of water pollution management, real-life encounter.

Also Read: Types of Water Pollution

When many pollutants such as garbage, chemicals, bacteria, household waste, industrial waste, etc get mixed in the water resources and make the water unfit for cooking, drinking, cleaning, etc. it is known as water pollution. Water pollution damages the quality of water. lakes, water streams, rivers, etc may become polluted and eventually they will pollute the oceans. All this will directly or indirectly affect the lives of us humans and the animals deteriorating our health.

Essay on Water Pollution in 200 Words

Water is plentiful on Earth, present both above and beneath its surface. A variety of water bodies, such as rivers, ponds, seas, and oceans, can be found on the planet’s surface. Despite Earth’s ability to naturally replenish its water, we are gradually depleting and mishandling this abundant resource. 

Although water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface and land constitutes the remaining 29%, the rapid expansion of water pollution is impacting both marine life and humans. 

Water pollution stems significantly from city sewage and industrial waste discharge. Indirect sources of water pollution include contaminants that reach water supplies via soil, groundwater systems, and precipitation. 

Chemical pollutants pose a greater challenge in terms of removal compared to visible impurities, which can be filtered out through physical cleaning. The addition of chemicals alters water’s properties, rendering it unsafe and potentially lethal for consumption.

Prioritizing water infrastructure enhancement is vital for sustainable water management, with a focus on water efficiency and conservation. 

Furthermore, rainwater harvesting and reuse serve as effective strategies to curb water pollution. Reclaimed wastewater and collected rainwater alleviate stress on groundwater and other natural water sources. 

Groundwater recharge, which transfers water from surface sources to groundwater, is a well-known approach to mitigate water scarcity. These measures collectively contribute to safeguarding the planet’s water resources for present and future generations.

Here is a list of Major Landforms of the Earth !

Essay on Water Pollution in 500 Words

The term “water pollution” is employed when human or natural factors lead to contamination of bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. Responsible management is now imperative to address this significant environmental concern. The primary sources of water contamination are human-related activities like urbanization, industrialization, deforestation, improper waste disposal, and the establishment of landfills.

The availability of freshwater on our planet is limited, and pollution only increases this scarcity. Every year, a substantial amount of fresh water is lost due to industrial and various other types of pollution. Pollutants encompass visible waste items of varying sizes as well as intangible, hazardous, and lethal compounds.

Numerous factories are situated in proximity to water bodies, utilizing freshwater to transport their waste. This industrial waste carries inherent toxicity, jeopardizing the well-being of both plant and animal life. Individuals living close to polluted water sources frequently suffer from skin problems, respiratory ailments, and occasionally even life-threatening health conditions.

Water contamination is also intensified by urban waste and sewage, adding to the problem. Each household generates considerable waste annually, including plastic, chemicals, wood, and other materials. Inadequate waste disposal methods result in this refusal to infiltrate aquatic ecosystems like rivers, lakes, and streams, leading to pollution.

Raising awareness about the causes and consequences of water pollution is crucial in significantly reducing its prevalence. Encouraging community or organizational clean-up initiatives on a weekly or monthly basis plays a pivotal role. 

To eradicate water contamination completely, stringent legislation needs to be formulated and diligently enforced. Rigorous oversight would promote accountability, potentially deterring individuals and groups from polluting. Each individual should recognize the impact of their daily actions and take steps to contribute to a better world for generations to come.

My affection for my town has always been heightened by its abundant lakes, rivers, and forests. During one of my walks alongside the river that flowed through my village, I was struck by the unusual hues swirling within the water. The once-familiar crystal-clear blue had been replaced by a murky brown shade, accompanied by a potent, unpleasant odour. Intrigued, I decided to investigate further, descending to the riverbank for a closer look at the source of the peculiar colours and smells. Upon closer inspection, I observed peculiar foam bubbles floating on the water’s surface.

Suddenly, a commotion behind me caught my attention, and I turned to witness a group of people hastening toward the river. Their frantic shouts and vigorous gestures conveyed their panic, prompting me to realize that a grave situation was unfolding. As the group reached the river, they were confronted with the distressing sight of numerous lifeless fish floating on the water’s surface. 

Following a comprehensive investigation, it was revealed that a local factory had been releasing toxic chemicals into the river, resulting in extensive pollution and the devastation of the ecosystem. This investigation left me stunned and disheartened, acknowledging the significant effort required to restore the river to its own form.

Related Reads:-     

A. Water pollution refers to the contamination of water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, oceans, and groundwater, due to the introduction of harmful substances. These substances can include chemicals, industrial waste, sewage, and pollutants that adversely affect the quality of water, making it unsafe for human consumption and harmful to aquatic life.

A. The primary sources of water pollution include city sewage and industrial waste discharge. Chemical contaminants from factories and agricultural runoff, as well as oil spills and plastic waste, contribute significantly to water pollution. Runoff from paved surfaces and improper waste disposal also play a role in introducing pollutants into water bodies.

A. Water pollution has far-reaching consequences. It poses a threat to aquatic ecosystems by harming marine life, disrupting food chains, and damaging habitats. Additionally, contaminated water can lead to the spread of waterborne diseases among humans. Toxic chemicals in polluted water can cause serious health issues, affecting the skin, and respiratory systems, and even leading to long-term illnesses. 

This brings us to the end of our blog on Essay on Water Pollution. Hope you find this information useful. For more information on such informative topics for your school, visit our  essay writing  and follow  Leverage Edu

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A bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communication graduate, I am an enthusiastic writer. I love to write about impactful content which can help others. I love to binge watch and listen to music during my free time.

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Essay on Water Pollution for Students and Children

500+ words essay on water pollution.

Water is the most important resource for survival on a planet. It is the essence of life on our planet – Earth. Yet if you ever see a river or lake around your city, it would be evident to you that we are facing a very serious problem of Water pollution. Let us educate ourselves about water and water pollution . Two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by water , seventy-six perfect of your body is made up of water.

essay on water pollution

Water and Water Cycle

As you already know water is everywhere and all around.  However, we have a fixed amount of water on earth. It just changes its states and goes through a cyclic order, known as the Water Cycle. The water cycle is a natural process that is continuous in nature. It is the pattern in which the water from oceans, seas, lakes, etc gets evaporated and turns to vapor. After which it goes through the process of condensation, and finally precipitation when it falls back to earth as rain or snow.

What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (like oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, aquifers, and groundwater) usually caused due to human activities. Water pollution is any change, minor or major in the physical, chemical or biological properties of water that eventually leads to a detrimental consequence of any living organism . Drinking water, called Potable Water, is considered safe enough for human and animal consumption.

Sources of Water Pollution

  • Domestic Waste
  • Industrial effluents
  • Insecticides and pesticides
  • Detergents and Fertilizers

Some of the water pollutions are caused by direct Sources, such as factories, waste management facilities, refineries, etc, that directly releases waste and dangerous by-products into the nearest water source without treating them. Indirect sources include pollutants that infuse in the water bodies via groundwater or soil or via the atmosphere through acidic rain.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Effects of Pollution of Water

The effects of Water Pollution are:

Diseases: In humans, drinking or consuming polluted water in any way has many disastrous effects on our health. It causes typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and various other diseases.

Eradication of Ecosystem: Ecosystem is extremely dynamic and responds to even small changes in the environment. Increasing water pollution can cause an entire ecosystem to collapse if left unchecked.

Eutrophication: Chemicals accumulation and infusion in a water body, encourages the growth of algae. The algae form a layer on top of the pond or lake. Bacteria feed on this algae and this event decreases the amount of oxygen in the water body, severely affecting the aquatic life there

Effects of the food chain: Turmoil in food chain happens when the aquatic animals (fish, prawns, seahorse, etc) consume the toxins and pollutants in the water,  and then the humans consume them.

Prevention of Water Pollution

The best way to prevent large-scale water pollution is to try and reduce its harmful effects. There are numerous small changes we can make to protect ourselves from a future where water is scarce.

Conserve Water: Conserving water should be our first aim. Water wastage is a major problem globally and we are only now waking up to the issue. Simple small changes made domestically will make a huge difference.

Treatment of sewage: Treating waste products before disposing of it in water bodies helps reduce water pollution on a large scale. Agriculture or other industries can reuse this wastewater by reducing its toxic contents.

Use of environment-friendly products: By using soluble products that do not go on to become pollutants, we can reduce the amount of water pollution caused by a household.

Life is ultimately about choices and so is water pollution. We cannot live with sewage-strewn beaches, contaminated rivers , and fish that are poisonous to drink and eat. To avoid these scenarios,  we can work together to keep the environment clean so the water bodies, plants, animals, and people who depend on it remain healthy. We can take individual or teamed action to help reduce water pollution. As an example, by using environmentally friendly detergents, not pouring oil down the drains, reducing the usage of pesticides, and so on. We can take community action too to keep our rivers and seas cleaner. And we can take action as countries and continents to pass laws against water pollution. Working together, we can make water pollution less of a problem—and the world a better place.

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Pollution in the Yellow River, Mongolia

Discharge from a Chinese fertilizer factory winds its way toward the Yellow River. Like many of the world's rivers, pollution remains an ongoing problem.

Water pollution is a rising global crisis. Here’s what you need to know.

The world's freshwater sources receive contaminants from a wide range of sectors, threatening human and wildlife health.

From big pieces of garbage to invisible chemicals, a wide range of pollutants ends up in our planet's lakes, rivers, streams, groundwater, and eventually the oceans. Water pollution—along with drought, inefficiency, and an exploding population—has contributed to a freshwater crisis , threatening the sources we rely on for drinking water and other critical needs.

Research has revealed that one pollutant in particular is more common in our tap water than anyone had previously thought: PFAS, short for poly and perfluoroalkyl substances. PFAS is used to make everyday items resistant to moisture, heat, and stains; some of these chemicals have such long half-lives that they are known as "the forever chemical."

Safeguarding water supplies is important because even though nearly 70 percent of the world is covered by water, only 2.5 percent of it is fresh. And just one percent of freshwater is easily accessible, with much of it trapped in remote glaciers and snowfields.

Water pollution causes

Water pollution can come from a variety of sources. Pollution can enter water directly, through both legal and illegal discharges from factories, for example, or imperfect water treatment plants. Spills and leaks from oil pipelines or hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations can degrade water supplies. Wind, storms, and littering—especially of plastic waste —can also send debris into waterways.

Thanks largely to decades of regulation and legal action against big polluters, the main cause of U.S. water quality problems is now " nonpoint source pollution ," when pollutants are carried across or through the ground by rain or melted snow. Such runoff can contain fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides from farms and homes; oil and toxic chemicals from roads and industry; sediment; bacteria from livestock; pet waste; and other pollutants .

Finally, drinking water pollution can happen via the pipes themselves if the water is not properly treated, as happened in the case of lead contamination in Flint, Michigan , and other towns. Another drinking water contaminant, arsenic , can come from naturally occurring deposits but also from industrial waste.

Freshwater pollution effects

the dry riverbed of the Colorado River

Water pollution can result in human health problems, poisoned wildlife, and long-term ecosystem damage. When agricultural and industrial runoff floods waterways with excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, these nutrients often fuel algae blooms that then create dead zones , or low-oxygen areas where fish and other aquatic life can no longer thrive.

Algae blooms can create health and economic effects for humans, causing rashes and other ailments, while eroding tourism revenue for popular lake destinations thanks to their unpleasant looks and odors. High levels of nitrates in water from nutrient pollution can also be particularly harmful to infants , interfering with their ability to deliver oxygen to tissues and potentially causing " blue baby syndrome ." The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 38 percent of the European Union's water bodies are under pressure from agricultural pollution.

Globally, unsanitary water supplies also exact a health toll in the form of disease. At least 2 billion people drink water from sources contaminated by feces, according to the World Health Organization , and that water may transmit dangerous diseases such as cholera and typhoid.

Freshwater pollution solutions

In many countries, regulations have restricted industry and agricultural operations from pouring pollutants into lakes, streams, and rivers, while treatment plants make our drinking water safe to consume. Researchers are working on a variety of other ways to prevent and clean up pollution. National Geographic grantee Africa Flores , for example, has created an artificial intelligence algorithm to better predict when algae blooms will happen. A number of scientists are looking at ways to reduce and cleanup plastic pollution .

There have been setbacks, however. Regulation of pollutants is subject to changing political winds, as has been the case in the United States with the loosening of environmental protections that prevented landowners from polluting the country’s waterways.

Anyone can help protect watersheds by disposing of motor oil, paints, and other toxic products properly , keeping them off pavement and out of the drain. Be careful about what you flush or pour down the sink, as it may find its way into the water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends using phosphate-free detergents and washing your car at a commercial car wash, which is required to properly dispose of wastewater. Green roofs and rain gardens can be another way for people in built environments to help restore some of the natural filtering that forests and plants usually provide.

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Related topics.

  • WATER POLLUTION
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  • GROUNDWATER
  • WATER QUALITY
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Water Pollution in the US: Causes and Control Essay

Introduction: water pollution in the united states.

The issue of water scarcity and to following strategy for its sustainable use is quite tricky. While technically being a renewable resource, water should not be viewed as the one that can replenish itself, either – due to the dangerously high rates of water pollution, the existing amounts of freshwater are getting increasingly low.

Although water pollution can hardly be ceased entirely, the current rates of water pollution can be reduced by resorting to the sustainable principle of water use in both the industrial area and the realm of the household. By increasing awareness among the population and developing a sustainable approach towards the usage of the existing water resources, one will be capable of addressing the water pollution rates in the USA.

Discussion: Causes of Water Pollution and the Means of Reducing It

Key causes: the dirty side of water use.

Unfortunately, there is no single negative factor that contributes to the increase in water pollution rates, and there is no malefactor, either – instead, it is the inconsiderate use of the existing resources that triggers water pollution. Among the key factors that trigger water pollution, its industrial usage seems to be the reason for concern for the most part. However, it is the urban runoff (i.e., the abuse of water resources by the residents of the urban areas) that triggers the so-called nonpoint (i.e., irreversible) source pollution.

Along with nutrients and chemicals pollution, the contamination by sewage discharges is an especially huge threat to the American resources of clean water.

Industrial waste

While having to comply with the existing regulations regarding environmental protection, a range of companies resort to unclean practices by dumping their waste into the areas, where the waste becomes a threat to water. The recent Exxon scandal has shown that the estimated $8.9 billion of environmental damages has been made in 2015 (THE EDITORIAL BOARD, 2015).

Underground storage leakages

Underground storage tanks, which traditionally contain petroleum and other harmful substances, often tend to leak, therefore, triggering the release of petrol and the related substances into water, hence the water pollution.

Septic tanks

Contributing to underground storage leaking (), septic tanks contribute to water pollution in the U.S. significantly by discharging around 2 sq. m of waste into the water daily (BELIN, 2015).

Ocean dumping

Another essential factor that defines the rates of water pollution in the USA, ocean dumping needs to be reduced significantly.

Oil pollution

The notorious case of Exxon’s oil spill in 2015 (THE EDITORIAL BOARD, 2015) has shown that oil pollution must be prevented at all costs. The 2013 oil pollution issues have caused the USA 125 miles of coast, affecting the water and the wildlife in the vicinity (Oil spills and disasters, 2014).

Radioactive waste

Much like ocean dumping, radioactive waste disposal is difficult to trace and, therefore, it is easier for organizations dealing with the substances in question to dispose of them improperly.

Fossil fuels burning

Emitting around 117,000, 164,000 and 208,000 billion Btu annually (Comparison against other fossil fuels, 2015), natural gas, oil and coal correspondingly pose a serious threat to the quality of water in the United States.

Landfill leakage

The problem of land pollution and the following contamination of groundwater is a major problem for the United States. According to the 2015 statistics, 56% of trash in the USA is transported to landfills (BRADFORD, 2010). The leakage from the latter, in its turn, poisons the groundwater in the vicinity with detritus from rotten food and the pollutants from plastic items decomposition (BRADFORD, 2010).

Animal waste

Animal droppings also decompose into the elements that, when introduced to the soil, penetrate the groundwater area and, therefore, pollute the water.

Atmospheric deposition

The destruction of atmosphere layers leads to the exposition of water resources to an extreme level of radiation and, therefore, triggers their untimely desiccation.

Global warming

One of the most notorious and, nevertheless, the one of the lengthiest effect, global warming causes the U.S. rivers to overflow; as a result, the sewage contents will pour into clean water, contaminating it. 1.2 trillion gallons of sewage contaminate freshwater annually in the U.S (Water pollution facts, n. d., para. 24).

Death of aquatic animals

Global warming triggers a steady rise in the temperature of the water, thus, causing deaths of numerous aquatic organisms. The decomposition elements of the latter pollute the waters of the Atlantic Ocean coast and the American rivers.

By introducing wastewater to rivers and oceans, the authorities of the U.S. risk the contamination of the aquatic animals and, therefore, the transfer of pollution by the sick animals to the clean water areas.

