Joshua munoz

80502648
10/11/2015

Water pollution and its effects

Abstract
Water pollution is a problem that has been around for decades. Its crazy how
the world is 70% water but humanity lets it get polluted daily, thats absurd. This is
a major problem and it continues to happen despite the major effects that it can
have, not just on us but the animals and the environment, (as shown in figures 1
and 2.) Water is the essential element of life, it is needed for survival. Water is used
for industry, energy, and in the ecosystems. Both animals and humans need a
certain type of water. This means that we cant use salt water for jobs that require
fresh water. For example chemist will no longer be able to have experiments that
dont involve purification of the water. These are the reasons why water pollution is
a serious and critical problem to the earth.
Pollutions impact
All of our drinking water comes from a certain source and is filtered for our
use. But our filters and screenings can only clean out so much of the bacteria and
chemicals in the water. In countries with poor water filtration systems people will
often even contract water born diseases because of how much bacteria they ingest
and come in contact with. As you can see in Figure 2 the people from poverty
countries have to look for any water they feel is clean enough to wash clothes in
and use for their days. Due to the low level of filtration in the water a lot of the
people in the area will get cholera and tuberculosis. There are an estimated 3-6
million cholera cases per year and out of those cases 100,000 to 150,000 will be

Joshua munoz
80502648
10/11/2015
severe enough to cause death. Even better managed communitys go through this
problem because of how excessive pollution is. For example, algae when consumed
can cause rash and stomach aches. Algae not only affects the people but will also
attack fishes and small animals that depend on the ecosystems water to survive. As
you can see in figure 1 many of the fishes in the ocean or lakes are harmed or
affected by the pollution in one way or another. Algae growth affects fish because it
absorbs the light and oxygen that the fish can get. It can also affect the fishes
directly by blocking out their eyes or gills. This is just one example any foreign
substance will eventually corrode and destroy the ecosystem. As figure 1 shows fish
cannot survive in the harsh conditions that we give them when we pollute the
ecosystem.
Poisoning the circle
When we poison our water supply the water animals will begin to die off and
get affected. (fig1)Not only will this be the start of the problem but any other animal
that depended on that water or fish for food will suffer. A perfect example of this
would be the recent oil spill we had here in the us coastline that covered
approximately 15000 miles. This outbreak caused a lot of deaths not only to fish but
birds, turtles, and other mammals. Approximately over 9000 animals died due to
this horrible incident. Animals are also our source of food and energy so when we
pollute their home were hurting our energy source.
Economical impact
Not only is water pollution harming the environment physically but it is also
harming the countries financial statues. It is more expensive to clean out dirty water
that has been toxic then to find clean water from a fresh source that hasnt been

Joshua munoz
80502648
10/11/2015
contaminated. Not only that but the areas fishing population also decreases so
fishers will avoid those areas when fishing.(fig 1) This can be bad for the local areas
stores because the fish in the community will rise in price. If we continue to poison
our water eventually everything will begin to die off. Figure 2 is a good example of
this because those waters now have very little living fish or creatures in them due to
how heavily polluted they have become.
Types of pollutions
There are many different ways that the water can get polluted. The pollutant
may be manmade or natural, and may contain different chemicals that can alter the
water. Eutrophication is a type of pollution that is caused by both natural and
manmade occurrences. This is when a body has a lot of nutrients and it promotes
plant life like algae to grow rapidly in the water. This is a great danger to animals
because eventually the algae will kill the animals by sucking their oxygen. This is
mainly caused by waste from animals, fertilizers, and land clearing for agricultural
purposes. Poor waste disposal is a big problem as well. In some beaches waste will
sometimes wash ashore, this is both unsanitary for animals but for the humans. Not
only is this waste produced from local areas but from cruise liners sailing the
oceans. Approximately an estimated 600000 tons of solid waste a year is created
annually by the Caribbean cruise line. A lot of chemicals get poured into our water
source and a lot of metals and solids are also dissolved in the rushing waters. These
chemicals and compounds can be carried for thousands of miles to any water
source and contaminate it. Between 1974 and 1999 there have been nearly 5000
cases of oil spills in the oceans and rivers worldwide. As you can see in figure 2
waste pollution and solid pollution is a big problem. The people in the area must
make due with even filthy water sometimes because thats all that is available.

Joshua munoz
80502648
10/11/2015
Solution to the problem
Hearing all these facts and problems makes you feel like it cant be fixed but
a lot can be done to prevent further contamination and to help keep it cleaner. As
an individual you can contribute to this problem by knowing where and how to
dispose of waste. Reduce waste creation, if we all consumed half or so of what we
ate then we wouldnt have to dispose of as much waste. Water pollution is very
dangerous and should be taken seriously. Research has led to the discovery that
chemicals in water promote Alzheimers and other diseases. Figure 1 symbolizes
how waste can kill any life that is why we must take care of the land, before its too
late and everything withers. Approximately 70,000 liters of detergents and 15,000 kilograms
of pollutants flow into streams, lakes and beaches from people washing their cars. In the US, an
estimated 180 million gallons of motor oil are improperly disposed of by dumping on the ground,
tossed in the trash and poured down sewers and drains. If we just took the time to make little
changes on how we disposed of things we would have a much cleaner and healthier world not
just for us but the animals and plants as well.

References

Water. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2015, from http://www.nrdc.org/water/

Effects of Water Pollution & Solutions. (2010, July 1). Retrieved December 4, 2015, from
https://projectsmileindia.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/effects-of-water-pollution-solutions/
Science Leadership Academy Learn Create Lead. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2015, from
https://www.scienceleadership.org/people/xcarroll

Joshua munoz
80502648
10/11/2015
Fig 1

Fig 2