Effects of water pollution

What are some affects of water pollution? How does water pollution affect the environment and your health? The effects of water pollution are varied and depend on what chemicals are dumped and in which locations. 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 or illegally dumped by manufacturing industries, health centers, schools and market places. Sewage, fertilizer, and agricultural run-off contain organic materials that when discharged. Swimming in and drinking contaminated water causes skin rashes and health.

Harm to any of these organisms can create a chain effect, imperiling entire aquatic environments. When water pollution causes an algal bloom in a lake or marine environment, the proliferation of newly introduced nutrients stimulates plant and algae growth, which in turn reduces oxygen levels in the water. Polluted water is also harmful for agriculture as it adversely affects the crops and the soil fertility. Pollution of sea water damages the oceanic life.

These algae form a layer on top of the pond or lake. Bacteria feed on this algae and this decreases the amount of oxygen in the water body, severely affecting the aquatic life there. Urban sewage and industrial waste flows into the water sources without treatment. Despite all efforts of the Government in cities and towns, only per cent of the total waste water is treated and rest of polluted material directly flows into ponds, rivers and ocean.

One of the major effects of water pollution is the damage to the food chain. Microbial water pollution can spread infectious diseases. Pesticides – can damage the nervous system and cause cancer because of the carbonates and organophosphates that they contain. Chlorides can cause reproductive and endocrinal damage. Nitrates – are especially dangerous to babies that drink formula milk.

Agricultural run-offs that make their way into our rivers and streams and groundwater sources. Chemicals dumped from Factories. The rising use of synthetic. Most water pollution is caused by humans from industrial waste, fertilizers, untreated sewage,underground storage leaks, marine dumping and oil pollution have caused much of this damage. Typhoid or the enteric fever is one of the most fatal diseases caused due to contaminated water.

Water pollution occurs when contaminants enter the groundwater, rivers, streams, lakes or oceans. It generally spreads through polluted foo milk or water , improperly washed fruits and vegetables and mosquitoes. To stop coal-fired power plants from dumping millions of tons of toxic chemicals into waterways, we fight for stronger limitation standards by the EPA. With more frequent droughts, groundwater levels are dwindling.

We work to protect this important freshwater source from depletion and pollution. Affects body organs: The consumption of highly contaminated water can cause injury to. Harms the food chain: Toxins within water can harm aquatic organisms,. Any changes that reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen would badly affect the aquatic organisms.

The eggs and larvae of aquatic creatures get destroyed by changes in. The effect of water pollution on land will depend upon the nature of the pollutants. Acidic mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned mines, for example, can introduce a host of lethal toxins into the surface water including arsenic and lead. Water bodies include for example lakes , rivers , oceans , aquifers and groundwater.

Pollutants in water resulting from trash, oil spills, sewage spills and run-off from agricultural fields, construction sites and factories affect native plant and animal species. Drinking contaminated water caused by sewage overflow may cause sickness and digestive problems in humans.