Definition of Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). This form of environmental degradation occurs when pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds.

Sources of Water Pollution

Point source water pollution refers to contaminants that enter a waterway from a single, identifiable source, such as a pipe or ditch. Examples of sources in this category include discharges from a sewage treatment plant, a factory, or a city storm drain.

Non point source pollution refers to diffuse contamination that does not originate from a single discrete source. NPS pollution is often the cumulative effect of small amounts of contaminants gathered from a large area. A common example is the leaching out of nitrogen compounds from fertilized agricultural lands.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pollution)

Causes of Water Pollution

1. Sewage from domestic households, factories and commercial buildings Sewage that is treated in water treatment plants is often disposed into the sea. Sewage can be more problematic when people flush chemicals and pharmaceutical substances down the toilet.
2. Dumping solid wastes and littering by humans in rivers, lakes and oceans. Littering items include cardboard, Styrofoam, aluminum, plastic and glass.
3. Industrial waste from factories, which use freshwater to carry waste from the plant into rivers, contaminates waters with pollutants such as asbestos, lead, mercury and petrochemicals.
4. Oil Pollution caused by oil spills from tankers and oil from ship travel. Oil does not dissolve in water and forms a thick sludge.
5. Burning fossil fuels into the air causes the formation of acidic particles in the atmosphere. When these particles mix with water vapor, the result is acid rain.
6. An increase in water temperature is caused by global warming and thermal plants that use lakes and rivers to cool down mechanical equipment.

Effects of Water Pollution

1. Groundwater contamination from pesticides causes reproductive damage within wildlife in ecosystems.
2. Sewage, fertilizer, and agricultural run-off contain organic materials that when discharged into waters, increase the growth of algae, which causes the depletion of oxygen. The low oxygen levels are not able to support most indigenous organisms in the area and therefore upset the natural ecological balance in rivers and lakes.
3. Old Roofs can cause pollution if they are not properly maintained. If water is being held on roofs the water can become polluted and then run down the home and cause more pollution to the water table. If you invest in a green roof from Allstate Roofing you can help reduce the water pollution from your home.
4. Swimming in and drinking contaminated water causes skin rashes and health problems like cancer, reproductive problems, typhoid fever and stomach sickness in humans. Which is why it’s very important to make sure that your water is clean and safe to drink.
5. Industrial chemicals and agricultural pesticides that end up in aquatic environments can accumulate in fish that are later eaten by humans. Fish are easily poisoned with metals that are also later consumed by humans. Mercury is particularly poisonous to small children and women. Mercury has been found to interfere with the development of the nervous system in fetuses and young children.
6. Ecosystems are destroyed by the rising temperature in the water, as coral reefs are affected by the bleaching effect due to warmer temperatures. Additionally, the warm water forces indigenous water species to seek cooler water in other areas, causing an ecological damaging shift of the affected area.
7. Human-produced litter of items such as plastic bags and 6-pack rings can get aquatic animals caught and killed from suffocation.
8. Water pollution causes flooding due to the accumulation of solid waste and soil erosion in streams and rivers.
9. Oil spills in the water causes animal to die when they ingest it or encounter it. Oil does not dissolve in water so it causes suffocation in fish and birds.

(Source: http://www.gogreenacademy.com/causes-and-effects-of-water-pollution/)

Effects of Water Pollution

Water pollution can be controlled to a large extent on the principle, “the solution to pollution is dilution.”
The various methods for the control of water pollution are discussed below:

1. The sewage pollutants are subject to chemical treatment to change them into non-toxic substances or make them less toxic.
2. Water pollution due to organic insecticides can be reduced by the use of very specific and less stable chemicals in the manufacture of insecticides.
3. Oxidation ponds can be useful in removing low level of radioactive wastes.
4. Thermal pollution can be reduced by employing techniques—through cooling, cooling ponds, evaporative or wet cooling towers and dry cooling towers. The purpose is that the waters in the rivers and streams should not get hot.
5. Domestic and industrial wastes should be stored in large but shallow ponds for some days. Due to the sun-light and the organic nutrients present in the waste there will be mass scale growth of those bacteria which will digest the harmful waste matter.
6. Polluted water can be reclaimed by proper sewage treatment plants and the same water can be reused in factories and even irrigation. Such a treated water being rich in phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen can make good fertilizer.
7. Suitable strict legislation should be enacted to make it obligatory for the industries to treat the waste water before being discharged into rivers or seas. 8. Water hyacinth popularly known as Kaloli and Jalkumbhi, can purify water polluted by biological and chemical wastes. It can also filter out heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, lead and nickel as well as other toxic substances found in industrial waste waters.

(Source:http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/essay/essay-on-water-pollution-sources-effects-and-control-of-water-pollution/23267/)