Food chains disruption

The effects of wastewater and food chains disruption are, in fact, reciprocal, as the latter trigger an increase in the death toll among the water life forms and, therefore, cause the contamination of water with the decomposition products, the algae, which are no longer consumed by the deceased aquatic animals, etc.

Ecosystems destruction

As a result of the lack of proper food, the inhabitants of the American rivers and seas, as well as the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Arctic Oceans are likely to die out. The lack of certain elements of the ocean food chain, in its turn, will result in higher death tolls among the aquatic animals and, thus, higher decomposition rates.

Reaching the point of no return

Agriculture.

To facilitate proper growth of crops, American farmers and farming organizations spend water resources unreasonably. 130 billion gallons being used for irrigation and livestock (ADMIN, 2011), agriculture is the leading cause of water scarcity in some of the regions of the USA.

Municipal point sources

Leading to a significant reduction of dissolved oxygen, MPS also drastically affect the cleanness of water in the U.S.

Urban runoff

Made of impervious materials, pavement does not allow snow and rain to trickle into the ground; as a result, the hydrological water cycle is disrupted.

Stream/habitat changes

Another factor that causes numerous water creatures to die or migrate, stream and habitat changes alter essential characteristics of the environment, thus, causing water to become filled with bacteria, algae, etc.

Means of Control: Starting with Personal Responsibility

Reasonable use of water.

Sustainability as the basis towards the use of water resources can be viewed as the strategy that should make the basis for the proper use of water. The specified approach must be deployed at every level of water resources distribution from municipal to agricultural.

Pollution Prevention Act

Adopted in 1990, the Act creates the premises for “reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials use” (Summary of the Pollution Prevention Act, 1990, par. 1).

Raising awareness among the citizen

Apart from designing legal ramifications, state authorities should consider the idea of influencing people on a personal level. By promoting the responsible use of resources, one will be capable of reducing water waste rates significantly.

Reducing the number of solids

Solid waste reduction is likely to postpone the process of water supplies exhaustion.

EPA laws enhancement

Although the approaches suggested by EPA are generally reasonable, they seem to have been disregarded when defining the strategies for water resources use in the USA. Thus, there is a need to facilitate compliance with EPA laws. This can be done by imposing fines on the individuals and organizations abusing water resources.

Ocean Dumping Program

The program was designed in 2014 after the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (Research project description, 2014) and requires sustainable and responsible disposal of waste.

Oil Pollution Prevention regulation

Designed for addressing the issues such as the case of Exxon and, therefore, preventing the catastrophes related to oil spills, the specified act requires that specific standards for oil tanks design and the storage of oil therein should be complied with.

Solutions to be designed: radioactive waste and direct injection

Even though there is no solution to handling the issue of radioactive waste management, as well as the process of direct injection, measures must be taken to facilitate remoteness of the specified types of waste from any life forms and sources of water.

Abandoning the use of landfills

Although there is no alternative to landfill use for waste management at present, a more appropriate location of landfills can be considered a possibility. Specifically, the regions, where groundwater flows are generally very low, can be viewed as an option (BRADFORD 2010).

Animal waste collection

While the process of collecting animal waste may be rather complicated due to the difficulties related to tracing the locations of stray animals, making people take proper care of their pets and picking up the droppings left by the latter can be carried out comparatively easily by issuing the corresponding laws.

Global warming prevention

A very complex and difficult task, it involves a variety of measures starting from the sustainable use of resources to the transfer to driving hybrid vehicles and refrain from usage of a variety of pollutants including aerosols.

Marine sustainability

Introducing a set of more rigid regulations regarding the waste disposal for businesses along with the development of marine sustainability principles may help in not only preventing water pollution but also addressing the negative effects that it has caused.

The U.S. authorities have adopted a range of programs aimed at water sanitation, including the USAID’s Water and Development Strategy (USAID, 2013).

Sustainable use of resources

The introduction of individuals and organizations to a reasonable usage of water has recently been viewed as an opportunity in the United States.

Sustaining ecosystems: green infrastructure

Likewise, the key principles of sustainability should be adopted when allowing the key ecosystems to retain their

Addressing nonpoint source pollution

Clean water act.

Another suggestion for reconsidering the current rates of water usage, the CWA presupposes that the “basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States” (Summary of the Clean Water Act, 2015) should be established and that similar regulations should be provided for the use of freshwater in the USA.

NPDES Permit Program

A program aimed at regulating the current use of water, it regulates the sources, which discharge pollutants into the ocean (NPDES Stormwater Permit Program, 2015).

Wastewater programs

The phenomenon of wastewater harvesting () has been created for the sake of reducing urban runoff and may have a significant effect on sustainable water use once the awareness regarding the subject matter is increased. Even a more adequate use of water by the residents of the area can be facilitated with the introduction of similar programs. The refusal to use impervious pavement materials for sidewalks and driveways should also be viewed as an option (Urban nonpoint source fact sheet, 2003).

Total maximum daily loads

Seeing that no alternative to waste disposal for major companies have been designed yet, the organizations that dump waste into the ocean have to comply with the existing restrictions on the amount of waste that they can deposit. Unfortunately, not all states follow the requirements set by the TMDL Act (see Appendix A).

Watershed management

Likewise, the watershed management approach, which presupposes that careful studies of the watershed should be carried out with the following location of the problem areas and the measurers designed for addressing the emerging issues in a manner as timely and efficient as possible. There is no secret that watershed management presupposes dealing with not only the issue of water pollution but also the problem of habitat destruction. In other words, watershed management programs adopted in the USA currently allow for handling several issues simultaneously and, therefore, promoting a more sustainable approach towards the consumption and usage of the existing water resource.

Green infrastructure

The aforementioned sustainability issue can be attained through a series of actions that are determined for enhancing habitat recovery. Indeed, as it has been stressed above, the lack of sustainability in the management of the water resources in the USA triggers an immediate decay of the existing variability in American nature. As a result, a range of species faces the threat of extinction, therefore, triggering the overpopulation of water with smaller animals and algae (i.e., the elements that used to be the food of the extinct species). Thus, by restoring the habitats that have been destroyed, the American community will be capable of replenishing water resources or, at the very least, saving the ones that they still have at their disposal.

National Water Quality Initiative

Though having started their activity comparatively recently, the proponents of the NWQI movement have already designated “approximately five percent of EQIP financial assistance to targeted agricultural conservation practice implementation in 165 HUC 12 NWQI watersheds” (Session M5: quantifying agricultural nonpoint sources and controls, 2013, p. 2).

Fostering personal responsibility

Last, but not least, the idea of promoting personal responsibility as the basis for sustainable water use must be viewed as an option.

Conclusion: Spring Cleaning on a Global Scale

Although water is traditionally viewed as a renewable resource, the nonpoint pollution factors in the United States make the threat of water scarcity dangerously high. Therefore, a more sustainable approach towards the use of water not only industrial but also household levels must be introduced into the framework of the U.S. water usage.

Reference List

ADMIN, 2011. US farming and irrigation water usage statistics . Sea Metrics , Web.

BELIN, F. 2015. EPP2 Water Discharge Consent, exemption, Permit, legislation for Septic Tanks and off-mains systems . Biorock , Web.

BRADFORD, A. 2010. Pollution facts & types of pollution . Live Science , Web.

Comparison against other fossil fuels , 2015. Swarthmore College . Web.

National summary of impaired waters and TMDL information , 2015. States Environmental Protection Agency. Web.

NPDES Stormwater Permit Program, 2015. United States Environmental Protection Agency . Web.

Oil spills and disasters , 2014. Infoplease. Web.

Research project description, 2014. Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education . Web.

Session M5: quantifying agricultural nonpoint sources and controls, 2013. Advisory Committee on Water Information. Web.

Summary of the Pollution Prevention Act , 1990. United States Environmental Protection Agency . Web.

THE EDITORIAL BOARD, 2015. Gov. Christie’s bad deal with Exxon . New York Times , p. 1. Web.

Urban nonpoint source fact sheet, 2003. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Web.

USAID, 2013. Water and development strategy. USAID , pp. 1–33, Web.

Water pollution facts, n. d. Conserve energy , p. 1 Web.

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Essay on Water Pollution

essay on water pollution

Here we have shared the Essay on Water Pollution in detail so you can use it in your exam or assignment of 150, 250, 400, 500, or 1000 words.

You can use this Essay on Water Pollution in any assignment or project whether you are in school (class 10th or 12th), college, or preparing for answer writing in competitive exams. 

Topics covered in this article.

Essay on Water Pollution in 150-250 words

Essay on water pollution in 300-400 words, essay on water pollution in 500-1000 words.

Water pollution is a pressing environmental issue that poses a significant threat to ecosystems and human health. It occurs when harmful substances, such as chemicals, industrial waste, or sewage, contaminate water bodies, including rivers, lakes, oceans, and groundwater sources.

Water pollution has devastating consequences on aquatic life. Toxic pollutants can disrupt the balance of ecosystems, leading to the decline of fish and other marine species. Additionally, contaminated water can spread diseases to animals and humans who depend on these water sources for drinking, irrigation, and recreation.

Industrial activities, improper waste disposal, agricultural runoff, and urbanization contribute to water pollution. Efforts to reduce water pollution include stricter regulations on waste disposal, the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices, and the development of advanced wastewater treatment technologies.

Awareness and individual responsibility are crucial in combating water pollution. Simple actions like properly disposing of waste, conserving water, and avoiding the use of harmful chemicals can make a significant difference. Education and advocacy are essential to raising public awareness about the importance of protecting water resources and implementing sustainable practices.

In conclusion, water pollution is a grave environmental issue that threatens aquatic ecosystems and human well-being. It is a global challenge that requires collective action and responsible behavior. By implementing effective regulations, adopting sustainable practices, and promoting awareness, we can safeguard our water resources and ensure a healthier and more sustainable future for all.

Title: Water Pollution – A Growing Threat to Ecosystems and Human Well-being

Introduction :

Water pollution is a grave environmental issue that arises from the contamination of water bodies by harmful substances. It poses a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. This essay explores the causes and consequences of water pollution, as well as the measures required to address and prevent it.

Causes of Water Pollution

Water pollution can be attributed to various human activities and natural factors. Industrial discharge, improper waste disposal, agricultural runoff, oil spills, sewage, and chemical pollutants are among the leading causes. Rapid urbanization, population growth, and inadequate infrastructure for waste management contribute to the problem. Additionally, natural phenomena like sedimentation and erosion can exacerbate water pollution.

Consequences of Water Pollution

Water pollution has far-reaching ecological and human health implications. Contaminated water disrupts aquatic ecosystems, leading to the decline of fish and other marine species. It affects biodiversity, disrupts food chains, and damages habitats. Moreover, polluted water sources pose significant health risks to humans. Consuming or coming into contact with contaminated water can lead to waterborne diseases, gastrointestinal issues, skin problems, and even long-term health impacts.

Prevention and Remediation

Addressing water pollution requires a multi-faceted approach. Stricter regulations and enforcement regarding industrial discharge and waste management are essential. Promoting sustainable agricultural practices, such as reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and implementing proper irrigation techniques, can minimize agricultural runoff. Developing and implementing advanced wastewater treatment technologies is crucial to ensure that domestic and industrial effluents are properly treated before being discharged into water bodies.

Individual and Collective Responsibility:

Preventing water pollution is a shared responsibility. Individuals can contribute by practicing responsible waste disposal, conserving water, and avoiding the use of harmful chemicals. Public awareness campaigns and education programs play a vital role in promoting responsible behavior and fostering a culture of environmental stewardship.

Conclusion :

Water pollution is a critical environmental issue that jeopardizes the health of ecosystems and humans. It demands collective action and responsible behavior. By addressing the root causes of water pollution, implementing effective regulations, and promoting individual and collective responsibility, we can safeguard water resources and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Title: Water Pollution – A Looming Crisis Threatening Ecosystems and Human Well-being

Water pollution is a pressing environmental issue that poses a significant threat to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. It occurs when harmful substances contaminate water bodies, making them unfit for their intended uses. This essay delves into the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to water pollution, emphasizing the urgent need for collective action to address this global crisis.

Water pollution arises from various sources, both human-induced and natural. Human activities play a significant role in polluting water bodies. Industrial discharge, untreated sewage, agricultural runoff, oil spills, mining activities, and improper waste disposal are among the leading causes. Industrial wastewater often contains heavy metals, toxic chemicals, and organic pollutants, which can have devastating effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Agricultural runoff, laden with pesticides, fertilizers, and animal waste, contaminates water bodies and contributes to eutrophication, depleting oxygen levels and harming aquatic life.

The consequences of water pollution are far-reaching and encompass ecological, economic, and health impacts. Aquatic ecosystems bear the brunt of pollution, with devastating consequences for biodiversity and food chains. Pollutants disrupt aquatic habitats, decrease water quality, and lead to the decline of fish and other marine species. This ecological imbalance has ripple effects throughout the ecosystem, affecting the entire food web.

Water pollution also has severe implications for human health. Contaminated water sources pose significant risks, as they can transmit waterborne diseases, including cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and hepatitis. Communities that rely on polluted water for drinking, cooking, and bathing are particularly vulnerable. Prolonged exposure to polluted water can lead to various health issues, such as gastrointestinal problems, skin irritations, respiratory illnesses, and even long-term health effects like cancer.

Furthermore, water pollution has economic ramifications. Polluted water bodies reduce the availability of clean water for agriculture, industry, and domestic use. This leads to increased costs for water treatment, agricultural productivity losses, and economic disruptions in sectors that rely heavily on water resources, such as fisheries and tourism.

Solutions and Mitigation Strategies

Addressing water pollution requires comprehensive strategies and collaborative efforts. Governments, industries, communities, and individuals all have a role to play in mitigating pollution and safeguarding water resources.

a. Regulatory Measures

B. wastewater treatment, c. sustainable agriculture, d. waste management, e. education and awareness.

Effective regulations and enforcement mechanisms are essential to control and prevent water pollution. Governments should establish stringent standards for industrial effluents and enforce penalties for non-compliance. Laws should be enacted to ensure proper waste disposal and treatment practices. Additionally, zoning regulations can help prevent pollution by restricting industrial activities near sensitive water bodies.

Investing in advanced wastewater treatment infrastructure is crucial. Industries should implement appropriate treatment technologies to remove pollutants from their effluents before discharge. Municipalities must prioritize the treatment of domestic sewage to prevent contamination of water bodies. Developing countries, in particular, need support and resources to build and upgrade their wastewater treatment facilities.

Adopting sustainable agricultural practices can significantly reduce pollution from agricultural activities. Encouraging the use of organic farming methods, integrated pest management, and precision irrigation can minimize the reliance on harmful pesticides and fertilizers. Proper manure management and implementing buffer zones along water bodies can also mitigate nutrient runoff and protect water quality.

Improper waste disposal is a major contributor to water pollution. Implementing comprehensive waste management systems that include recycling, proper landfill management, and promotion of waste reduction strategies is crucial. Communities should have access to adequate waste collection services, and educational campaigns can raise awareness about the importance of responsible waste disposal.

Public education and awareness programs play a vital role in addressing water pollution. Promoting water conservation practices, encouraging responsible behavior, and highlighting the link between water pollution and human health can empower individuals to take action. Educational campaigns should target schools, communities, and industries to foster a culture of environmental stewardship.

Water pollution is a critical global issue that poses severe threats to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being. It demands collective action and sustainable practices to safeguard water resources. Through stringent regulations, advanced wastewater treatment, sustainable agriculture, proper waste management, and education, we can mitigate water pollution and preserve this vital resource for future generations. By recognizing the urgency of this crisis and working collaboratively, we can ensure a healthier, cleaner, and more sustainable water future.

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Water Pollution Essay

Water is a necessity for all life forms present on this planet. Animals need water to quench their thirst, plants need water to draw nutrients from the soil and keep nourished, and people need water for a variety of activities like drinking, cooking, cleaning, and washing, to mention a few. Even though water is so important to us, there are many practices which humans follow which are making fresh water scarce. Water pollution is when the substances that make the water contaminate the sources of the water. Chemicals, garbage, bacteria, and parasites are examples of pollutants. Eventually, every kind of pollution finds its way into the water. Here are a few sample essays on "water pollution".

Water Pollution Essay

100 Words Essay On Water Pollution

Water is necessary for our survival and to live a healthy and happy life. Everyone is familiar with the picture of people living in misery in nations without access to water, such as Africa. It's time for everyone to wake up and understand how important water conservation is. Human species couldn't survive in a world without water. All plants and animals fall under this same category. In fact, without water, the entire planet will suffer. Water bodies, including lakes, rivers, seas, oceans, and groundwater, have all been contaminated. Water bodies become contaminated when waste from homes, factories, and other buildings enters them.

As stated, water pollution is a severe issue that can be catastrophic for all living beings, including humans, plants and animals. We must comprehend the value of water in our life and the need to preserve it. There are numerous easy ways to prevent water waste, including taking shorter showers, watering plants with RO waste, cleaning cars with a wet cloth rather than a hose, etc. To gather rainwater, we must also employ the rainwater harvesting technique. In this way, we can conserve water.

