Water Pollution

The water is a natural resource over 70% of the earth’s surface and without it the life on the earth would nonexistent.

We use water daily in our homes and industries, about 150 gallons (525 liters) per day per person.

The water we use is taken from lakes and rivers, and from underground (groundwater) and after we have used it and contaminated it most of it returns to these locations.

Water pollution is any chemical, physical or biological change in the quality of water that has a harmful effect on any living thing that drinks or uses or lives in it.

What are some different types of water pollution?

MicrobiologicalDisease-causing (pathogenic) microorganisms, like bacteria, viruses and protozoa can cause swimmers to get sick. Fish and shellfish can become contaminated and people who eat them can become ill. Some serious diseases like polio and cholera are waterborne.

ChemicalWhole variety of chemicals from industry, such as metals and solvents, and even chemicals which are formed from the breakdown of natural wastes (ammonia, for instance) are poisonous to fish and other aquatic life.

PetroleumOften pollutes water bodies in the form of oil, resulting from oil spills.

Radioactive substancesAre produced in the form of waste from nuclear power plants, and from the industrial, medical, and scientific use of radioactive materials.

HeatHeat is a pollutant because increased temperatures result in the deaths of many aquatic organisms.  These decreases in temperatures are caused when a discharge of cooling water by factories and power plants occurs.

Major Pollutants:

Soil Grass clippingsFertilizers and PesticidesLitterMotor oil/ Auto FluidsPet waste

Scientists believe that fecal matter from pets is a major source of bacteria in urban waterways.

How do we prevent water pollution?

We have to remove the pollutants before the water gets back into the environment.

In urban areas in most developed countries, the wastewater from homes, businesses and factories is collected by a system of underground pipes– sewers which carry it to one or more central treatment facilities.

Homes in non-urban areas that are not connected to a sewer are usually required by their town to have on-site treatment systems.

Most common for single homes are septic systems, which consist of a buried tank connected to a set of perforated pipes, embedded in gravel, which distribute the water into the soil.

Although some kinds of water pollution can occur through natural processes, it is mostly a result of human activities then we should try not to return the waste waters to the rivers.

Conclusions.

The water is every day less and we spend more of the necessary and is very difficult of separating it of the pollutants and this water cannot be used it as normal water but it can be the only way not to return it dirty in rivers and lakes but the really way to maintain the water as clean as possible it is not to contaminate it with substances or dangerous products that damage the environment.

For this and more information you can find it on these links.

http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/waterpollution.htm

http://www.lenntech.com/Water-Pollution-FAQ.htm

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/5161/water1.htm