Water Pollution

Environmental awareness has lead society to understand that population growth and industrialization dramatically impact our planet Earth. Pollution of our air and water are the result of our own technological advances, starting with the industrial revolution and the burning of vast quantities of fossil fuels. The products of industry themselves lead to greater pollution by finding resting places in our lakes, rivers, and oceans. There are many forms of pollution, however, this article will focus on water pollution. Future articles will cover other forms, such as air, noise, soil, and radioactive pollution.

Water pollution is a human-induced occurrence that negatively impacts groundwater and surface water bodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Although life on Earth would not exist without clean water, we disregard its importance and continue polluting. The Earth’s surface is covered by more than 70% water with over 95% of all freshwater trapped underground as groundwater. The geologic formations that contain useable groundwater, called aquifers, are relied upon by 53% of the Earth’s population for drinking water.

Approximately 14,000 people die every day because of waterborne diseases, primarily from untreated sewage in third-world countries, and at least 40% of the surface water bodies in the United States are too polluted to use for recreational activities such as swimming or fishing. It is estimated that 1.5 billion people do not have a safe drinking water source and almost two-thirds of the world could experience water shortages by 2025.

A water quality inventory taken in 1994 indicated the top 3 sources of water pollution fall in the categories of agriculture, municipal point sources, and urban runoff.

Top water pollution sources includes:

1. Agriculture
2. Municipal point sources
3. Urban runoff
4. Marine dumping
5. Radioactive waste
6. Oil spills
7. Leaking underground storage tanks
8. Eutrophication (algal blooms choking off surface water eco-systems)

Water pollution can have serious health impacts on both humans and aquatic life. A short list of potential health effects includes:

1. Microbial pollutants from wastewater – Ingestion of bacteria such as fecal coliform can lead to infectious diseases.

2. Heavy metals – Marine life can build up metals in their bodies and die or seriously affect those who eat them. Ingestion of heavy metals can lead to birth defects, cancer, or slow development.

3. Industrial waste toxins – Variable toxins have effects that range from mild to fatal. End results can be reproductive failure, poisoning, or immune suppression.

4. High nitrates – Ingestion of high nitrate concentrations in drinking water can lead to “blue-baby” syndrome, a blood disorder in babies under six months of age called methemoglobinemia that can lead to death.

While the deteriorating nature of our water sources may seem bleak, the United States has made great advances in the past three decades to curtail water pollution. The greatest advancement came in 1972 with the passing of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments, which became known as the Clean Water Act in 1977. The basic framework for regulating contaminant discharges, and working towards clean water, was laid down. While rules and regulations help with the enforcement of industrial pollution, there are things each of us can do personally to help curtail water quality impacts.

What can you do to help protect water quality in your area?

1. Conserve water – Less water used means less water to treat.

2. Watch what you pour down the drain – Don’t dispose of oil, paint, or other weird substance down the sink or toilet.

3. Environmentally-friendly products – Find alternatives for common products such as detergents, cleaners, and toiletries.

4. Pesticides and fertilizers – Do not overuse, make sure you follow the label, and properly store all pesticides and fertilizers. Garden organically whenever possible!

5. Litter – Don’t throw litter into any water body! Always clean up litter when you have the chance to do so safely.

6. Be heard! – Let your legislators know your opinions regarding water pollution laws and protection, especially with the rapid, present-day increase of urbanization. Also, make sure to report polluters to the appropriate agencies.