200 Words Essay On Water Pollution

On Earth, water is abundant. Both above and below the surface of the Earth, it exists. Rivers, ponds, seas, and oceans are just a few of the water bodies found on the surface of the Earth. Even though our world can replenish its own water, over time, we are destroying and abusing the abundance of water present. Even though 70% of the surface of the Earth is covered by water and 30% by land, the rapidly expanding water contamination impacts marine life and humans. Everyone is beginning to be concerned about the uneven distribution of water on Earth and the rising demand for it due to the growing population.

Contaminants | City sewage and commercial waste discharge are two of the most harmful factors contributing to water contamination. Contaminants that reach the water supply through soils or groundwater systems, as well as through rain, are examples of indirect sources of water pollution. The chemical contaminants are more dangerous and challenging to remove from a water body than the visible impurities, which can be easily eliminated by physical cleaning or filtering. Water's characteristics are altered when chemicals are added, making it dangerous to use and perhaps lethal.

Solution | To prevent water pollution, there are several steps we, as citizens and the government, can take. Since water efficiency and conservation are essential elements of sustainable water management, enhancing water infrastructure must be prioritised. Intelligent irrigation systems and solar desalination are excellent examples of clean technology for managing and conserving water.

Also, Rainwater harvesting and reusing is an excellent method to prevent water pollution. Groundwater and other natural water sources can be under less stress because of reclaimed wastewater and rainwater gathering. It is common knowledge that one way to avoid water scarcity is through groundwater recharge, which enables water to move from surface water to groundwater.

500 Words Essay On Water Pollution

Although water is essential to every living thing on the planet, Humans still indulge in activities that make water a scarce resource. When a body of water—such as a river, lake, ocean, etc.—becomes polluted due to human activity or a natural source, the term "water pollution" is used. Water contamination is now a significant environmental issue that requires responsible management. Water contamination is caused primarily due to human activities such as urbanisation, industrialisation, deforestation, trash dumping, and landfills.

Causes Of Water Pollution

On the earth, fresh water is extremely limited, and pollution is making it much more so. We lose millions of litres of fresh water each year to industrial pollution and other forms of pollution. Pollutants include both large and small items of obvious trash as well as intangible, dangerous, and deadly compounds.

Many factories are located close to water sources, and they transport their waste there using fresh water. This industrial waste is poisonous by nature and endangers both the flora and fauna's health. People close to polluted water bodies have been seen to have significant skin, respiratory, and occasionally even life-threatening health illnesses.

Urban garbage and sewage are other significant contributors to water contamination. Each household generates tons of waste annually, including plastic, wood, chemicals, and other substances. This trash reaches our aquatic bodies, such as rivers, lakes, and streams, and pollutes them without an effective waste disposal system.

How To Manage Water Pollution

By educating people about the causes and impacts of water pollution on life and the environment, water pollution might be significantly reduced. People need to participate in cleanup initiatives when a community or organisation cleans up the waterways every week or at least once a month. To completely eradicate water contamination, strict legislation must also be created and adequately enforced. Strict oversight will increase accountability and may deter individuals and groups from polluting. We should all be aware of our daily activities and take measures to help the world become a better place for future generations.

Real-Life Experience

I have always loved my town as it has many lakes, rivers, and forests. One day, as I walked along the river that ran through my village, I couldn't help but notice the strange colours swirling in the water. It wasn't the crystal clear blue that I was used to seeing. Instead, the water was a murky brown, and there was a strong, foul smell emitting from it. Curious, I decided to investigate further. I made my way down to the riverbank and peered into the water, trying to get a closer look at what was causing the strange colours and smells. As I looked more closely, I saw that strange foam bubbles were floating on the surface of the water.

Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me and turned to see a group of people rushing towards the river. They were shouting and waving their arms, and I could see the panic on their faces. I quickly realised that something was very wrong. As the group reached the river, they saw that the water was teeming with dead fish floating belly up on the surface. The smell of rotten fish was overpowering, and it was clear that something had seriously polluted the river.

After a thorough investigation, it was determined that a local factory had been releasing toxic chemicals into the river, causing widespread pollution and destruction of the ecosystem. I was shocked and saddened by this discovery, and I knew it would take a lot of work to clean up the river and restore it to its former glory.

Explore Career Options (By Industry)

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Bio Medical Engineer

The field of biomedical engineering opens up a universe of expert chances. An Individual in the biomedical engineering career path work in the field of engineering as well as medicine, in order to find out solutions to common problems of the two fields. The biomedical engineering job opportunities are to collaborate with doctors and researchers to develop medical systems, equipment, or devices that can solve clinical problems. Here we will be discussing jobs after biomedical engineering, how to get a job in biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering scope, and salary. 

Data Administrator

Database professionals use software to store and organise data such as financial information, and customer shipping records. Individuals who opt for a career as data administrators ensure that data is available for users and secured from unauthorised sales. DB administrators may work in various types of industries. It may involve computer systems design, service firms, insurance companies, banks and hospitals.

Ethical Hacker

A career as ethical hacker involves various challenges and provides lucrative opportunities in the digital era where every giant business and startup owns its cyberspace on the world wide web. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path try to find the vulnerabilities in the cyber system to get its authority. If he or she succeeds in it then he or she gets its illegal authority. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path then steal information or delete the file that could affect the business, functioning, or services of the organization.

Data Analyst

The invention of the database has given fresh breath to the people involved in the data analytics career path. Analysis refers to splitting up a whole into its individual components for individual analysis. Data analysis is a method through which raw data are processed and transformed into information that would be beneficial for user strategic thinking.

Data are collected and examined to respond to questions, evaluate hypotheses or contradict theories. It is a tool for analyzing, transforming, modeling, and arranging data with useful knowledge, to assist in decision-making and methods, encompassing various strategies, and is used in different fields of business, research, and social science.

Geothermal Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as geothermal engineers are the professionals involved in the processing of geothermal energy. The responsibilities of geothermal engineers may vary depending on the workplace location. Those who work in fields design facilities to process and distribute geothermal energy. They oversee the functioning of machinery used in the field.

Remote Sensing Technician

Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Geotechnical engineer

The role of geotechnical engineer starts with reviewing the projects needed to define the required material properties. The work responsibilities are followed by a site investigation of rock, soil, fault distribution and bedrock properties on and below an area of interest. The investigation is aimed to improve the ground engineering design and determine their engineering properties that include how they will interact with, on or in a proposed construction. 

The role of geotechnical engineer in mining includes designing and determining the type of foundations, earthworks, and or pavement subgrades required for the intended man-made structures to be made. Geotechnical engineering jobs are involved in earthen and concrete dam construction projects, working under a range of normal and extreme loading conditions. 

Cartographer

How fascinating it is to represent the whole world on just a piece of paper or a sphere. With the help of maps, we are able to represent the real world on a much smaller scale. Individuals who opt for a career as a cartographer are those who make maps. But, cartography is not just limited to maps, it is about a mixture of art , science , and technology. As a cartographer, not only you will create maps but use various geodetic surveys and remote sensing systems to measure, analyse, and create different maps for political, cultural or educational purposes.

Budget Analyst

Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Product Manager

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Operations manager.

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Bank Probationary Officer (PO)

Investment director.

An investment director is a person who helps corporations and individuals manage their finances. They can help them develop a strategy to achieve their goals, including paying off debts and investing in the future. In addition, he or she can help individuals make informed decisions.

Welding Engineer

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

An expert in plumbing is aware of building regulations and safety standards and works to make sure these standards are upheld. Testing pipes for leakage using air pressure and other gauges, and also the ability to construct new pipe systems by cutting, fitting, measuring and threading pipes are some of the other more involved aspects of plumbing. Individuals in the plumber career path are self-employed or work for a small business employing less than ten people, though some might find working for larger entities or the government more desirable.

Construction Manager

Individuals who opt for a career as construction managers have a senior-level management role offered in construction firms. Responsibilities in the construction management career path are assigning tasks to workers, inspecting their work, and coordinating with other professionals including architects, subcontractors, and building services engineers.

Urban Planner

Urban Planning careers revolve around the idea of developing a plan to use the land optimally, without affecting the environment. Urban planning jobs are offered to those candidates who are skilled in making the right use of land to distribute the growing population, to create various communities. 

Urban planning careers come with the opportunity to make changes to the existing cities and towns. They identify various community needs and make short and long-term plans accordingly.

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Naval Architect

A Naval Architect is a professional who designs, produces and repairs safe and sea-worthy surfaces or underwater structures. A Naval Architect stays involved in creating and designing ships, ferries, submarines and yachts with implementation of various principles such as gravity, ideal hull form, buoyancy and stability. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Veterinary Doctor

Pathologist.

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Speech Therapist

Gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

Hospital Administrator

The hospital Administrator is in charge of organising and supervising the daily operations of medical services and facilities. This organising includes managing of organisation’s staff and its members in service, budgets, service reports, departmental reporting and taking reminders of patient care and services.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Videographer

Multimedia specialist.

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Linguistic meaning is related to language or Linguistics which is the study of languages. A career as a linguistic meaning, a profession that is based on the scientific study of language, and it's a very broad field with many specialities. Famous linguists work in academia, researching and teaching different areas of language, such as phonetics (sounds), syntax (word order) and semantics (meaning). 

Other researchers focus on specialities like computational linguistics, which seeks to better match human and computer language capacities, or applied linguistics, which is concerned with improving language education. Still, others work as language experts for the government, advertising companies, dictionary publishers and various other private enterprises. Some might work from home as freelance linguists. Philologist, phonologist, and dialectician are some of Linguist synonym. Linguists can study French , German , Italian . 

Public Relation Executive

Travel journalist.

The career of a travel journalist is full of passion, excitement and responsibility. Journalism as a career could be challenging at times, but if you're someone who has been genuinely enthusiastic about all this, then it is the best decision for you. Travel journalism jobs are all about insightful, artfully written, informative narratives designed to cover the travel industry. Travel Journalist is someone who explores, gathers and presents information as a news article.

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

Merchandiser.

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Metallurgical Engineer

A metallurgical engineer is a professional who studies and produces materials that bring power to our world. He or she extracts metals from ores and rocks and transforms them into alloys, high-purity metals and other materials used in developing infrastructure, transportation and healthcare equipment. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

ITSM Manager

Information security manager.

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

Business Intelligence Developer

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Essay on Water Pollution: Types, Causes, Effects & Prevention

March 10, 2021 by Sandeep

Water Pollution Essay: When water gets contaminated by pollutants making it unhealthy and unfit to consume, we call it water pollution. The pollution of water bodies like oceans, rivers, lakes, and underground sources has drastically affected life forms. Domestic and industrial wastes, pesticides and effluents mainly pollute water.

Essay on Water Pollution 500 Words in English

Below we have provided Water Pollution Essay in English, suitable for class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10. This essay is drafted in simple and easy words.

Water is undoubtedly one of the essential resources on our planet. It is vital for the survival of all living organisms. Water takes over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface. It is a priceless commodity that has been contaminated and depleted to a critical level with time. The addition of harmful foreign substances into water bodies is known as water pollution. These water bodies can be in the form of aquifers, rivers, lakes, ponds, seas, groundwater, streams, waterfalls, and oceans. Human activities are the prime reason for the adulteration of water bodies.

Types of Water Pollution

Water pollution can be of three kinds – groundwater pollution’s, surface water pollution, and marine pollution.

The contamination of groundwater is known as groundwater pollution. Industrial effluents, dirty water from drains and sewage, which flow on the land surface, seep down the soil and mix with the groundwater. Surface water pollution includes contamination of open water bodies (like rivers, lakes, and oceans) present on Earth’s surface. Lack of proper sanitation and uncontrollable discharge are the major contributors.

Marine pollution involves large water bodies. Wastewater discharges in the river make their way to the seas and oceans, thus causing pollution. Aquatic species become exposed to hazardous chemicals. Food chains get disrupted. Oxygen content in the water bodies is reduced. Marine life is adversely affected as a result. These polluted water bodies become the hub for microbes and spread epidemics like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, and diarrhoea.

Causes of Water Pollution

Water tends to dissolve almost everything. It is known as the universal solvent. This feature enables it to dissolve toxic substances. These toxicities arise from factories, refineries, waste disposal sites, acid rains, detergents, domestic waste, etc. Some of the major causes of water pollution are:

  • Sewage: Every day, tons of waste matter generated from farmlands, commercial sites and households are dumped into the lakes and rivers. These wastes which remain untreated contain harmful chemicals that can be poisonous to plants, animals, and humans.
  • Industrial Effluents: Industrial waste largely contributes to the adulteration of water bodies. Direct disposal of these wastes has disastrous effects on the ecosystem. Chemical effluents from tanning industries contain poisonous compounds, volatile matter, and heavy metals. This water then mixes with the river and contaminates the underground water table.
  • Eutrophication: It is the process that occurs when large amounts of nutrients in the water bodies result in the formation and growth of algae on the surface of the water. Bacteria feed on these algae. Hence, aquatic organisms like fishes and plants get depleted of oxygen. Their habitat is destroyed, and the quality of water is critically reduced.
  • Oil Spills: Leakages from ships and tankers result in oil spills. This is one of the most dangerous modes of water pollution. When the oil gets spilt, it forms a layer over the water surface. This layer prevents the penetration of oxygen, which is essential for the survival of marine plants and animals.
  • Affected River Banks: Lack of sanitation measures in the villages has resulted in defecation in open areas (especially near river banks). Washing clothes and cattle in the lakes is a common practice. Solid waste accumulation is not a rare sight. Litters composed of plastics, glasses, Styrofoam, etc., do not decompose well and stay in the water for years.
  • Indirect Sources: These are the pollutants that indirectly lead to water pollution. They can be chemical dumps, septic tanks, pesticides, hazardous wastes, radioactive substances, etc. Radioactive wastes generated from atomic power plants and other medical procedures are dangerous.

Prevention of Water Pollution

Besides predominantly affecting our health, water pollution can have disastrous effects on our ecosystem. Toxicant pass through the affected aquatic species to us humans. The food chain is badly influenced by it. Prevention of water pollution is essential. Conservation of water must be the first step. Preventive measures include sewage water treatment, using environment-friendly products, reduction in plastic consumption, proper disposal of chemical liquids, solid waste management, and less use of pesticides.

Apart from that, drains must be cleaned more often. The implementation of proper sanitary measures by the government in the villages is a great step. Mass awareness through media and entertainment can help sensitize people about the issue. Educating people, especially in rural areas, can ensure a positive outcome. Enforcement of appropriate laws for Industries and other production sectors can prove beneficial. Natural reserves of water must be safeguarded, and a balance must be maintained in our diversified environment.

Related Essays

Essay on Water Pollution in English (1000 Words)

Essay on Water Pollution for Students in 1000 Words

Here, you will read an Essay on Water Pollution for Students in English 1000 Words. We have also explained Its Facts, Causes, Effects, and Control and Prevention Steps.

Table of Contents

Essay on Water Pollution in English (1000 Words)

So, let’s start the Essay on Water Pollution.

What is Water Pollution?

‘The Loss of Vigor in a Freshwater body like lakes, rivers oceans, and groundwater due to Toxic mixed substances through human activity is known as  Water Pollution” . 

The mixture of Toxic substances into water and lying beneath the surface of water degrades water quality. We can supply the process to our daily activities and drinking, which is causing a significant threat to our lives.

Causes of Water Pollution

Freshwater is only 25% of the total water resources. The water is contaminated with 70% of industrial waste, more than 6 billion pounds of garbage, and most plastic is dumped into oceans. 

There is a point alerted in Newspapers in July quoting, and there will be more plastic bottles than the fish in near future beaches. The more effect on flora and Fauna with the details given:

 80% of domestic sewage is causing Water Pollution, and the water is the chief source for Cholera and typhus diseases to humankind.

Fifteen million children aged less than five were killed with Water Pollution related infections, and 2.5 billion were affected worldwide.

Eleven million litres of radioactive substance were mixed into the Pacific ocean in 2011, Tsunami through Japan and debris of 70 K.M.s islands were formed.

Asia is the most populated continent in which bacteria from human waste accounted to be high. Million Tons of human waste is mixed into the water worldwide.

The most polluted river in the world contains dirt, garbage , dead animals and humans  is in our Country- The Ganges. The Underground water is contaminated with arsenic, which is highly toxic, poisonous, and carcinogenic in Bangladesh.

The drinking water in China is polluted, with nearly 20% Carcinogens. Almost 40% of rivers and 46% of lakes are contaminated and are not suitable for swimming, fishing, or any activity in America, and sewage is a threat to water bodies.

Facts of Water pollution

Nearly more than a dozen Facts for Water Pollution include pollutants from Industry, Agriculture, energy production, Sewage, and other activities. Mississippi River carries an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of nitrogen pollution into the Gulf of Mexico.

Nearly 1.2 Trillion gallons of untreated sewage, stormwater, and industrial waste are dumped U.S. water resources.

Near 70% of industrial waste are dumped into waters without untreated, and more the 80% of Sewage water is unprocessed. Nearly 20,000 known abandoned and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites could be contaminated if there is a leak.

