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Water pollution
From CopperWiki
Water pollution is caused when toxic substances enter lakes, streams, rivers, oceans, and other water bodies and either lie suspended in water or get dissolved on the bed. With water pollution the quality of water gets deteriorated and the aquatic eco-system is affected.
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[edit] Why should I be aware of this?
The biggest cause of water pollution is human activities. Wastes from households include a variety of dissolved and suspended impurities such as food, vegetable waste and plant nutrient. These are generally from chemical soaps, washing powders, etc. Many homes dump their garbage containing cans, bottles, plastics, and other household products into streams, lakes, rivers, and seas. Various substances containing harmful chemicals that we use at home and dump in the waters, also add to the pollution.
[edit] Water pollution and health
Water pollution creates poisonous drinking water, poisonous food animals, unbalanced river and lake ecosystems that can no longer support full biological diversity, deforestation from acid rain, and many other effects. These effects are, of course, specific to the various contaminants.
[edit] Water pollution and environment
Water pollution also occurs when rain water runoff from urban and industrial areas and from agricultural land and mining operations makes its way back to receiving waters like river, lake or ocean and into the ground.
Also a large number of drugs have been detected in rivers and lakes around the world.Drugs have been entering our drinking water for decades and scientists are concerned about the long term effects on humans and wildlife. Male fish are already being effected. And this is happening globally.
[edit] All about water pollution
There are direct and indirect sources of water contamination. Direct sources include city sewages and industrial waste dumped into the river from factories, refineries, waste treatment plants etc. Indirect sources include contaminants that enter the water supply from soils/groundwater systems and from the atmosphere via rain water. Soils and ground waters contain the residue of fertilizers, pesticides, etc.
[edit] Drugs in water
When we take medication our bodies absorb a portion of it and the rest goes into the toilet. Waste water is treated and let out into open waters, but the treatments don't completely take out all of the drugs.
Drugs also come from animals which are given steroids, antibiotics and other drugs. Cattle are given ear tags that pump them with steroids. Animals are being treated more and more today for conditions such as arthritis, kidney problems and other such illnesses. They pass these drugs which end up in our water supply.
[edit] What can I do about it?
- Remember to turn off taps after use. This will cut down on the amount of contaminated water that needs treatment and help prevent water shortages.
- Avoid throwing paints, oils or other forms of litter down the drain.
- Use environment-friendly products, such as washing powder, household cleaning agents and toiletries in the household.
- Avoid overuse of pesticides and fertilizers.
- Add more plants in your garden. This will prevent fertilizer, pesticides and contaminated water from running off into nearby water sources.
- Don’t throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean up any litter you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes.
[edit] CopperBytes
- Stormwater pollution is the #1 source of water pollution in the United States.
- One gallon of motor oil can contaminate one million gallons of water.
- An average-sized dog dropping contains three billion fecal coliform bacteria
- One inch of rain falling on a one-acre parking lot produces 16 times more runoff by volume than the same inch of rain falling on a one-acre meadow. [1]
