We explain what water pollution is, its origin and causes, as well as its consequences and possible solutions.
Depending on the degree of contamination, the water can be treated and made drinkable.
What is water pollution?
Water pollution or water pollution is the presence of chemical, toxic components or microorganisms in the water, which alter its natural properties and render it unusable, that is, unfit for consumption or to support life, and it can affect the soil and other waterways.
The toxic components of contaminated water can be diverse: microbes, heavy metals, sediments, bacteria, organic waste, radioactive substances or industrial fluids with chemicals. The toxic components reach the water, both through the direct discharge of waste into the water and through the contamination of the soil, which ends up depositing the polluting substances in the underground layers.
Depending on the type and degree of contamination, that is, the density of certain contaminating agents that may be present in the water, can be treated and purified through component separation processessuch as precipitation, filtration and disinfection of impurities.
Sometimes, some water sources that used to be very contaminated, after being treated and recovered, once again housed animal and plant life (although they are not suitable for human consumption), in addition to ceasing to be a risk for the soil and other nearby water sources.
See also: Thermal pollution
Origin of water pollution
Water pollution originated with urban development.
Water pollution dates back to very ancient times of urban development, especially Since the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century which stood out for the use of new technologies for mass production.
The large-scale manufacturing model promoted the indiscriminate use of natural resources, the overproduction of goods and incalculable amounts of garbage. This model has been maintained in an increasingly accelerated manner, until today.
The advancement of a large-scale production system, without the prudent use of natural resources and Without proper treatment of garbage and waste, it caused environmental collapse which is currently evident, among other consequences, caused water pollution.
Causes of the contamination of the water
Many industries abuse drinking water and generate large amounts of polluting waste.
The main causes of water pollution are:
- Indiscriminate deforestation. Soil and vegetation serve to drain water from rain or floods. Plants help to contain the water so that it does not wash away the land, and the different layers of soil filter the water slowly and naturally. Once it reaches the groundwater, the pure water nourishes the soil. Indiscriminate deforestation leaves soils unprotected, infertile and unable to filter water properly.
- Garbage and sewage. Cities concentrate high levels of environmental pollution, both soil, air and water. Through technological advances, it is possible to extract water from underground layers, which is suitable for consumption, or from natural water channels, except in areas of large cities and surrounding areas where excessive soil contamination, which comes from industries, , the sewage drains, unprocessed waste and garbage, ends up impacting the quality of the water. Demographic growth is usually faster than citizen awareness and the implementation of adequate legislation to control industries, which aggravates the level of pollution generated by life in society.
- Agricultural-livestock activities. The agriculture and livestock industry involves excessive use of drinking water, which is a limited natural resource, and contributes to soil degradation. Intensive agriculture uses large amounts of chemical fertilizers that affect soils and groundwater, causing irreversible damage. Intensive livestock farming requires large quantities of drinking water, for example: about 20,000 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of meat. In addition, it generates disproportionate amounts of organic waste as a result of the large populations of overcrowded animals and their remains that are dumped in waterways and cannot be processed naturally.
- Indiscriminate fishing. The fishing industry is one of the causes of ocean pollution, both due to the amount of plastic produced by massive fishing nets and tools, and due to the indiscriminate killing of animals that end up destabilizing aquatic ecosystems. Fishing vessels use net systems that are capable of capturing a large number of marine animals, not just those they intend to hunt. This activity, carried out with increasing intensity and less control, over a long period of time, causes irreversible damage such as the extinction of animal species.
- Oil exploitation. Water pollution by oil is caused by accidental spills during oil extraction, which end up destroying the life of the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem, worsening its residual effect for many years. In addition, there is a risk of contamination by spills during transport and the production of derivatives, such as conversion to compressed natural gas, which pollutes the air, and by contamination of the final product destined for mass use as fuel for transport and industrial machinery.
Consequences of water pollution
Polluted water causes negative effects on biodiversity.
Contaminated water generates negative consequences for ecosystems and, in many cases, the damage is irreversible. Water is an essential natural resource for the life of all living beings. of the planet, animals and plants.
The scarcity of drinking water, due to the exploitation of this natural resource by industries and human negligence coupled with increasing pollution, is affecting more and more animal species, both human and non-human, who do not have access to this key resource for life.
Among the main consequences of contaminated water are:
- Increase in poverty and deterioration in quality of life in human societies due to the lack of drinking water, an essential resource for food hygiene and health.
- Increase in toxic foods that come from contaminated sources, such as fishing, livestock and agriculture, which can harm people’s health.
- Increase in people suffering diseases from ingesting contaminated watersuch as cholera, botulism or hepatitis A.
- Deterioration of biodiversity due to damage to the soil, which becomes infertile and unsuitable for the vegetation that serves as food for various animal species. In addition, toxic water harms plants and animals and all aquatic life, whose ecosystem is increasingly contaminated. Most of the damage is irreversible, such as the destruction of an ecosystem or the extinction of entire species.
Solutions to water pollution
Despite the irreversible consequences, there is still much to do to stop water pollution and reverse some of the damage. Some possible solutions that help stop water pollution are:
- Reduce the use of chemical fertilizers for monocultures.
- Treat and purify wastewater so that they are not toxic to the rest of the waterways or the soil.
- Limit the use of plasticsespecially single-use ones, and recycle them whenever possible.
- Reduce animal consumption and derivatives, in addition to promoting the consumption of organic, pesticide-free vegetables.
- Reduce excessive consumption of goods materials that are not necessary or that come in disposable packaging full of various plastics.
- Raise awareness about the proper use of natural resourcesfrom the importance of obtaining it to the post-consumption impact of the final product manufactured with these natural resources.
- Raise awareness about the difference between garbage and recyclable wastein addition to incorporating the habit of making compost.
- Intensify relevant legislations to the care of resources and, in particular, to the proper treatment of waste in order to avoid pollution.
- Propose and implement New production and consumption strategies more environmentally friendly.
- Size that Every action of every person generates an impact in the planet. If negative actions can be reduced and positive actions increased, improvement will be achieved.
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