The Animal discharge of sewage and industrial waste in the Yangtze River has reached 25 billion tons; more than 70% of rivers and lakes were polluted in China and unfit for human use.

Industry dump is estimated at 300-400 MT of polluted waste in waters every year, and Nitrate from agriculture is standard in the world’s aquifers.

Human activity is the leading  cause of water pollution  in dumping into industrial waste, temperature rise, oxygen reduction, and deforestation. The Leaking underground storage Tank, Streams, dump, spills and leaks, abandoned wells, Leakage sewage system.

Damming of Rivers results in the effects of downstream agriculture and fisheries. More eutrophication I due tons stay in the dam, increased evaporation in dams, especially with a large area.

Destruction of wetlands, the release of waste by Industries, mining can increase the number of minerals and salts in the water. Agriculture results in  Soil Erosion  and nutrients increasing by Pesticide use.

Effects of Water Pollution

Water Pollution is very harmful to humans, animals, and water life. The impact on human beings, animals, and water animals can be catastrophic, depending on the kind of chemicals concentrations of the Pollutants.

Urban waste diverted to nearby water resources, Garbage dump, Illegal dump by manufacturing, Garbage dump, illegal dump by manufacturing units, health centres, hospitals, Schools and Market places (Garbage).

Loss of Aquatic Fauna is also happening because of water pollution. Crabs, birds, Seagulls, Dolphins and other Animals are due to Water pollution.

Tiny animals will consume the crash of food chains. Lead and Cadmium will be found in consumed fish, and humans or others will consume the same will be a great disaster and great menace in the food chain and loss of species on earth and water in particular.

Human health, Ecosystems, Death of Animals is the primary and familiar Points that will be affected, resulting in a tremendous economic cost for purifying.

The U.S. Tourism Industry is losing $1 billion a year from losses in fishing and recreational activities due to Water pollution.

How to Control Water pollution?

Several Industries are causing Water pollution by discharging the waste into oceans, and Accidental spills are causing a lot of environmental consequences.

Do not release oils, fats or grease through Kitchen Sink; instead, keep a waste utensil and discard it into solid waste.

Do not drain contaminated liquids, Pills, drugs, or medicines into Drains. Instead, use the recommended disposal methods to control the water bodies to be polluted.

Do not use toilets as Bin, minimum use of detergents, pesticides & fertilizers. Promote trash properly, promote sewage treatment and management. 

Conserve water, promote environmentally safe products, promote greenery, support green-oriented products, promote recyclable and reusable options that don’t promote plastic.

Dispose of used oils at its collection points, pickup Pet waste, promote organic farming, report to the local authorities any pollution activities.

Install water-efficient household appliances and participate in the Prevention of water pollution activities or  save water  from pollution campaigns.

Let us promote more  activities to save  our precious water as much as possible. Give the most honour for water and life, Don’t waste or pollute rivers. 

Pay for water services and be active to solve or rectifying any water problem in our society. Let us conserve water and thereby save our water and environment.

People should use water resources very safely and cautiously for sustainable and promising life on our planet. I hope this guide and essay on water pollution helped you in your project.

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Essays on Water Pollution

Hook examples for water pollution essays, "the hidden peril: unveiling the depths of water pollution" hook.

"Beneath the serene surface of water lies a hidden peril. Dive into the depths of water pollution, uncovering the threats to our environment, wildlife, and health."

"From Crystal Clear to Murky: The Transformation of Water Bodies" Hook

"Once-pristine water bodies now bear scars of pollution. Explore the transformation of lakes, rivers, and oceans from crystal clear to murky, and the factors responsible."

"A Taste of Contamination: The Effects of Polluted Water on Health" Hook

"What we drink and consume affects our health. Discuss the alarming consequences of consuming contaminated water, from diseases to long-term health issues."

"Industrial Giants and the Price of Progress: Pollution's Impact" Hook

"Industrialization has brought progress, but at a cost. Analyze the role of industries in water pollution and their responsibility in mitigating environmental damage."

"The Ripple Effect: How Water Pollution Impacts Ecosystems" Hook

"Water pollution's effects ripple through ecosystems, disrupting fragile balances. Explore its impact on aquatic life, biodiversity, and the delicate web of life."

"Turning the Tide: Solutions for Combatting Water Pollution" Hook

"It's not too late to turn the tide against water pollution. Discuss innovative solutions, policies, and individual actions aimed at safeguarding our water resources."

"Guardians of the Waters: Inspiring Stories of Environmental Activism" Hook

"Meet the guardians of our waters—environmental activists who dedicate their lives to fighting pollution. Share their inspiring stories of dedication and change."

Understanding and Addressing Water and Ocean Pollution

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Water Pollution: Causes, Consequences, Solutions

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Conserving Water and Controlling Water Pollution

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The Crucial Importance of Clean Drinking Water Access

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Water pollution is the release of substances into subsurface groundwater or into lakes, streams, rivers, estuaries, and oceans to the point where the substances interfere with beneficial use of the water or with the natural functioning of ecosystems.

Some of the primary sources water pollution are: domestic sewage, solid waste, toxic waste, sediment, thermal pollution, petroleum (oil) pollution.

Water pollution can result in the degradation of aquatic ecosystems, spread of gastrointestinal diseases and parasitic infections, eutrophication, and ocean acidification.

Around 70% of industrial waste is dumped to water. 80% of the water pollution is caused due to domestic sewage. More than 6 billion pounds of garbage, mainly plastic end up in the oceans every year. 15 million children under the age of five years die every year from diseases caused by drinking contaminated water. The Ganges river in India is considered the most polluted river in the world.

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water pollution essay

Essay on Water Pollution

Audience and Purpose

Water pollution is a matter that impacts many lives within the population, and there is an urgent need to put the practice under control. Contamination of water can attract diseases within a population, which derails the general well-being of the society as it leads to diseases. The target audience of the project includes all stakeholders who have the goodwill to maintain sustainable population health. Water is essential, and any level of miscalculations can lead to shortages. Stakeholders include companies, people, the government, NGOs, environmental activists, and any other party that has an interest in the environment. The purpose of the research is to establish possible ways that water pollution can be reduced to promote proper sanitation. It is vital to promote practices that ensure that water pollution is reduced in a bid to conserve the environment.

Introduction

The contamination of water bodies as a result of human activities is on the rise in the recent past. There is a need to implement strategic policies aimed at reducing water pollution globally. A population that dwells on water sources that are contaminated is at more risk of contracting diseases. Equally, organisms that depend on water bodies for survival are endangered with high levels of water pollution (Kneese, 2015). As such, research that focuses on a possible way to reduce water pollution can help avert the impact of the phenomenon. The research aims to answer the question, “how can water pollution be controlled?” to answer the question, the study identifies three strategic approaches that can reduce water pollution.

The first strategic approach to the reduction of water pollution is reducing and avoiding the release of contaminated liquid substances and other solid waste down the drain. For instance, liquid substances such as cooking oil contaminate water and can affect organisms in the water bodies (Zhu, Lei, Zheng, Liang & Quan, 2018). Fat and grease melts and flows down the drain to cause severe problems for organisms that depend on the water for survival when consumed, water with liquids such as cooking oil can cause serious health conditions in a population. As such, water pollution can result from the release of liquids down the drain or solid substances that are harmful and contaminate water. Chemicals that are used for water treatment such as chlorine result in water pollution to some extent. This is because when the substances are used excessively, they are harmful to other organisms that are dependent on the water bodies. Detergents used for purposes such as the washing of clothes also cause water pollution. There is a need to avoid releasing such elements to water bodies to ensure that water sustainability is achieved. Manufacturing industries that release heavy metals such as lead to water bodies significantly increase the possibility of health problems within a population. Therefore, there is a need to implement policies that promote practices that reduce the release of contaminated substances such as oil to water bodies.

Reducing the use of agrochemicals in farms can help reduce the high levels of pollution in water bodies. Agrochemicals include substances that are used by farmers for farming, such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides (Kyei & Hassan, 2018). Runoff and infiltration of chemicals involved lead to water contamination that can kill or affect the health of organisms. Fertilizers that are essential for the growth of farm crops cause water pollution and can affect productivity. As such, there is a need to reduce use of agrochemicals with a view of controlling the high levels of water pollution. Excessive application of chemicals in the firm can lead to water contamination, which is a threat to living organisms in the environment. Notably, it is difficult to avoid the use of such chemicals as they play a crucial role in promoting food security in the world. As such, the most important thing is to reduce the use of agrochemicals in the farm. Also, the chemicals applied in the farms should be standardized to avoid any further effect on living organisms. An example of an approach that can reduce the use of such chemicals is the application of organic manure in the farms. The use of organic manure reduces the chances of polluting water through fertilizers, which is infiltrated to the soil to join underground water (Kyei & Hassan, 2018). Insecticides also increase water pollution when applied in the farms. Stakeholders need to implement strategies that can reduce the use of agrochemicals in a bid to ensure a reduction in water pollution.

Proper sewerage treatment and sanitation management contribute significantly to a reduction in the level of water pollution. Sewerage is the most common contributor to water pollution as much wastewater is released into water bodies (Mininni, Blanch, Lucena & Berselli, 2015). Sewage water should be treated before being released to water bodies to avoid contaminating the water. For instance, waste from suburbs of cities is released to water bodies, risking the lives of organisms within the water bodies. To reduce water pollution as a result of sewerage, all stakeholders have to take responsibility and ensure the matter is put under control. Taking charge means ensuring that wastewater is treated before releasing it to water bodies. Equally, water pollution can be avoided by reducing the dumping of solid products to the drain such substances can dissolve in the water forming acidic compounds that can be harmful to organisms. As such, ensuring that sewage is treated before releasing it to water bodies reduces pollution. Proper sanitation ensures that water used for drinking and cooking is safe to avoid the increased spread of diseases related to sanitation (Cieślik, Namieśnik & Konieczka, 2015). As such, ensuring the treatment of wastewater and sewerage before directing it to water bodies proves to help reduce pollution as a significant problem in the 21 st  century. To promote practices that lead to reduced pollution, legal authorities should implement hefty fines for defiant companies as a way of discouraging the act.

Water pollution is the release of substances to water bodies, which result in contamination of water there is a need to address the issue and ensure that water pollution has been put under control. For instance, avoiding the release of contaminated liquids to water bodies can reduce unnecessary pollution. Equally, chemicals applied in the farms contribute to pollution to a large extent. Reducing the use of agrochemicals in farms can help reduce water pollution. Examples of farm chemicals that result in contamination of water include pesticides, fungicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, among others. Sewage plays a significant part in contaminating water bodies, especially those near cities with large populations. To reduce water pollution, sewerage companies should ensure that they treat the wastewater before directing it into other bodies. Legislation from authorities can shape the matter and ensure that those found guilty of water pollution pay for their deeds. Water pollution should be avoided to foster sustainability within the environment.

Cieślik, B. M., Namieśnik, J., & Konieczka, P. (2015). Review of sewage sludge management: standards, regulations and analytical methods.  Journal of Cleaner Production ,  90 , 1-15.

Kneese, A. V. (2015).  Water pollution: economics aspects and research needs . Routledge.

Kyei, C., & Hassan, R. (2018). The economy-wide implications of a tax policy to reduce water pollution: a case of the Olifants river basin, South Africa.

Mekonnen, M. M., & Hoekstra, A. Y. (2018). Global anthropogenic phosphorus loads to freshwater and associated grey water footprints and water pollution levels: A high‐resolution global study.  Water resources research ,  54 (1), 345-358.

Mininni, G., Blanch, A. R., Lucena, F., & Berselli, S. (2015). EU policy on sewage sludge utilization and perspectives on new approaches of sludge management.  Environmental Science and Pollution Research ,  22 (10), 7361-7374.

Zhu, J., Lei, X., Zheng, H., Liang, J., & Quan, J. (2018). Risk analysis and emergency countermeasures for oil pollution in main channel of South to North Water Transfer Project. In  MATEC Web of Conferences  (Vol. 246, p. 02020). EDP Sciences.

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Water Pollution Essay

In this Water Pollution Essay , we had discussed Water pollution causes and effects, types of water pollution, the solution to water pollution, etc. is also argued.

Water Pollution is directly or indirectly due to water bodies (seas, lakes, rivers, oceans, groundwater, etc.) mix of pollutants that causes environmental degradation and the biosphere (human, plants and animals) effects.

In this article  Essay on Water Pollution , we had provided the essays in different word limits, which you can use as per your need:

Essay on Water Pollution 150 words:

Water is considered life, without water, living beings will not be able to survive.

We use water for drinking, bathing, irrigation and sanitation, but these days our use water has become polluted.

Many dirty elements get mixed in water, dirt, plastic, rotten-throat substances, disinfectants etc. have reduced the quality of water considerably.

Dirty water contains harmful germs that harm our health, therefore, we should not contaminate the water; no substance should be left in the water reservoirs that make it dirty.

Social awareness should be spread to water pollution, water is called nectar so we must maintain its cleanliness.

Water Pollution Essay 200 words:

The level of fresh drinking water on the earth is decreasing day by day; there is limited availability of drinking water on the earth, but that too is being polluted due to human activities.

In the absence of fresh drinking water, it is difficult to estimate the possibility of life on earth.

In this Water pollution Essay, we describe water is a mixture of external substances through organic, inorganic, biological and radiological in water reducing quality and utility.

Harmful pollutants can contain various types of impurities including harmful chemicals, dissolved gases, suspended substances, dissolved minerals and microorganisms.

All contaminants reduce the dissolved oxygen levels in water and affect the lives of animals and humans to a great extent.

Dissolved oxygen is the oxygen present in the water required by the aquatic system to continue the life of plants and animals.

However, there is a demand for oxygen by aerobic microbes to oxidize the organic materials of biochemical oxygen wastes.

Water pollution is caused by natural water pollution (due to leaching of rocks, the decay of organic materials, decay of dead materials, silting, soil erosion, etc.) and another is man-made water pollution like forests.

Harvesting, the establishment of industries near large water bodies, high level of industrial waste emissions, domestic sewage, synthetic chemicals, radioactive waste, fertilizers, pesticides, etc.

Essay on Water Pollution 500 words:

Water pollution is one of the major issues in the world which has existed for some time.

Although many initiatives and steps have been taken to prevent water pollution, it is still a matter of greatest concern to the global population.

Water pollution can be classified into various types and the sources of water pollution are many which are extremely affecting the lives of humans as well as other species.

Major Sources of Water Pollution:

Events during the Earth’s natural equilibrium cycle regulation are constantly moving with many new changes.

At the same time, the man keeps on unknowingly manipulating natural components during the coordination of activities of progress and development.

Sources of many pollutants are produced naturally during these activities and processes.

Considering the productive sources of these pollutants, water pollution can be mainly divided into two parts. Also, read Water Pollution Essay 1000 words.

Natural Source:

Natural actions are the structural components of nature in general, but sometimes these natural actions in a particular area cause destruction by pollution.

For example, ash particles and silt from volcanic eruptions are precisely damaging to plants and natural aquatic ecology, along with deteriorating the quality of water bodies.

Toxic-particles present in them ascertain to be fatal for all living organisms including humans.

Many other such incidents happen automatically in nature, which has an important contribution to increasing the pollution level of water.

The sediment, soil, fine sand particles and mineral elements produced due to destruction of natural rocks, erosion etc., are found in drinking water resources through rainwater, reservoirs and rivers.

Some naturally occurring chemicals such as chloride, fluoride, arsenic and other heavy elements are highly harmful in large amounts, serious impact on the survival of aquatic species.

Man-made Resources:

Domestic effluents, sewage waste, industrial and agricultural chemical effluents and waste generated from transportation and other sources in man-made sources make the chemical, physical and biological quality of water inappropriate.

This type of polluted water is also unsuitable for domestic use, drinking water and irrigation of crops.

The man-made pollution sources and activities which have been found responsible for water pollution are as follows:

Industrial Activities:

Today, due to the expansion of industrial pollutants in water, the problem of water pollution is increasing rapidly.

Pollution Factors Most of the polluted water bodies are becoming unusable due to various types of toxic chemicals present in the effluent discharged from industrial projects mainly sugar mills, paper and textile mills, leather modification plants, jute, steel and fertilizer plants etc.

In coal-fired thermal power projects, about 20 per cent of the total use of coal comes out as silt and mortar, which are disposed of around the water bodies, which often flow into the ponds, rivers and other water bodies along with rainwater.

They have been found responsible for water pollution. A large amount of water is used by refrigerant plants in industries.

Hot water throughout the production process, volatile and suspended waste oils are produced in large quantities and contribute to water pollution.

Industrial effluents from factories are often containing organic and inorganic pollutants.

These industrial effluents have a variety of toxic metals such as chromium, mercury, iron, lead, zinc, copper, cadmium, arsenic, etc., which have the potential to significantly damage all ecosystems including humans.

Also, oil, grease and other oily residues are mostly left untreated in water bodies from port or shipping business and oil tanker accidents are also responsible for water pollution in the sea and oceans.

