Page 27 - Water Every Drop Counts

Polluted Water : High Costs

Even as accessing
drinking water continues
to be a problem,
assuring that it is safe
is a challenge by itself.
Water quality problems
are caused by pollution
and over-exploitation.

The problems of
chemical contamination
is also serious. The
major chemical
parameters of concern
are fluoride and arsenic.
Iron is also emerging as
a major problem.

CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF WATER POLUTION
CATEGORY EXAMPLES SOURCE HARMFUL EFFECTS
Infectious Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, Human and animal Disease (Cholera, Gastroenteritis, Hepatitis, etc)
Agents parasitic worms waste
Organic Animal manure, Sewage, animal High Biological Oxygen Demand, death of aquatic
wastes plant debris feedlots organisms dependant on dissolved oxygen
Inorganic Water soluble acids,compo- Surface runoff, indus- Skin cancer, damage to spinal cord and neck,nervous
chemicals unds of Lead/ Arsenic, salts trial effluentsand system, liver and kidneys, epleted aquatic life, lower
such as NaCI in ocean water householdcleansers crop yields, accelerated corrosion of metals
Organic Oil, gasoline, plastics, lndustrial effluents, Nervous system damage, reproductive disorders and
chemicals pesticides, cleaning solvents, household some cancers, depleted aquatic life
detergents cleansers, surface
runoff from fields
Plant Water soluble compounds Sewage, manure, Eutrophication of rivers, intake of water with high
nutrients containing nitrate, phosphate, fertilizer’s and nitrate content lowers blood oxygen levels.
ammonium ions pesticides runoff
Sediments Soil and salt Land erosion Water turbidity, reduced photosynthesis, negative
impact on fisheries, clogging of lakes, water storage
systems, stream channels and harbours
Radio active Isotopes ofiodine, uranium and Nuclear installation Genetic mutations, miscarriages, birth defects and
materials thorium and uranium mining certain cancers
processing
Thermal Excessive heat Coolant waters Lower dissolved oxygen, higher vulnerability of aquatic
Pollution from industries organisms to disease
Arsenic Cold water cold bottom water Affects fish, particularly eggs and larvae, macro
Fluoride Iron from deep-water invertebrates and the overall productivity of water
reservoirs behind bodies.
large dams
Source : G. Tyler Miller Jr. (2004); Sustaining the Earth 6th Ed. Brooks/Cole Thomson Learning, CA, USA

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