The Effects of Water Pollution on the Environment

When you think of problems in the world today, water pollution isn’t one that would normally come up. In fact it is one of the worst problems in the world today. Water pollution, by definition, is the contamination of streams, lakes, underground water, bays, or oceans by any substances harmful to living things. All living things contain water and most need water to survive, so water pollution is a big problem. If severe, the pollution can kill off birds, fish, and any animals that use the water source. In some cases even killing an entire species.

Water pollution is a serious issue in today’s world as well. Water is a limited resource and though the earth is roughly two-thirds percent water, the quality of it is decreasing due to various factors including chemicals or waste. Because the quality of water is decreasing, the efforts to conserve it increases, which again results in humans getting involved, interacting, and implementing.

There is a new chemical that “decreases male fertility, hormones, and testosterone” (“Declining Male Fertility”). The chemicals are in the shape or form of medicine and pesticides and can affect fish and other species in the water. Some research has shown that these “chemicals make male fish believe they are turning into females which is declining the male fertility in the water. These chemicals are getting in the water through the sewage pipes leading into the water. This not only harms the water, but also the organisms inside the water. Water pollution isn’t just hurting the environment, but also costing Americans money. Instead of drinking water from the faucets, people are buying more expensive types of bottled water. Since most people are buying expensive bottles of water, this is going to cost them more money. “Water pollution is costing the government, facilities, and Americans nearly $4.3 billion” (“Freshwater Pollution Cost $4.3 Billion”). These pollutants can cause harmful effects on us humans.

Water: Pollution affects our water through rain clouds, because if the pollution gets into the rain clouds, it makes the water in the cloud more acidic, and if it becomes acidic enough it turns to acid rain, which is obviously not good to drink, wash, or use.

According Oraclethinkquest, "Water pollution has the potential to have a harmful effect on all living things including plants and animal species. Chemicals, radioactive waste, industrial waste in the water can affect species and their development. There is no

Water pollution has had devastating effects on the environment, which include irreversible effects to the ocean's ecosystem, health problems and abnormal conditions.

Water pollution is the contamination of water by untreated sewage as well as human waste, often to the point when water becomes undrinkable or usable. According to Woodford C, around one-half of all ocean contamination is caused by sewage and waste. “Each year, the world generates perhaps 5–10 billion tons of industrial waste, much of which is pumped untreated into rivers, oceans, and other waterways.” (“Woodford C.” 19). “Many water bodies near urban areas (cities and towns) are highly polluted. This is the result of both garbage dumped by individuals and dangerous chemicals legally and illegally dumped by manufacturing industries, health center, schools and market places.” (“ESchooltoday” page 4, (3)). As a result of all this pollution in water, a lot of people are dying. Furthermore, Britain tried to force the government to take some kind of action to purify the water so that people can get no illnesses with safe drinking water in 1990’s. “In the early 1990s, when surfers in Britain grew tired of catching illnesses from

Water Pollution is one of the most serious ecological threat faced in this modern era. Water pollution is a result of toxic substances entering water bodies such as lakes, rivers and oceans etc. These toxins can either dissolve in the water, lay suspended in the water, deposit on the water bed or contaminate ground water. This not only results in degradation of water quality but also means destruction of aquatic ecosystem.

Everett, Jason M., editor. “Water Pollution.” UXL Sustainable Living, vol. 3, UXL, Farmington Hills, MI, 2016, pp. 637–644. Gale Virtual Reference Library, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=unio34164&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE|CX3629600133&asid=11e26f20a65a3f2af34deb631d13d131. Accessed 2017.

Intentionally or accidentally, pollution has entered the water system for years. Our water sources have been treated as an unlimited supply, but with the pollution and waste getting worse, the supply could run low. Fertilizers can drain into rivers from the fields, and effluent is sometimes released into rivers from sewage, chemicals from factories that also illegally dump waste products contribute to pollution (“Water Pollution… 4). Water pollution is a serious problem that is affecting humans and animals, and this problem needs an efficient solution. This can be seen through an examination of the history, causes, effects, and possible solutions.

Water pollution effects are not always immediate. We as human beings continue to pollute water in ignorance or knowingly that it will affect us in the long run. More than two thirds of the overall population of the earth is occupied by water bodies and the rest human beings. This shows the great extent on the importance of keeping water bodies clean. Water pollution eventually has led to decline in quality of water, causing problems for human beings and animals. In other words, polluted water poses a threat to human beings and animals. Unfortunately, we as human beings have played a big role in water pollution. Water

Water pollution is affecting many forms of life directly and indirectly throughout the globe; likewise, it can be disastrous for the future generations. For example, one of the most disastrous and harmful “types of” pollution deal with the factor of it being direct

(Crompton 1997) Just the definition should inform people that there must be something done about water pollution. On a slightly dramatic note, millions of liters of water are needed everyday worldwide for washing, drinking, irrigating crops, and cooling industrial processes not to mention leisure industries such as swimming pools and water sports. If people don’t start taking water pollution prevention seriously than many of life’s essentials on earth will be destroyed!

Water pollution happens when toxic substances enter water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans and so on. As Well, as getting dissolved in them, lying suspended in the water or depositing on the bed. This degrades the quality of water. Not only does this spell disaster for aquatic ecosystems, the pollutants also seep through and reach the groundwater, which might end up in our households as contaminated water we use in our daily activities, including drinking.

70 % of our Earth surface is covered by water and almost 60% of the human body contain water for nutrient transportation. The unique characteristic of water is water molecule is the only substance in this Earth that exist in all three physical states of matter which are solid, liquid and gas. All human beings need water to survive. The national development over the years cause the rate of water pollution increased. According to Gebre & Rooijen (2009) water pollution can be considered as a sign that derives from economic growth and is a common phenomenon in urbanized cities in developing countries. In general, there are three main issues that related to water pollution which are the causes, effects and the way to decrease this problem.