High concentrations of radioactive waste released from fuel production in nuclear power plants can cause the death of other organisms, including humans, while low concentrations have the potential to cause cancer and other diseases.

Human and living organisms can reach their body and put their fatal side effects on enzymatic and other systems. Also, read Water Pollution Essay 2000 words.

Household Activities and Urban Sewage Waste:

From routine tasks like cooking food, cleanliness, huge amounts of water are unnecessary wasted.

These include sanitizers used in sanitation and various types of chemical effluents, oily materials released from the kitchen, various types of materials in addition to granulated materials, as sewage effluents, through sewage drains and eventually polluting in large water bodies.

According to the World Health Organization by 2020, sewage wastewater in the absence of proper sewage disposal, and the microbes found in them, can affect 135 million people related to drinking water.

In India, only 35 per cent of the sewage is treated primarily, 10 per cent is secondary treatment and the rest is executed in untreated land or water.

It is estimated that about 75 per cent of the country’s sewage, untreated or partially treated, it is being used in agriculture.

Metropolitan solid and liquid wastes, sewage effluents etc. are destroying the natural ecology of water communities in most places in untreated or under-treated condition.

The pathogens and chemicals present in sewage are spreading deadly and infectious diseases like cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, jaundice, liver and other stomach related diseases along with many fleshly and physical changes.

Apart from this, it is also having a fatal effect on terrestrial, aquatic animals. Typhoid, diarrhoea, jaundice, liver and other stomach related diseases are spreading.

A large amount of oxygen is required for dissolution of organic and chemical substances present in sewage.

Lack of soluble oxygen poses a threat to the survival of aquatic species. Also, some toxins present in sewage prove to be extremely harmful to aquatic species.

Fishes are killed due to the effects produced due to sewage (e.g., reduction in water-soluble oxygen and excess of toxins).

Conclusion:

Water is an important source of life and if it gets polluted it will challenge the existence of life on this planet.

It is already known that only 1% of the water available on Earth is suitable for drinking and if the water pollution rate keeps increasing then the day is not far when water scarcity will challenge our existence.

The prediction that the Third World War will be fought for water may also be true. Therefore we must save each & every drop of water and make it available for our future generation.

Water Pollution Essay 1000 words:

Water pollution occurs when pollutants are generated due to various human activities, making their way into water bodies and natural water resources.

Toxic chemical byproducts from factories or pollutants due to human disorder get brushed away by wind and rain and pollute rivers, canals, lakes, ponds etc.

 Pollutant elements are also absorbed by the soil and contaminate groundwater resources.

Waterborne disease resulting from the use of contaminated water is the leading cause of deaths and hospitalizations globally.

Even indirect intake of contaminated water can lead to serious disease like cancer.

For example, eating fish that are living in contaminated water can cause heart diseases, cancer and other serious diseases for years.

Types of Water Pollution:

Each type of water pollution has a different effect on water pollution due to pollutant difference. Various types of water pollution and their effects are discussed in detail below.

1. Domestic Effusion:

The effluent containing domestic wastes is called ‘sewage water’.

Various substances are used in various daily household chores and cooking, bathing, washing and other cleaning works, which are dumped into the drains with household effluents as waste materials and eventually fall into the water bodies.

This type of effluent consists of rotten fruits and vegetables, stove ashes from kitchens, various types of rubbish, clothing rags, scavengers, dirty water and other polluting wastes, which consist of water pollution.

At present, the use of synthesized sanitizers is being increased day by day in cleaning works, which together with the water sources, become a permanent cause of water pollution.

The term water pollution was first used in the situation of pollution caused by human sewage in the water.

If bacteria commonly found in human entrails were present in water, then that water was considered as polluted water which was considered unfit for human use.

Human excreta consists mainly of waste from domestic and public toilets. Sewage contains both organic and inorganic substances.

The majority of solid faeces are organic, in which the living organisms and sometimes solids microorganisms are also present.

Various types of microorganisms, bacteria, protozoa, viruses, fungi and algae etc. grow at a rapid pace due to excess of organic matter.

This type of contaminated sewage gets into the water sources through untreated sewage and causes severe water pollution.

Discharged sewage by humans and animals in open places also mix with rainwater in water sources and cause water pollution, it is called biological pollution.

Notably, 5 lakh tons of sewage are produced in a year on 10 lakh persons, most of which are found in the sea and rivers.

According to an estimate, out of 142 cities with a population of more than 1 lakh in India, there are only 8 such cities where there is a complete arrangement for the disposal of sewage.

Out of these, there are 62 such cities which have proper system while 72 are such cities where there is no proper system. Also, read Water Pollution Essay Conclusion.

3. Industrial Effluents:

Often, after the production process in each industry, many unusable materials are left, which is called industrial waste material.

Most of these industrial wastes or effluents mainly contain many types of acids, alkalis, salts, oils, fats etc. toxic chemical substances are present.

These all mix in water and make the water poisonous and pollute it.

The pulp and paper industry, sugar industry, textile industry, leather industry, liquor industry, pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, food processing industry and chemical industries release a significant amount of waste, which is disposed of in water sources.

Most industrial wastes are organic materials, which are decomposed by bacteria, but this process takes place at a very slow rate, which results in vulgar smell and the water of drains carrying waste materials gets polluted.

Chemical substances like arsenic, cyanide, mercury, lead, iron, copper, acid and alkali etc.

The levels are disorganized while the fish are directly affected by fat, oil and grease. BOD from cleaning, washing, dyeing, pulp centre, motor service station etc.

In metal industries and alkali are found in water in large quantities.

BOD, COD from paper and pulp industry. Ammonia, acid, bacteria; nitrogen and urea from the fertilizer industry;

BOD, COD, solid particles, dyes and heavy metal oils, etc. from the textile industry;

Solid particles from the plastics industry, BOD, COD etc.

 BOD, solid particles, dust, solid particles, oil etc. from rubber treatment;

Food grain mills release pollutants like BOD, oil and grease, which together with water sources pollute the water.

The water of these rivers has been polluted by the waste of industries located along the banks of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers.

In Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi &in most of the Ganges water has been polluted due to waste effluents from industries.

The colour of the water of the river Ganga has changed to the Kishanpur village, 10 km from Kanpur, after the waste of leather factories in Kanpur falls in the Ganges River.

The effluent wastewater from the IFFCO chemical fertilizer factory at Phulpur near Allahabad is found in the Ganges River, from which fishes have been found dead for a distance of 16 km.

4. Agricultural Effluents:

In present times, the use of various new methods in agriculture is increasing to get more production from crops.

Due to new methods in agriculture, there has been an increase in irrigation, on the other hand, the use of chemical fertilizers, indigestible pesticides have also increased at a rapid pace.

While these new experiments in agriculture have led to a huge increase in production, but damage to the environment (especially water pollution).

Defective farming practices have led to a huge increase in soil erosion, blocking the passage of rivers and raising the river bed.

Water is also polluted by mud soil deposition.

Another cause of water pollution under agricultural effluents is the increasing use of chemical fertilizers.  Most fertilizers are inorganic phosphate and nitrogen.

 A condition of undernutrition arises due to excessive use of these fertilizers.

Nutrition refers to the condition resulting from excessive enrichment of water by nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate.

Water gets polluted due to an increase in the state of nutrition. The excess fertilizer added to the fields slowly flows with water and reaches the rivers, ponds and ponds.

Water with high nitrogen content especially by reaching the lake, the process of eutrophication in the lake is intensified.

As a result, algae grow rapidly in water and decomposition bacteria are produced in large numbers due to the death of algae.

In the process of decomposition of organic matter, the amount of oxygen in the water is greatly reduced, as a result, aquatic organisms are deficient and water gets polluted.

The best example of malnutrition is Dal Lake. This world-famous lake has gone through the initial stages of malnutrition and get polluted.

The southeastern part of this lake is getting contaminated at a rapid pace due to the discharge of water waste and agricultural drainage.

5. Thermal Pollution:

River and pond water is used in various productive plants to prevent excessive heat effect of various reactors.

This water, which has been heated as a result of the cooling process, is then dumped into the water sources.

Such hot water increases the temperature of the water sources, thereby polluting the water.

Apart from industries, thermal pollution is also caused by steam or nuclear-powered power generating plants. Adequate natural water is used in energy plants for cooling the liquidators.

Thermal pollution has a special effect on water organisms. Large organisms cannot tolerate high temperatures.

With the increase in water temperature, the solubility of oxygen also decreases and the amount of salts increases.

6. Oily Pollution:

Due to the mixing of oil and oily substances in the river and other water sources from industrial plants, oily pollution occurs.

Due to the oil pollution, the oil quarry of the “Cuyahoga River “in the US and also oil refinery at Munger in Bihar state in India has caught fire.

There is a high possibility of oil pollution in the seas, due to which oil from the oil carrier keeps seeping in the sea and due to the crashing of the ships, there is a terrible fire.

According to an estimate, about 50 lakh to 10 million tons of petroleum products are found in the sea every year for various reasons.

7. Radioactive Waste and Degradation:

At present, numerous radioactive particles are spread far and wide in the atmosphere due to nuclear explosions and then gradually fall on the ground as sensitized which get into the water sources due to various reasons and through the food chain in the human body.

Radioactive substances combined in water sources make water toxic. Since radioactive particles dissolve very slowly, their effect on water lasts for many days.

Water pollution is a serious health concern that many countries of the world have to face.

Even some of the most developed nations like the United States are not protected from the effects of water pollution.

The situation is worst in difficult, underdeveloped countries followed by developed countries.

Poor sanitary conditions, absence of adequate medical facilities and low awareness of health issues are some of the main causes of water pollution and diseases caused by it.

The solution to water pollution lies in a multi-dimensional approach that is directed towards eliminating various causes of water pollution.

Essay on Water Pollution 2000 words:

Water pollution refers to the contamination of natural water resources by harmful and toxic compounds, mainly due to various human activities.

The introduction of a toxic substance into water bodies is harmful for consumption by humans, animals, and aquatic life.

This results in loss of species, loss of biodiversity, and habitat loss among various other complications. In further essays, we will discuss the causes and effects of water pollution.

Classification of Water Pollutants based on their properties:

Organic and inorganic chemicals, pathogens, physical impurities and sensory factors such as temperature rise, which are widely found in water, are included in water pollutants.

Water pollutants can be divided into the following three classes based on their properties and parameters-

Physical Pollutants:

Physical pollutants include substances and ingredients that affect the colour, smell, taste, light vulnerability of water, conductors, total solids and its normal temperature etc.

These mainly include sludge, suspended solids and liquid or other dissolved particles of silt and hot water coming out of thermal power plants and industrial units in certain conditions.

 Apart from these, paper, plastic debris and containers etc. can also be included. Physical impurities negatively impact the aquatic environment, causing staining by water discolouration.

Chemical Pollutants:

Chemical pollutants mainly include organic and inorganic chemicals, heavy metals and radioactive materials.

These pollutants affect the acidity, alkalinity and hardness of the water, radioactivity, availability of merged oxygen and chemical oxygen, etc.

Pollutants found in surface water include detergents, chemicals used in household disinfection, aerated fats and oils, food processing wastes, residues of insect and pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile chemical compounds, industrial solvents and cosmetic products, etc. are major organic pollutants.

In addition to radioactive materials released from nuclear plants, inorganic chemicals, especially acids and alkaline waters from industrial units, nutrients extracted from fertilizers used in agriculture, especially nitrates, phosphates and fluorides through products of motor vehicles and industrial waste.

Organic Pollutants:

Organic pollutants contain unwanted organic materials that affect water-soluble oxygen, biological oxygen demand, immunity, etc.

Among these, biological materials, pathogenic bacteria, coliform bacteria, algae, hyacinth, aquatic ferns and parasitic insects, as well as water plants, etc. are prominent.

The total faecal coliform germs content in some waters of Indian water bodies is 500 MPN per 100 mg has been found more than the presence of pathogens at high levels in water indicates its insufficient treatment.

With the ageing of untreated sewage originating from cities and infrastructural in old cities, the pathogenic discharge has also been found in surface drinking water due to sewage collection, leakage in the pipe-pump-valve system, etc.

Occasionally algae, hyacinth, aquatic ferns, etc. found in surface water and pathogenic microorganisms. Also, read Water Pollution Essay Conclusion.

Causes of Water Pollution:

The main causes of increasing water pollution in water bodies are as follows:

1. Effluent dumping of industrial wastes and other products including organic toxins.

2. Various types of harmful chemical substances and heavy metals present in the waste discharged from factories.

3. Rise petroleum products and oily liquids from refineries and ports.

4. Untreated household effluents, sewage and solid waste, etc. from cities, towns and slums.

5. Improper disposal of waste generated from commercial animal husbandry initiatives, cattle ranchers and slaughterhouses.

6. Organic waste generated from agricultural activities, residues of fertilizers and pesticides etc.

7. Hot water coming out of the refrigeration units of various plants.

8. Depression sediments, clay stones and mineral elements etc. of natural degradable rocks.

9. Fall of radioactive material from nuclear homes.

Effect of Water Pollution:

Due to various types of physical, chemical and biological pollutants present in human activities.

Especially domestic waste, urban sewage, industrial and agricultural effluents, the pollution level of seawater, river basin, and aquatic ecology of moist lands, lakes and ponds has increased significantly.

The quality of these water bodies has also been affected due to rising pollution levels.

Water Quality in the River Basin:

Most of the untreated human waste is incorrectly disposed of in the river basin. The Ganges River is the largest in the country with an area of 861.404 square kilometres.

Thus, it covers a total geographical area of 26.2 per cent of the country.

According to an estimate, only 5 out of 22,900 million litres of wastewater generated in the Ganges basin, around 900 million litres per day is treated while 17,000 million litres of wastewater is diverted daily directly into the Ganges.

Today, the supply of drinking water in every city in-country is possible only through river water.

Water modification plants also sometimes stop working due to excessive pollutants or supply impure water which puts human health at risk.

This type of polluted water greatly increases the chances of spreading waterborne diseases.

We have to take this seriously otherwise the supply of drinking water through river water may be in danger which may have terrible consequences. Also, read Water Pollution Essay FAQ.

Aquatic Ecological Quality of Moist Land:

Moist lands are areas that are completely partially submerged throughout the year.

According to an estimate, about 41 lakh hectares of our country comes under wetlands.

The most land found in the country enriches the rich diversity of wildlife.

The moist lands provide biological diversity, high biological productivity and habitat as well as provide a community to the organisms found in them.

The ecology of moist lands is the most important in water quality management in natural form.

Their need cannot be ignored as an improvement in water quality and biological signals for the species.

With the increase in the human population, farming, the expansion of urban and industrialization has been polluting the aquatic ecology of these moist lands.

Due to human interference and increasing pollution, the aquatic ecology of moist lands and the degradation of water quality have decreased biological diversity, which is causing the aquatic ecological balance of these lands to deteriorate.

Thus, the value of moist lands has also declined due to deteriorating ecological balance.

Quality of Lakes and Ponds:

Lakes and ponds are stagnant bodies in which once filled, water often remains for years.

Once these are polluted, water cannot flow out and due to the continuous increase of the polluted pollutants, their quantity is gradually collected in the ponds.

Therefore, the pollution caused by them creates more dangerous conditions than the flowing water bodies like rivers and springs.

The ponds are usually located around towns and villages, so there is a lot of incidents of debris, excreta and organic matter from human and animal baths.

Due to an increase in the amount of organic matter, over nutrition in water resources or excess of these leads to an overgrowth of algae and other aquatic weeds.

The turbidity resulting from suspended impurities, colloidal pulsations, etc., in material impurities, impedes the transmission of light into water bodies by causing staining in the water.

Consequently, the aquatic ecology of these stagnant water bodies has changed considerably.

A large number of lakes across the country, whether natural or man-made have been the main sources of water.

Asia’s largest man-made Hussain Sagar Lake and natural lakes include Dal Lake, Kodaikanal Lake, Renuka Lake, Harike Lake, Naini Lake, Ramgarh Lake, Rabindra Sarobar Lake and Loktak Lakes in Manipur.

Most of these lakes do not meet the standard limits and quality criteria of bio-oxygen demand due to high organic matter accumulation.

Due to the outflow of domestic sewage, agricultural waste, industrial and others, their quality decreasing.

Some lakes are an important habitat for many birds, including many waterfowlers, especially Siberian cranes, flamingos and pelicans bird and their populations have declined over the past two decades. Also, read Water Pollution Essay FAQ.

Seawater Quality:

Despite being saltwater, it has its special quality due to which the marine ecosystem maintains the nutrition and balance of aquatic plankton and animals.

But sewage residues of fertilizers and pesticides, chlorinated hydrocarbons, heavy metals, radioactive elements, plastics and other chemical wastes leading to significantly increased pollution levels.

Apart from this, due to the spread of oil from petroleum products production, import and export, the quality of seawater and the oily water spread on the surface have a fatal effect on the supply of oxygen to animals and plant plankton, microorganisms and fish.

About 56 per cent of the fish is produced from sea parts for export.

Most of the big metros like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and the cities of Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Visakhapatnam and Goa are inhabited on the seashore.

