As the world’s population increases, so does the demand for clean drinking water. But that need is becoming increasingly more challenging to meet.
According to research, approximately 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water.
Additionally, the world depends on the same 3% of fresh water, and it becomes more vital than ever that we take steps to ensure that the water we have remains clean and drinkable now and in the future.
Types of Water Pollution
Water pollution not only endangers the health of humans, it can put entire ecosystems at risk by harming aquatic species. When streams, rivers, lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water become contaminated, it degrades water quality and makes it toxic to humans and the environment.
Groundwater Pollution
Many people worldwide rely on groundwater, which is found underground in the spaces between soil and fractured rock. The underground stores of water, or aquifers, are replenished with rainwater.
The ground and seep can absorb pesticides and fertilizers into underwater water sources, compromising the safety of the water, especially for humans to drink. Septic tanks and sewage systems sometimes leak untreated waste into groundwater, leading to groundwater pollution.
Chemical Pollution
The most common culprit for water pollution is chemical pollution. While that includes pesticides and fertilizers, heavy metals and solvents used in industrial sites are major contributors to this pollution.
Contaminants that can find their way into drinking water include:
- arsenic
- fracking fluids
- lead
- chlorinated disinfection products
- PFAS
- uranium
- nitrogen
- bleach
Nutrient Pollution
Nutrients like calcium, chloride, fluoride, magnesium, potassium, and sodium are commonly found in our drinking water. However, if the nutrients are too plentiful, they can interfere with an ecosystem, which sometimes does more harm than good.
Water pollutants such as fertilizers can block out sunlight and stunt the growth of underwater organisms, throwing everything out of whack.
Microbiological Pollution
Bacteria, viruses, and protozoa contribute to microbiological contamination. The microorganisms responsible for water pollution can be found in human and animal waste, sediments, and underwater aquatic vegetation and can cause life-threatening diseases if not properly decontaminated.
Some developing and low-income countries don’t have adequate water treatment systems to filter contaminated water.
Suspended Matter Pollution
Suspended matter pollution comes from soil erosion, runoff, discharges, stirred bottom sediments, and algae blooms. Suspended solids interfere with water chemistry and microbiology, negatively impacting human health and the environment.
Suspended particles either settle to the bottom or float to the surface. When they settle, they damage underwater life and leach chemicals into the water supply. Floating particles on the surface can prevent oxygen and sunlight from penetrating the water.
Thermal Pollution
Human behavior and natural occurrences can lead to thermal pollution, which is the degradation of water quality due to changes in water temperature.
Oxygen Depletion Pollution
Algal blooms, a form of water contamination, profoundly impact aquatic ecosystems and water quality. These blooms occur when certain algae rapidly reproduce, forming dense concentrations in water bodies. Their growth leads to high oxygen consumption, causing oxygen depletion harmful to other aquatic life forms.
Additionally, algal blooms worsen water pollution by releasing toxins. Some algae species produce toxins, which are released in significant amounts during blooms. These toxins endanger human and animal health, particularly when ingested through contaminated water. They can cause various health issues, including gastrointestinal problems, liver damage, and neurological effects. Controlling nutrient pollution, a primary cause of algal blooms, is crucial for preserving water quality and safeguarding public health.
What Are the Effects of Water Pollution?
Water pollution kills people and underwater ecosystems all over the world, even in the United States.
Health
Limited access to clean water brings forth all kinds of water-related illnesses. Unfortunately, children often suffer the most, being the most vulnerable to the spread of illness. Infant mortality rates, dehydration, and malnutrition greatly impact the younger generation, along with the populace as a whole. Public health will continue in this debilitating state without clean water or hand-washing facilities. Luckily, when armed with proper infrastructure and education, the state of a country’s public health can easily improve overnight.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80% of the world’s diseases and 50% of the world’s child deaths can be attributed to poor drinking water quality. Low-income communities are at the highest risk of water-related illness because they’re often located closest to sources of pollution.
Bacteria and viruses are waterborne pathogens that can cause illness including cholera, giardia, and typhoid, from polluted drinking water.
Illegal or accidental releases from sewage treatment facilities and runoff from farms or urban areas can affect even wealthy communities.
Heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, pesticides, and nitrate fertilizers are entering the world’s limited water supply. Drinking water contaminants can lead to long-term health issues, including hormone disruption and cancer.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), swimming in sewage-polluted water comes with its own dangers, including skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections, and hepatitis.
Children and pregnant or nursing women are especially at risk when exposed to contaminated water.
Environment
Animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi all interact directly or indirectly with one another in a healthy ecosystem. When harm comes to any one of the organisms, it can endanger an entire underwater environment.
Algal blooms result from water pollution in lakes or other marine environments. The algae growth sucks all the oxygen out, leaving little for other animals, leading to ‘dead zones’ where aquatic life doesn’t thrive. Some blooms can produce so much neurotoxin that they start to affect even whales and turtles.
Heavy metals and other chemicals from industrial and musical waterways are toxic to aquatic life, including reducing life span and the ability to reproduce. Humans get exposed to pollutants when eating fish. For instance, that’s why tuna and other big fish have high levels of mercury.
Solid debris such as plastic bags, soda cans, and other trash is eventually swept out to sea and can strangle, suffocate, and starve wildlife.
What Can You Do to Help?
Water pollution is becoming everyone’s problem. Together, we can take steps towards ensuring that our children and grandchildren have access to clean drinking water.
- Get health-harming toxins out of everyday products.
- Dispose of chemicals and nonbiodegradables properly.
- Reduce plastic consumption.
- Use minimal amounts of cleaning chemicals such as bleach.
- Protect our water from dirty energy threats.
- Keep our clean water laws strong and effective to protect water and health.
- Support water conservation and environmental organizations.
Everyone deserves clean water. Healing Waters International aims to end the global water crisis using sustainable and holistic transformation. The goal of each project is to provide safe water to communities in need while also creating jobs and promoting local economic growth.