Due to rapid human violation and pollution from these areas, the quality of seawater is falling.

According to an estimate, about two lakh birds die every year due to seawater pollution and the consumption of polluted fish.

Also, read 1. Pollution Essay 2. Water Conservation Essay 3. Save Water Essay

In this Essay on Water pollution is not only a threat to human health but also the health of the environment, although more than 70% of the water is absorbed by the earth, only 1% of freshwater is made up.

Therefore, it is high time to take global initiatives towards preventing further loss of water resources due to pollution.

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Essay on Water Pollution

List of essays on water pollution in english, essay on water pollution – essay 1 (150 words), essay on water pollution – essay 2 (250 words), essay on water pollution – essay 3 (300 words), essay on water pollution: causes and impact – essay 4 (500 words), essay on water pollution: causes and effects – essay 5 (500 words), essay on water pollution – essay 6 (750 words), essay on water pollution with conclusion – essay 7 (1000 words), essay on water pollution: sources and effects – essay 8 (1500 words).

Water pollution is a serious environmental issue. Water is said to be polluted if its physical, biological, and chemical properties are deteriorated via anthropogenic and natural activities. Water pollution has affected the lives of humans and animals in all aspects. Water pollution is very hazardous to the environment.

The water we drink daily looks clean; however, it is contaminated with microscopic pollutants. Many families have installed water purifiers at home to ensure that their family members get to drink healthy water. However, this will not help curb the water pollution problem on the global level. We should pledge not to pollute the water and preserve the natural reservoirs in order to curb water pollution. A number of campaigns such as ‘clean Ganga’ are run by the government and NGOs that have helped enlighten the population about the issue. More steps are required to be taken to ensure an adequate level of clean and pollution-free water for the survival of life on the planet.

Introduction:

The consumption of water forms a large part of our physical health. Aside from this obvious fact, water is an important aspect of our ecosystem. However, for water to perform its various functions, it has to be kept pure as contaminated water would lead to adverse environmental and health consequences.

Water pollution is the introduction of foreign material into our water bodies like lakes, streams, rivers or groundwater. This introduction, 9 times out of 10 is usually a result of human interference. Through various activities, sometimes inadvertently, we pollute our ecosystem with toxic materials dumped into our water.

Causes of Water Pollution:

One of the most popular features of water is also the cause of water pollution. Water is a “Universal Solvent” which simply means that it can dissolve almost any substance. Consequently, it is also why toxic substance mixes with water effortlessly. These toxic materials could be from traceable sources such as factories, farms, sewage etc. They are sometimes less traceable sources such as pollution in the air.

Water Pollution Effect on our Environment:

The first organisms that come in contact with polluted water are creatures living in the water. The effect of water pollution on aquatic animals depends on the kind of material introduced into the water. In extreme cases, it can lead to death of aqua species. It can also lead to a serious disrupting of the food chain. Finally, water pollution can lead to serious diseases in humans such as cholera and hepatitis.

Preventive Measures:

While the obvious way to reduce or eliminate water pollution is to stop industrial waste, doing just that and nothing more would not be enough. Preventive measures such as reduction in plastic consumption, controlling leaks in cars, using fewer pesticides or efficient disposal of chemicals would help us go the extra mile.

Clean environment is the basic life supporting system and pure water plays a prominent role in balancing the ecosystem. The environment provides us with the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and a shelter to protect ourselves. Access to fresh and clean water is a basic necessity of any living being for existence. But now it is least available. The adage, “Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink,” rightly fits the current scenario.

No human activity can be possible without pure water. We face an acute shortage of clean drinking water and millions of people have been suffering from the shortage of pure drinking water. Despite knowing all these facts, people continue to contaminate water bodies recklessly exploiting the natural source of drinking water and risking the lives of millions of aquatic species.

Address the issues:

Water pollution poses a significant threat to the ecology and sustenance of life. The first and foremost cause of water pollution is the dumping of industrial wastes directly into the water bodies, and catchment areas without proper treatment. Aquatic species consume these harmful chemicals and become a huge menace to the ecosystem. It also leads to the reduction of oxygen content in the rivers and lakes.

Also, ruthless usage of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, are a reason to pollute water bodies. Uncontrolled discharge of wastes and improper sanitation also contribute to water pollution. When humans and animals intake water from these polluted rivers and lakes, it affects the health adversely. You can easily identify impure water from its color.

Moreover, such polluted water bodies become the breeding center of microbes and a reason to spread waterborne diseases and epidemics such as typhoid, diarrhea, cholera, etc. The underground water resources also get polluted when the contaminated water seeps through the soil.

The most critical step to prevent water pollution is to adopt appropriate waste management policies. Setting up of wastewater treatment plants can resolve this issue and hence we can protect our natural water resources from contamination and embrace an eco-friendly life.

Water pollution is the contamination of water by pollutants. World has faced an environmental challenge as a result of water pollution. In the whole of India, most of the water sources are polluted, about 80 percent of the total water surface. The country has made headlines in global environmental pollution statistics, which includes rain water that is being harnessed. The highest sources of pollutants are the manufacturing and processing industries that release sewerage directly into water bodies without treating it and domestic sewerage. Water pollution is so adverse that there is insecurity of water yet the population is continuously increasing. As a third world country, the pollution rate is high and since it is still growing, there are limited resources that can be used to curb the damage and the situation remains the same over the years.

Causes of water pollution:

Water pollution results from a various human activities and developmental factors. One of the human activities that pollute water bodies is the release of untreated wastes into water, which affects both surface and ground water. In the rural parts, liquid waste disposal has not been developed and in urban areas, only 56.4 percent of sewage systems have been developed. The lack of sewage systems result in about 80 percent of the wastes directed to water bodies. Another human activities that contribute to water pollution are agricultural chemicals that end up flowing to water sources. Developmental factors causing water pollution in India are mostly the unregulated industries. The large scale industries are usually regulated by the government in terms of waste management but some small industries have do not have regulations and they tend to discharge industrial effluents that are untreated into water bodies.

The impacts of water pollution in India:

Water pollution affects the quality of life in more ways than one. The living component of the environment is adversely affected especially aquatic animals. The untreated sewage contains harmful chemicals that cause death in aquatic animals. The chemicals in water disrupt the nature of soil by altering the pH and reducing the fertility thus adversely affecting agricultural activities. When humans consume water that is polluted, they suffer from illnesses. Waterborne diseases like cholera are life threatening. Water pollution has also resulted in scarcity of safe water for consumption by people and the government is currently battling water insecurity.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, water pollution has effects on the general economy and prevention methods should be initiated. Prevention strategies should involve strict policies that govern the discharge of untreated wastes into water bodies and the development of adequate sewage systems. The government should also look into the issue of water security and ensure that there is adequate water for all citizens through effective planning and management.

India is a country enriched by majestic Ocean bodies, gigantic rivers, mammoth waterfalls and beautiful lakes. Unfortunately, these beautiful water bodies are getting polluted due to heavy industrialization and urbanization in India. Water pollution in the country is resulting a havoc in the lives of common people.

Causes & Effects of Water Pollution:

Fresh water scarcity is a growing problem faced by Indian cities. Due to less rainfall places like Marathwada region in Maharashtra face severe drought conditions. At the time of such calamitous conditions India must focus on saving the natural sources of water and especially fresh water from getting polluted. Let us discuss some the primary causes and effects of water pollution.

1. Sewage Water:

A huge amount of garbage from households, agricultural lands and other commercial places is dumped into lakes and rivers. These wastes contain harmful chemicals and toxins which creates poisonous water and damages the aquatic flora and fauna.

2. Polluted river banks:

In the villages people go for defecation near the river bank. They wash clothes and cattle and pollute the rivers and lakes. Every year massive piles of litter and solid waste are accumulated at the banks of the rivers and lakes during various festivals and celebrations.

3. Industrial Waste:

The Industries hugely contribute to the pollution of water bodies. The industries at Mathura have caused nearly irreversible damage to the condition of river Yamuna. A huge amount of industrial waste is also dumped in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal which has impaired the marine life.

4. Oil Pollution:

Oil spilled from ships and tankers is hugely responsible for polluting the sea water. As the oil floats on the water surface, it prevents the flow of oxygen into the water and thus sabotages the life expectancy of marine animals and plants.

5. Eutrophication:

Eutrophication is a process where an increased level of nutrients in water bodies results in growth of algae in water. It depletes the oxygen in water. This destructively affects water quality, fish and other aquatic inhabitants.

Preventive Actions Taken:

The Indian Government has undertaken strict regulatory action against industries who are responsible for polluting water bodies. It has implemented National Water Quality Maintenance Program (NWQMP) which keeps check on the water pollution level in the water bodies. Programs like ‘Namami Gange’ and ‘Yamuna Action Plan’ are implemented on a large scale. The Government is providing funds to build toilets in every household of the villages and remote areas in the country. Movies, advertisements, and skits are predominantly playing a big role in educating the people about the hazards of water pollution and ways to prevent it. Water treatment plants and Septic tanks are built to treat the sewage water.

Water pollution is also posing a real time threat to the health condition of the Indian people who consume contaminated water. To curb water pollution all the laws and regulations implemented by the government will be a futile practice without active participation of the local people. It is the responsibility of every citizen to contribute in conserving water bodies and keep them pollution free.

Water is the most important resource on earth on which all the living and non-living beings depend on. On a serious note, a countless litre of water is needed for running a day’s chore, across the globe from drinking, farming activities, industrial activities, household chores, and not to forget, the entertainment and leisure activities like water game theme park, swimming pool etc. Regardless of our dependence on this precocious commodity, we have a tendency to use it very carelessly, causing pollution and water scarcity.

Almost over two-thirds of Earth’s surface is filled by water. But, as the population explodes, the human race is giving an ever-increasing pressure to the planet’s water resources. To put it in an understandable way, the inland and underground water are being squeezed from Mother Earth due to the irresponsible activities of humans which depleted the quality of good water drastically. Poorer water quality can otherwise be said as, “Polluted Water”.

Although we have various definitions for water pollution, the essence of it is that the amount of pollutant present in water over a period of time, making water unfit for use. Upon the introduction of harmful materials, water loses its natural qualities and is transformed to contaminate one, which we call it as polluted water. Additionally, the offensive smell, unbearable taste or sight makes water a polluted commodity.

One of the most common reasons for water pollution is the direct disposal of human and industrial waste into the water bodies. Another reason that needs to be mentioned on a highly worried note is the oil spill occurring in the oceans. Ever since the industrial revolution occurred, we have got factories that discharge high amounts of toxic chemicals, metallic compounds, sulphites and many other toxins that poison the water bodies. Even in the process of waste disposal by dumping, the industrial waste has toxins that can penetrate and contaminate the underground water table, thus contaminating the whole resource of water.

Other notable causes of water pollution include improper sewage or the seepage of sewage into the underground water table, misuse of the wastewater, marine dumping and the radioactive waste, atmospheric deposition, eutrophication, etc.

Effects of Water Pollution:

The first and foremost effect of water pollution is water scarcity. The polluted water is highly unfit for the use of humans and will need processing. Some toxins in the water can enhance the growth of aquatic weeds while killing the major aquatic life. This causes an ecological niche and imbalance in the ecosystem. When the aquatic weeds grow in excess, they can clog the water canals, quickly dissolve oxygen, and can also block the light rays into deep water. As a result, this process kills almost all the aquatic animals. The introduction of toxins in the food chain of the aquatic ecosystem can also affect the humans who consume the fish and other animals.

Some of us believe pollution is an inevitable result of human activity: we also tend to argue that if we opt for urbanization with ultra-modern resorts and cities, some extent of pollution is sort of sure to result. In alternate words, pollution could be a necessary evil that we all should place up with if we need to form progress. As luck would have it, not everybody agrees with this point of view. One reason individuals have woken up to the matter of pollution is that it brings prices of its own that undermine any economic edges that crop up by polluting. Water Pollution is now an important trouble that needs an immediate solution as it affects the ecosystem that we depend on. This can never be distanced as we are a part of the environment.

We know that pollution is a human problem because it is a comparatively a recent happening in the Earth’s history. As such, before the 19 th century Industrial Revolution, humans used to live in harmony with their immediate habitat. As industrialization expanded around the world, so the use of pollution has also expanded with it. When the population on Earth was much smaller, no one though pollution would ever become such a serious issue. It was once widely believed that the water bodies, such as oceans were too huge to get polluted. But now, with almost seven billion people on Earth, it is now very evident that we have limits and water pollution is one big sign that we have crossed those already.

To conclude, water pollution is majorly the result of those oil spills and industrial, as well as human waste disposal. This gravely affects our environment and eventually, the life of humans and animals. The deterioration of drinking water requires a prevention method on an urgent basis, which is possible only by the proper understanding, as well as support from each and every one of us.

Water pollution can be said to mean the contamination of bodies of water largely due to human activities. Examples of water bodies include rivers, lakes, groundwater, aquifers and oceans. Water pollution occurs when contaminants are added to the water bodies. In other words, water is said to be polluted when it is adulterated due to anthropogenic contaminants. Water that is polluted due to contaminants is not fit for human use like drinking.

Water pollution is a worldwide problem that requires serious evaluation of various policies in water resources. Water pollution can be classified into marine pollution, surface water pollution and also nutrient pollution. Water pollution sources can either be non-point sources or point sources. Point source as the name indicates has just one cause of pollution that is identifiable such as wastewater treatment facility, storm drain, or stream. Non- point pollution sources are quite diffuse and an example is the runoff from agriculture. Pollution is a result of a cumulative effect with respect to time.

Types of water pollution:

Surface water pollution has pollution of lakes, rivers and oceans as examples and is basically of water bodies that are open. Marine pollution is a sub-category of surface water pollution. It is the introduction of contaminants or their entry into large water bodies. Rivers are means by which seas are polluted due to rivers emptying into seas. A typical example is the discharge of industrial waste and sewage into the ocean and this is very common in nations that are just developing.

Groundwater pollution is also known as groundwater contamination and there are slight relationships between surface water and groundwater. Groundwater is quite exposed to contamination from some sources that are not contaminants for surface water. It is important to note that the difference between point and non-point sources is quite irrelevant.

Classification of pollution sources:

Surface water and groundwater, even though they are separate resources are interrelated. It is surface water that percolates into the soil and it becomes groundwater. Also, groundwater can become surface water by feeding water bodies. Sources of water pollution are classified into two categories based on the origin.

Point source water pollution is contaminants that enter a water body through an identifiable and single source like a ditch or a pipe. A point source includes industrial storm water, storm sewer systems of municipals, and discharge from a sewage treatment facility, a factory or even a storm drain in the city.

Non-point source pollution is contamination that is not originated from just one single source. This form of pollution occurs from the agglomeration of little quantity of contaminants collected from a huge area. A typical example is the process of leaching of compounds of nitrogen from agricultural fields that are fertilised.

Sources of contaminants:

The particular type of contaminants that lead to pollution of water includes quite a wide range of pathogens, chemical and physical changes including discoloration and temperature elevation. Even though a number of the substances and chemicals that go under regulation occur naturally (calcium, manganese, iron, sodium, etc.) it is the concentration that determines what level is contamination and what level is a natural water component. It should be noted that negative impacts can arise from a high concentration of substances that occur naturally.

Substances that deplete oxygen can be materials that occur naturally like plant matter (e.g., grass and leaves) and also chemicals that are man-made. Other anthropogenic and natural substances may lead to turbidity which disrupts growth of plants by blocking light and blocks the gills of a few fish species. The alteration of the physical chemistry of water includes electrical conductivity, acidity (pH change), eutrophication and temperature. Eutrophication is basically the concentration increase of chemical nutrients of an ecosystem to a level that causes an increase in the primary productivity in the ecosystem.

Pathogens are microorganisms that cause diseases. Waterborne diseases can be produced by pathogens in either animal or human hosts. A popular indicator of water pollution is Coliform bacteria; it does not cause any disease but is a good bacterial indicator. Poor onsite systems of sanitation (pit latrines, septic tanks) or insufficiently treated sewage can result in high pathogens levels. Older cities have ageing infrastructures that may include sewage collection systems (valves, pumps, pipes) that are leaky and can lead to overflow of sanitary sewers. There are also combined sewers that sometimes discharge sewage that is untreated during storms. Poor management of livestock operations is also a major cause of pathogen discharges.

Inorganic and organic substances:

Inorganic and organic matter can also be contaminants. A lot of chemical substances are very toxic. Examples of water pollutants that are organic include: waste from food processing, detergents, herbicides and insecticides, by-products of disinfection, petroleum hydrocarbons, drug pollution, etc. examples of water pollutants that are inorganic on the other hand include: ammonia, fertilizers, acidity, chemical waste, heavy metals and silt.

Pollution Control:

Municipal waste water treatment:

Sewage is basically treated by sewage treatment plants that are centralised.

Safely managed and on-site sanitations:

If a household or business is not covered by a municipal waste treatment facility, there may be need for separate septic tanks that gives first treatment to the wastewater and infiltrates the wastewater into the ground. If this is not carefully and properly done, it can cause groundwater pollution.

Industrial wastewater treatment:

Most industrial facilities churn out a lot of wastewater that is quite like domestic wastewater and can also be treated by wastewater treatment plants. Some industries generate wastewater with very high concentration of nutrients like ammonia, toxic pollutants (e.g., organic compounds that are volatile, heavy metals), organic matter (e.g., grease and oil), need extra and well suited treatment systems.

Water is a very important resource to the survival of human race and covers more than 70% of the surface of the earth so it is crucial that we look into the study of water. Water pollution harms this important resource by making it unfit for human use and invariably causes harm to human health and the environment if proper measures are not taken to battle water pollution.

The presence of such substances in the environment which can be harmful to the various forms of life on the earth is what we term as pollution. Under this category, the contamination of water bodies is specifically referred to as water pollution. Lakes, oceans, rivers and groundwater mainly constitute the water bodies on the earth. However, due to various activities, especially of the human beings, this water has been contaminated to such an extent that researches have been forced to study the effect of this phenomenon on the life on earth.

Types of Water Pollution:

The contamination of water bodies can be classified into three types, mainly, groundwater pollution, marine pollution and surface water pollution. Contaminated water from drains and industries which flows above the topmost layer of the soil usually creeps into the soil and gets mixed with the groundwater, thereby polluting it. This contaminated water then interacts with the nutrients present in the soil and alters their quality. This is termed as groundwater pollution.

Similarly, the wastewater released from the industries flows into the river and thereby reaches the seas and oceans. This is termed as marine pollution. It only affects humans but has an adverse effect on marine life as well.

In the case of surface water pollution, the wastewater remains on the surface of the earth and polluted it. This leads to the deficiency of nutrients in the soil as nutrients from other sources are not able to penetrate in the soil due to the presence of this contaminated water.

Sources and Effects of Water Pollution:

Different activities of humans have led to the contamination of the water bodies. For instance-

Industrial Waste – Pollutants such as mercury, asbestos, lead and petrochemicals which are released as industrial waste, find their way in the water bodies and contaminate them. Often this makes the water unfit not only for drinking but also for domestic use and survival of marine life as well. There have been numerous occasions where groups of dead fish have swept ashore at a given time due to the sudden increase of such chemicals in the water. Moreover, the spillage of oil from the ships often creates a hindrance for the oxygen in the air to get dissolved in water, thereby making it difficult for the marine animals to breathe.

Sewage and Waste Water – Another instance where the water bodies get contaminated is due to the release of sewage and wastewater directly into the bodies without being treated. Untreated wastewater can at times pose to be very poisonous not only for human life but for fishes as well.

Global Warming – Global warming is another phenomenon which has been often credited with the cause of increasing water pollution. There has been a rise in water temperature levels due to global warming which has even led to the death of water animals as well as plants as they were not able to survive in the increased temperatures.

Radioactive Waste – Radioactive waste is another major cause of water pollution. Radioactive substances are utilized in atomic power plants, mechanical, medicinal and other logical procedures. They can be found in watches, glowing timekeepers, TVs and x-beam apparatus. There are likewise normally occurring radioisotopes from creatures and inside the earth. If not appropriately discarded, radioactive waste can result in genuine water contamination episodes.

Dumping – Dumping of strong squanders and litters in water bodies cause water pollution. Litters incorporate glass, plastic, aluminium, Styrofoam and so on. They influence amphibian plants and creatures.

Measures to Control Water Pollution:

It has become utmost importance for all of us that we must seriously think over executing some strong steps so as to decrease, if not stop, this ever growing menace of water pollution. Some of the measures which can be incorporated are –

Educating People – First and above all measure, we ought to teach individuals on the harmful impacts of water pollution. In cities where lack of education is high among the rustic individuals, there ought to be state-funded training from those talented in these fields to assist the provincial individuals with stopping the release of waste in the water bodies. Moreover, open defecation and wrong fishing practices should be controlled.

Fines and Laws – In the urban zones, Industries and production lines let out a considerable measure of their waste into the water bodies. An appropriate fine forced on them and in addition publication on their wrongdoing will enable them to stop these practices. Laws ought to be likewise authorized to guarantee that such industries stop from rough spillage strategies which wreck water assets like fish, lobsters and so on.

Media contribution – Using radio and TV with adverts on the impacts of water contamination additionally ought to be urged to get the message crosswise over and also Public Service Announcements. The more developments there are to lessen water pollution, the more secure the water bodies will be.

Appropriate transfer of waste – There ought to be legitimate transfer of both strong and fluid waste. Experts in charge of waste administration in the nation must give territories to discard waste so that waste is not spilt all around. Businesses ought to be set up to reuse waste materials.

Appropriate utilization of chemicals on farms – Water pollution can be controlled if agriculturists are made to apply agro-synthetic concoctions legitimately on their farms through state-provided instructions. This will reduce the spillage of such synthetic compounds into waterways, lakes, tidal ponds and streams when rain falls. Farmers ought to be warned not to wash the compartments of the synthetics into water bodies.

Cleaning of Drains – To avoid water pollution, the drains are required to be cleaned all the time. In the provincial territories, pucca channels are required to be made, on the grounds that the water is going wherever in a proper way and not just reaching the rives and seas straightaway without being properly treated. We ought to build up an innovation to repel the channels from the water sources.

The inclusion of cleaning water bodies in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan – Here is the need to actually implement the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in totality and make India open defecation free. By and by, the issue of open poo and the dumping of rubbish out in the open places still exist. When it rains, all the earth, trash and excreta get into streams or lakes, dirtying water sources. Generally, individuals themselves stream squander materials into waterways or lakes without legitimate seepage framework. Lakes and streams are additionally utilized for showering and washing purposes because of which gigantic amount of soil and contaminations get gathered into the water bodies. Additionally, because of these exercises, trash, excreta, fiery remains of the dead old garments and ruined materials are released into waterways and even at times, dead bodies are likewise tossed into the streams and water bodies. There are for all intents and purposes no toilets in the ghetto settlements situated close city-residences, or regardless of whether there is one, it can’t work easily. This calls for rehearsing great cleanliness in the genuine soul of Swachh Bharat.

Everyday Steps for all to Curb Water Pollution –

i. Keep your vehicle all around kept up and promptly benefit it on the off chance that you see any oil spilling from the vehicle.

ii. Buy ecologically friendly cleaning items that don’t hurt the land in the event they happen to be flushed or purged into a water body.

iii. Moderate your water use and don’t leave the water running when you are not utilizing it.

iv. Use, reuse and recycle everything you can. Plastics and papers might be sent to the reusing canister while a portion of your glass materials might have the capacity to be reused or re-purposed so that they don’t pollute the water.

v. Ensure non-recyclable waste is contained legitimately with the goal that it doesn’t spill into the land or road and contaminate it.

Water has played a pretty much noticeable role is the sustenance of life on the earth. Present-day practices have regularly disregarded the old practices of saving water leading to undesired results in the form of increasing water pollution.

In any case, in the present social orders, we frequently observe a recovery of old conventions and a more normal and manageable utilization of water. Finding the correct blend among ‘old’ and ‘present day’ rehearses finds practical answers for adapt to environmental change.

Water pollution has turned into a consistent expanding issue on the earth which is influencing human and creature lives in all viewpoints. Water contamination is tainting the drinking water by the harmful toxins produced by the human exercises. The entire water is getting dirtied through numerous sources, for example, urban spill over, rural, mechanical, sedimentary, syphoning from landfills, creature squanders, and other human exercises. Each one of the toxins is exceptionally destructive to nature. Human populace is expanding step by step and in this way their requirements and rivalry driving contamination to the best dimension. We have to pursue some extreme changes in our propensities to spare the water on earth and also proceed with the likelihood of life here. Or else, the day is not far off when life would not be able to survive on earth to the enormous levels of water pollution.

Pollution , Water Pollution

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Drought, heat and mismanagement make getting fresh water an increasingly tough task

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As the world warms from human-caused climate change , fresh water for drinking, cooking and cleaning is becoming harder to get for many people.

That’s because the warming world is leading to erratic rainfall patterns, extreme heat and periods of drought — on top of decades of bad water management and extractive policies around the world. The United Nations estimates that around 2.2 billion people worldwide don’t have access to safely managed drinking water.

This World Water Day, Associated Press journalists from around the world interviewed some of the people struggling to get fresh water.

Alfonso Tapullima looks into an empty water container in the Pamplona Alta area in Lima, Peru, Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Alfonso Tapullima looks into an empty water container in the Pamplona Alta area in Lima, Peru, Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Justina Flores washes her dishes outside of her home in the Pamplona Alta area in Lima, Peru, Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Graciela Mezcua washes her clothes inside of her home in the Pamplona Alta area in Lima, Peru, Monday, March 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

A portable toilet built by residents stands in the Pamplona Alta area in Lima, Peru, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

A water truck passes through Pamplona Alta area in Lima, Peru, Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Justina Flores holds her grandchild Maria Paz while resting in the entrance of her home in the Pamplona Alta area in Lima, Peru, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Zoe, Justina Flores’ grandchild, plays inside of her home in the Pamplona Alta area in Lima, Peru, Monday, March 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

A water truck worker fills a container outside the homes of residents who use it for drinking, cooking and cleaning, in the Pamplona Alta area in Lima, Peru, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Justina Flores, a 50-year-old grandmother, lives in a hilly Lima, Peru, suburb with no running water. With some of the water she gets from the government, she washes the clothes of her family of six by hand, and then reuses it to wash the dog or dumps it on the ground outside to keep the dust from coming up and into her house.

Peru’s government gives potable water to 1.5 million of its poorest residents, like Flores, living in the hills. Giant tankers filled with water lug up the steep roads, and the scarce resource often sparks conflicts between neighbors.

Flores tries hard to use as little water as possible for all her daily activities. She has an old washing machine, but washing by hand means she can save about 45 liters (12 gallons) of water per wash.

Peru’s capital, Lima, the second-largest city in the world built on a desert after Cairo, is also one of the most water-stressed. 3.5 million people nationwide are without drinking water connections, about 2 million of them in Lima, according to figures from Superintendencia Nacional de Servicios de Saneamiento (SUNASS), Peru’s public sanitation regulatory body. (Mar. 21)

She and her family get about 3,000 liters (790 gallons) for all their washing, cooking and cleaning each week, while in San Isidro, the richest area of the capital, a family of equal size uses an average of 11,700 liters (3,090 gallons) per week coming from piped water, according to official data.

Flores has been a domestic worker in the homes of wealthier families since she was a child, so she’s seen this disparity firsthand.

“In those houses you can bathe as many times as you want. Here, at most, it’s twice a week,” she said, as she looked outside her window at buildings covering the hills.

JAKARTA, INDONESIA

In the vast archipelago nation of Indonesia, access to clean water is uncertain — even in the country’s most-developed city of Jakarta, where over 10 million people live.

Since she was a young girl, Devi Putri Eka Sari, now a 37-year-old mother of three, has had to buy water from the vendors going up and down the narrow paved streets in her lower-income neighborhood — even after the government installed water pipes and pumps pulling water from the ground.

Government water isn’t reliable, she says: Sometimes it just drips from the tap when she turns it on. Even if it did flow regularly, she wouldn’t dare use it for drinking.

“It’s not healthy. It’s filled with bacteria that will make you sick,” she said. “It smells like a pool, like chemicals.”

A woman carries a bottle of drinking water she just bought at a nearby store, at a lower-income neighborhood along a polluted canal in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Access to clean water is uncertain and millions of Indonesians across the country buy water in large refillable containers or single-use packaged plastic bottles. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A woman carries a bottle of drinking water she just bought at a nearby store, at a lower-income neighborhood along a polluted canal in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Devi Putri Eka Sari, a stay-at-home mother, stands outside her house with her son Satria Fareji, near bottles she uses to collect water, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Instead Sari, like millions of Indonesians across the country, buy water in large refillable containers or single-use packaged plastic bottles. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Her fear about bacteria isn’t unfounded: Seven out of 10 Indonesian households consume drinking water contaminated with E. coli, according to the World Health Organization.

Instead Sari, like millions of Indonesians across the country, buy water in large refillable containers or single-use packaged plastic bottles. They’re easy to find, but create large amounts of trash in the cities’ already plastic-choked waterways.

“It’s what I’ve been doing my whole life,” said Sari. “It’s the option we have.”

Mimoun Nadori poses for a portrait in front of the Moulouya River, in Nador, Morocco, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Mimoun Nadori poses for a portrait in front of the Moulouya River, in Nador, Morocco, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

Salt buildup is visible on the bank of the Moulouya River in Nador, Morocco, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

Mimoun Nadori points to his dead cattle which he believes died from drinking Moulouya River’s salty water, in Nador, north of Morocco, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

The Moulouya River is visible in Nador, Morocco, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

Mimoun Nadori stands in a chicken coop he manages, in Nador, north of Morocco, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

Mimoun Nadori starts his water pump outside his home, in Nador, north of Morocco, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

Mimoun Nadori inspects soil of his drought-stricken lands, in Nador, north of Morocco, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

Mimoun Nadori tastes water out of the Moulouya River to check its salinity, in Nador, north of Morocco, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

RAS EL MA, MOROCCO

Mimoun Nadori crouches to dip his hand into the river and taste the water next to groves where his family has long grown fruits and vegetables on their northern Morocco farms.

He grimaces. It’s salty. But it didn’t used to be this way.

“Everything was green,” he remembers. “We drank from the river and washed with the river. We made a life with it.”

But less rainfall and more damming and pumping upstream has left less water flowing through Morocco’s Moulouya River and threatened the livelihoods of farmers like Nadori. Where the river once flowed from the mountains into the Mediterranean, it now sits stagnant, allowing seawater to creep inland and turning water from a source of life to a deadly poison.

Less rainfall and more damming and pumping upstream has left less water flowing through Morocco’s Moulouya River, threatening the livelihoods of farmers like Mimoun Nadori. (AP Video: Oussama Alaoui)

Nadori started importing water for the on-site chicken coop he manages after his cows accustomed to drinking from the river died. He knew neither that the water was brackish nor that they were feeding from it until they wound up dead.

Overuse of the river has also put new pressures on the reserves of water that lie beneath the ground as Moroccan farmers like Nadori — as well as those on the other side of the nearby Algerian border — dig more wells to compensate for the loss of their former supply.

“We won’t lie and say the reason is only humans or drought, it’s both,” he said. “We don’t know how to use water and we waste a lot of water.”

CORNING, CALIFORNIA

There was a time when the water in Fred and Robin Imfeld’s pool shimmered on hot summer days and their yards were lush with plants.

But two years ago, the well that supplied water to their home in rural Corning, California, went dry for the first time in some 40 years. Now the pool is empty, and their trees are shades of rust.

Across California, domestic wells have dried up in record numbers in recent years due to drought and overpumping, causing groundwater levels to drop. The couple wants to drill a new and deeper well, but at $25,000, it’s a hefty expense.

Fred Imfeld points to the level on his water tank Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Corning, Calif. Imfeld and his wife have a dried up well, so they get a 2,500-gallon tank filled with water a few times a month for their needs. They also get potable water delivered as the couple tries to save to drill a new well. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Fred Imfeld points to the level on his water tank Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Corning, Calif. Imfeld and his wife have a dried up well, so they get a 2,500-gallon tank filled with water a few times a month for their needs. They also get potable water delivered as the couple tries to save to drill a new well. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Fred Imfeld dumps water into a bowl for his chickens Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Corning, Calif. Imfeld and his wife have a dried up well, so they get a 2,500-gallon tank filled with water a few times a month for their needs. They also get potable water delivered as the couple tries to save to drill a new well. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Fred Imfeld carries two buckets of water for his chickens Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Corning, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

These days, they depend on state-funded water deliveries. Twice a month, they get a 9,463-liter tank (2,500 gallon) outside their garage filled with water to shower, wash dishes and do laundry with. They also receive 113 liters (30 gallons) of potable water every other week for cooking and drinking.

When they need a little extra, Fred hauls water just as he did for seven months when their well dried, before they got the tank. He loads his truck with containers, drives some three miles to a friend’s house, and fills them with water.

“We’re just being emotionally drained with our own personal lives and trying to deal with (the water) and worrying about what’s coming up and where we go from here,” said Fred.

Joyce Mule fills jugs with water from a rock catchment system in Makueni County, Kenya on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Joyce Mule fills jugs with water from a rock catchment system in Makueni County, Kenya on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A rock catchment system operates in Makueni County, Kenya on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Carlos Mureithi)

A man carries jugs to fetch water from a hole in the sandy riverbed in Makueni County, Kenya, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Jefferson Mutie, Africa Sand Dam Foundation communication officer, walks on a water rock catchment system in Makueni County, Kenya on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A vendor fills a tanker with water to be sold to residents from a hole in the sandy riverbed in Makueni County, Kenya Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

MAKUENI COUNTY, KENYA

Joyce Mule used to walk for about two hours to find water. In her hilly and rocky village in Makueni County in dry southeastern Kenya, water is very scarce. There’s little piped water and few reliable alternatives.

One way Mule used to get water was through scoop holes in sandy riverbeds. These work by people digging into the sand and water held in pore spaces percolating out of the adjacent sand into the hole. This method is still popular in southeastern Kenya.

But in 2012, she and her fellow villagers resolved to address that problem by adopting the rock catchment system, a method of harvesting rainwater from stone outcrops, which are giant naturally occurring rocks standing hundreds of feet above the ground. Mule fetches water here about five times a day and takes around half an hour to get it home.

In drought-prone southeastern Kenya, residents are constructing structures along seasonal rivers to harvest water during rainy seasons for use during dry seasons. (AP Video/Carlos Mureithi Production and Josphat Kasire, production: Brittany Peterson)

The technology works in a simple way: Villagers build a concrete wall around the rock to trap rainwater. They put big stones to filter the water and a pipe to take the water down to storage tanks. The water collected from the rock catchment flows into the tanks through the pipe, and then to a water collection point nearby where residents fetch it from taps.

She’s happy because it’s close, consistently available and the water is clean. As a result, her trees are producing more fruits and her cows are giving more milk.

“We used to think these rocks were worthless, but now we see their benefits,” she said.

BAWAL, INDIA

Ramkrishan Malawat, 52, remembers a time when groundwater was just 21 meters (70 feet) below surface level and a fast-flowing river 10 kilometers (6 miles) away from his farm in Bawal, near New Delhi, provided abundant water.

But now the river has run dry and water is 76 meters (250 feet) below ground. “We are forced to dig deeper with every passing year,” he said. Malawat uses a borewell to get water for his crops: mustard, corn and various millets.

The deeper the water is dirtier it is too, he claims, as “the level of contamination by fluoride and other chemicals increases.”

Farmer Ramkrishan Malawat takes out water from a hand pump which is on its last leg in Bawal, in the Indian state of Haryana, Thursday, March 7, 2024. “There is so much construction around here and when it rains now, the water just flows away” rather than seeping into the ground and replenishing stocks, Malawat said. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Farmer Ramkrishan Malawat takes out water from a hand pump which is on its last leg in Bawal, in the Indian state of Haryana, Thursday, March 7, 2024. “There is so much construction around here and when it rains now, the water just flows away” rather than seeping into the ground and replenishing stocks, Malawat said. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A farmer stands next to his well on the outskirts of Bawal, in the Indian state of Haryana, Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Villagers walk in the dry bed of the Shahibi River near Bawal, in the Indian state of Haryana, Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

India is the world’s largest extractor of groundwater and pumps out more water than the United States and China combined, according to the U.N .

The extraction for farming, construction and other needs combined with climatic changes like erratic rainfall and extreme heat means groundwater levels are dropping drastically across the country.

“There is so much construction around here and when it rains now, the water just flows away” rather than seeping into the ground and replenishing stocks, Malawat said. Bawal is better known for its auto industry than its agriculture. “I worry sometimes that in 10 to 15 years, there will be no good water available for farming in my town.”

Associated Press journalists Carlos Mureithi in Makueni, Kenya; Sibi Arasu in Bengaluru, India, and Manish Swarup in Bawal, India; Dorany Pineda in Los Angeles; Sam Metz and Oussama Alaoui in Ras El Ma, Morocco; Victoria Milko in Jakarta, Indonesia; Franklin Briceño in Lima, Peru, and Natalia Gutierrez in New York contributed to this report.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

water pollution essay

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Sewage being discharged into a brook after heavy rainfall

Water companies in England face outrage over record sewage discharges

Call for environmental emergency to be declared after data reveals 105% rise in raw sewage discharges over past 12 months

  • How polluted is your local river and which regions are worst hit?

Water companies in England have faced a barrage of criticism as data revealed raw sewage was discharged for more than 3.6m hours into rivers and seas last year in a 105% increase on the previous 12 months.

The scale of the discharges of untreated waste made 2023 the worst year for storm water pollution. Early data seen by the Guardian put the scale of discharges at more than 4m hours, but officials said the figures were an early estimate.

The Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, said the scandal of raw sewage pouring into waterways should be declared a national environmental emergency. He called on the government to convene an urgent meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) to look at the impact of sewage pollution on people’s health.

Total discharges from the 14,000 storm overflows owned by English water companies that release untreated sewage into rivers and coastal waters increased by 54% to 464,056, according to data submitted to the Environment Agency by the industry.

Senior industry figures highlighted the heavy rainfall over the autumn and winter that put huge pressure on the sewerage system. But storm overflows are supposed to cope with heavy rainfall and only be used in exceptional circumstances, like major storm events. Climate change has long been predicted to bring higher rainfall levels.

One senior executive told the Guardian: “We have wasted 15 years, we have not been investing enough.”

The data on discharges from storm overflows reveals the duration and the number of discharges from individual overflows across the network in England. The 3.6m-plus hours of raw sewage and rainwater discharged over the year includes huge spikes in some outflows. Forty per cent of South West Water outflows discharged raw sewage more than 40 times, while nearly a third of United Utilities outflows and 23% owned by Yorkshire Water discharged 60 times or more.

Any outflow that has more than 60 discharges a year should prompt an Environment Agency investigation.

As well as total discharges soaring from just over 301,000 in 2022, the average discharge per storm overflow has increased to 33, an increase of more than 43.7%. Some companies had much higher average spills per outflow, with South West Water averaging 43 per outflow and United Utilities 45.

Some of the highest rises in the hours of raw sewage pouring into rivers were by Anglian Water, with a 205% increase to 273,163 hours, Wessex Water a 186% increase to 372,341 hours, Thames Water a 163% increase to 196,414 hours, and Northumbrian Water a 160% increase to 280,029 hours.

Severn Trent discharged raw sewage into waterways for 440,446 hours, South West Water for 530,737 hours, an 82.5% increase, Southern Water for 317,285, a 116% rise, and United Utilities for 656,014 hours, a 54% increase.

Thames Water was responsible for the biggest increase in the number of discharges, with its overflows dumping on 16,990 occasions, a 112% increase on 2022.

A Guardian analysis of the data revealed the River Irwell and its tributary, the Croal, which flows through to Salford and Manchester, had the highest levels of sewage spills. Nearby storm overflows spilled just under 12,000 times in 2023, or 95 spills per mile of water, the highest rate of all rivers in England .

Second worst in England was the River Darwen, near Blackburn and Preston, where there were more than 3,000 sewage spills from nearby overflows in 2023 – equivalent to 83 spills per mile. Just one river in the south of England features in the worst 10: the River Avon, as it makes its way through Bath and Bristol. This urban section of the river had 6,573 sewage spills in 2023, or 74 spills per mile, making it the third most polluted in England.

Also top of the list for sewage spills was the River Calder near Huddersfield, the Aire near Bradford and the lower section of the Tyne around Newcastle and Sunderland, the Guardian’s analysis of Environment Agency data found.

Criticism was not reserved for the industry. The government’s much vaunted plan to tackle raw sewage pollution gives water companies a deadline of 2035 to reduce the amount of sewage flowing into bathing water and areas of ecological importance, but discharges would continue being released into other waterways until 2050, at a time when the climate crisis is increasing rainfall intensity and frequency, putting more strain on the sewerage system.

Davey said the scandal had to be treated as an environmental national emergency. He said: “Only by treating the sewage scandal with the urgency it demands can we save our rivers and beaches for future generations to enjoy. Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party have failed to listen and as a result sewage spills are increasing, our precious countryside is being destroyed and swimmers are falling sick.”

The record sewage discharges were revealed as a major investigation into illegal sewage dumping by the regulator Ofwat into more than 2,000 treatment plants was nearing its conclusion. The Environment Agency is running a parallel criminal inquiry into illegal sewage dumping by companies.

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Storm overflows are supposed to be used only in extreme weather but for many years they have been used routinely, discharging raw sewage even on dry days in some cases. The academic Peter Hammond has shown how water companies are routinely using storm overflow discharges in their water management.

Campaigners turned their ire on the industry as the scale of the discharges was published. Ash Smith, who has investigated sewage pollution in the River Windrush for several years, said: “Water companies will blame the weather but it’s very clear from the data analysis done by Prof Peter Hammond that many sewage-dumping – we refuse to call this spilling – events are illegal either because sewage works simply don’t treat the amount they are required to or they do it in dry conditions.

“This is the information that needs to be made public along with volume, not just hours.”

Only two water companies, Southern and Thames Water , publish real-time data on raw sewage releases from outflows. Smith said greater transparency was needed. “How the other companies have been allowed to get away with keeping easily provided data public is a mystery. It is compounded by the secretary of state’s silence on getting them to reveal what will undoubtedly be a scandalous state of affairs.”

The shadow environment secretary, Steve Reed, said the government should immediately impose his plan for a ban on bonuses for water company executives. “Despite being responsible for this illegal behaviour, water company bosses have brazenly awarded themselves over £25m in bonuses and incentives since the last election,” said Reed.

Labour has not committed to any restructuring of the privatised water industry, even as Thames Water, which is struggling with debts of more than £14bn, is facing being taken into special administration. The Liberal Democrats are calling for Thames, the biggest of the privatised companies, to be put into special administration and turned into a public benefit company.

The Environment Agency director of water, Helen Wakeham, appeared to play down the scale of the increased pollution, saying it was not surprising that the discharges had increased. “We are pleased to see record investment from the water sector, but we know it will take time for this to be reflected in spill data – it is a complex issue that won’t be solved overnight.”

The water minister, Robbie Moore, said: “Today’s data shows water companies must go further and faster to tackle storm overflows and clean up our precious waterways. We will be ensuring the Environment Agency closely scrutinise these findings and take enforcement action where necessary.”

The revelation of the scale of releases into waterways comes as rivers in England are at crisis point, suffering from a toxic cocktail of raw and treated sewage pollution, chemical toxins and agricultural runoff.

In the last few weeks, ministers have engaged in a flurry of announcements in anticipation of the shocking data on record sewage spills. These included an announcement of a £180m plan to fast-track action on sewage discharges, in the face of criticism not enough is being done.

The industry is planning a record £96bn to the end of the decade to tackle sewage discharges, leaks and the impending water supply crisis but has been criticised for passing on the costs to customers for investment that should have been carried out years ago.

Water UK, which represents the industry, said: “These results are unacceptable and demonstrate exactly why we urgently need regulatory approval to upgrade our system so it can better cope with the weather. We have a plan to sort this out by tripling investment which will cut spills by 40% by 2030 – more than double the government’s target.”

Ofwat has to decide whether to allow companies to increase water bills to pay for the investment. Water UK said the investment was vital and Ofwat must give the industry the green light to get on with it.

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  1. (DOC) An essay about causes and effects of water pollution .

    water pollution essay

  2. SOLUTION: write Essay on pollution

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  1. Water Pollution Essay for Students in English

    Learn about water pollution, its causes, effects and solutions in this essay for students. Find out how water pollution affects human health, environment and ecosystem, and what can be done to prevent it.

  2. Water pollution

    Learn about the types and sources of water pollution, how it affects aquatic ecosystems and human health, and what can be done to prevent and control it. Explore examples, facts, and videos from Britannica's experts and editors.

  3. 102 Water Pollution Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    Find out how to write a water pollution essay with 102 topic ideas and free essay samples. Learn about the causes, effects and solutions of water pollution from various sources and perspectives.

  4. Water Pollution: Causes, Consequences, Solutions

    This essay aims to explore the causes, types, consequences, and current efforts to address water pollution. It will also address counterarguments, propose solutions, and highlight the importance of public awareness and education.Water pollution is primarily caused by industrial activities, agricultural practices, and household waste.

  5. Essay on Water Pollution: Samples in 200, 500 Words

    Learn about the causes, effects, and solutions of water pollution with these essay samples. Find out how to write an effective essay on water pollution with tips, examples, and FAQs.

  6. Essay on Water Pollution for Students and Children

    Learn about water and water cycle, sources and effects of water pollution, and how to prevent it. This essay is written for students and children in 500+ words with examples and facts.

  7. Pollution of Water: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

    Water pollution is a grave environmental issue with widespread ramifications for ecosystems and human well-being. This essay will delve into the causes and effects of water pollution, emphasizing the importance of addressing this critical problem through comprehensive solutions involving policy measures, educational initiatives, and community-based interventions.

  8. Water Pollution: A Global Imperative for Health and Environment: [Essay

    Water pollution is a pressing environmental issue that affects millions of people around the world. It is caused by various human activities such as... read full [Essay Sample] for free

  9. Water pollution facts and information

    Learn about the causes, effects, and solutions of water pollution, a global crisis that threatens freshwater supplies. Find out how pollutants enter water, what they do to human and wildlife health, and what you can do to help protect water.

  10. Water Pollution: Causes, Effects and Possible Solutions Expository Essay

    Introduction. Water pollution is any form of activity that may lead to contamination or addition of pollutants into water body. It is an important issue to the world to put into consideration because human beings need clean water. Other living creatures need good water as well. We will write a custom essay on your topic. 809 writers online.

  11. Essay on Water Pollution, Effects, Causes, Sources

    Water Pollution Essay - Sample 1 (250+ Words) Water pollution can be defined as the introduction of pollutants into a water body. These pollutants can impact life by causing disruptions in life processes. On a bigger scale, water pollution can compromise the stability of the environment by affecting food chains.

  12. Water Pollution in the US: Causes and Control Essay

    Landfill leakage. The problem of land pollution and the following contamination of groundwater is a major problem for the United States. According to the 2015 statistics, 56% of trash in the USA is transported to landfills (BRADFORD, 2010). The leakage from the latter, in its turn, poisons the groundwater in the vicinity with detritus from ...

  13. Essay on Water Pollution: 150-250, 500-1000 words for Students

    Essay on Water Pollution in 150-250 words. Water pollution is a pressing environmental issue that poses a significant threat to ecosystems and human health. It occurs when harmful substances, such as chemicals, industrial waste, or sewage, contaminate water bodies, including rivers, lakes, oceans, and groundwater sources.

  14. Essay on Water Pollution : Causes, Effects & Solutions

    Essay on Water Pollution. Water pollution is nothing but contamination of water bodies with chemicals, toxins and effluents let out from industrial establishments and factories. These toxins contain harmful concentrations of lead, Sulphur, heavy metals and detergents in them.

  15. Water Pollution Essay

    Find out how to write an essay on water pollution, a serious environmental issue that affects all living beings. Read sample essays of 100, 200, and 500 words, with causes, effects, and solutions.

  16. Essay on Water Pollution: Types, Causes, Effects & Prevention

    Learn about the different types of water pollution, such as groundwater, surface water, and marine pollution, and their causes and effects. Find out how to prevent water pollution and conserve this essential resource for life on Earth.

  17. Essay on Water Pollution

    Learn about the harmful effects of water pollution on the environment, health and economy, and how to reduce it. Find out the causes of water pollution, such as chemicals, plastics, and bacteria, and take a quiz to test your knowledge.

  18. Essay on Water Pollution for Students in 1000 Words

    Human activity is the leading cause of water pollution in dumping into industrial waste, temperature rise, oxygen reduction, and deforestation. The Leaking underground storage Tank, Streams, dump, spills and leaks, abandoned wells, Leakage sewage system. Damming of Rivers results in the effects of downstream agriculture and fisheries.

  19. Free Water Pollution Essays and Papers

    Find 47 essay samples on water pollution, its causes, effects, solutions, and topics. Learn how to write an essay on water pollution with examples and tips from experts.

  20. Essay on Water Pollution

    Essay on Water Pollution. Published: 2021/11/24 Number of words: 1359. Audience and Purpose. Water pollution is a matter that impacts many lives within the population, and there is an urgent need to put the practice under control. Contamination of water can attract diseases within a population, which derails the general well-being of the ...

  21. Water Pollution Essays: Examples, Topics, & Outlines

    PAGES 2 WORDS 604. Water PollutionWater pollution is contamination of a body of water, whether a stream, a lake, a river, an ocean, or groundwater supply. This type of contamination is the result of human activity, such as toxic chemicals released by a factory into the water body, or agricultural run-off.

  22. Water Pollution Essay

    Learn about water pollution, its types, sources and impacts on the environment and human health. Read essays of different word limits with examples and arguments on how to prevent and control water pollution.

  23. Essay on Water Pollution

    Essay on Water Pollution - Essay 1 (150 Words) Water pollution is a serious environmental issue. Water is said to be polluted if its physical, biological, and chemical properties are deteriorated via anthropogenic and natural activities. Water pollution has affected the lives of humans and animals in all aspects.

  24. World Water Day: Getting fresh water is an increasingly tough task for

    As the world warms from human-caused climate change, fresh water for drinking, cooking and cleaning is becoming harder to get for many people.. That's because the warming world is leading to erratic rainfall patterns, extreme heat and periods of drought — on top of decades of bad water management and extractive policies around the world.

  25. Water companies in England face outrage over record sewage discharges

    Water companies in England have faced a barrage of criticism as data revealed raw sewage was discharged for more than 3.6m hours into rivers and seas last year in a 105% increase on the previous ...