The Pollutants that Reduce Water Quality

Today, chemical water pollutants are cause for a large water pollution problem. Water contains thousands of substances potentially harming us as we consume water. Substances such as viruses, bacteria, microorganisms, chlorine, pesticides, and an abundance of other harmful matter are present in water. As well as harming our environment, shampoos, conditioners, and things of that nature are also harming out planet. Fresh waters naturally contain chemicals dissolved from the soils and rocks over which they flow. There are inorganic as well as organic pollutions that are negatively affecting the water we use every day. A number of main inorganic elements include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, carbon, chlorine, and sulfur, as well as plant nutrients. Decaying biological materials are also present, which causes organic compounds to pollute the waters. Nearly all waters contain human-caused compounds such as industrial and consumer products. Human activities augment the concentration of specific compounds, which is the source of chemical pollution troubles. By converting to natural alternatives, the world will be reduced of chemical water pollution problems.
Biological water pollutants are the bacteria, viruses, protozoans and worms which are carried by water from one host to another. Algae, when occurring in large numbers, can also be a biological pollutant. Some of these pollutants can cause diseases in humans and animals, which may or not be fatal. Microorganisms enter waters from sources such as human waste, food operations, meat packing plants, medical facilities, and more are the main ways biological water pollution develops. Under normal conditions, the body is able to handle these biological materials. Some of these pollutants can cause diseases in humans and animals. "Beaver Fever", or Giardiasis, is a well-known disease caused by biological water pollution. Beaver Fever is a human disease caused by a single-celled parasite which lives in the intestines of humans and many other animals. When the parasites reproduce, they form cysts which pass out of the intestines with wastes. These cysts are able to live for two months in water. By drinking the contaminated water with these cysts, a person can become seriously ill. By using filters, the giardiasis parasite is able to be removed from our water. However, the sickness may still be fatal. The disease is mainly a problem in wilderness areas where people tend to assume that untreated water is safe to drink or in communities that do not have effective filtration systems. Sources of biological pollution include treated and untreated human sewage, organic pollution, and animal waste.
Physical water pollution is generally the corruption of water by resources such as sewage effluent, chemicals, detergents, and fertilizer runoff. Contributions to water pollution comprise of substances drawn from the air, such as acid rain, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, runoff from septic tanks, hemorrhage from livestock feedlots, chemical wastes, which are often toxic, from industries, and sewage and from cities and towns. Eutrophication is an enormous contributor of physical water pollution. Eutrophication is a process where bodies of water, such as lakes, estuaries, or slow-moving streams collect too many nutrients that inspire excessive plant growth. This improved plant growth, reduces oxygen in the water when dead plant material decomposes and can cause other organisms to die
Thermal water pollution is the degradation of water quality by any process that changes ambient water temperature. Thermal pollution is frequently connected with increases or decreased of water temperatures in varying bodies of water throughout the world such as a stream, lake, or ocean due to the discharge of heated water from industrial processes. Generation of electricity is a major factor in thermal water pollution. A universal cause of thermal pollution is the use of water as a coolant by power plants and industrial manufacturers. Thermal pollution can also be caused by the discharge of very cold water from the bottom of reservoirs into warmer rivers which cause a discrepancy in the temperature.

Methods of Detection: Cause and Affect

Biological pollutants, such as viruses, protozoan, and parasitic worms, enter the environment by human and animal wastes infected with the pollutants. Through unsanitary conditions and poor sewage treatment, they get dumped into waterways. While water is regularly used for leisure activities, drinking, and bathing, the chance of coming in contact with these pollutants grows. These pollutants can cause a variety of diseases such as typhoid and cholera. To find out the gravity of the biological pollution, the EPA obtains a sample of water to find out the amount of bacteria per 100 milimeters.

Chemical pollutants, such as aluminum, lead, arsenic, are common in household chemicals and industrial sources. With poor waste management, these pollutants can be directly dumped into the water. Some animals, such as the dolphin, have high levels of mercury in their body that also contribute to the pollution. With direct ingestion or accumulation of tissues of other infected animals, these hazardous chemicals can poison humans. When poisoned, a human can have long lasting effects such as cancer, genetic mutations, miscarriages, and birth defects. To detect the extent of chemical water pollution, scientists analyze the level of the contaminant in the water consumed and therefore evaluate daily water intake.

Physical pollutants, like sediments filled with pesticides, bacteria, and other harmful substances, most harshly affect animals and marine life rather than humans. Infected sediment is a direct result of erosion, deforestation, and agricultural and hydroelectric projects. This sediment fills lakes, harbors, reservoirs, and other aquatic environments. It can prevent photosynthesis by reducing the sunlight in the water and can disrupt underwater food webs. Sediment can destroy feeding and spawning grounds of fish, preventing them from filling their niche in the community. Physical pollutants can be detected in laboratories. Here samples of water (including the sediment on the ocean floor) are analyzed for contaminants, and it is determined what happened as a result of the contaminant to the aquatic environment.
Thermal pollution is most commonly caused by water used for cooling electric power plants. Almost half of the water taken by the United States each year is used for cooling purposes. This pollution causes dissolved oxygen levels, which can make aquatic environments more prone to disease, parasites, and toxic chemicals. Thermal pollution can also result in sudden death for any marine species. Thermal pollution is one of the easiest types of pollution to identify. When change in a community occurs, scientists can sample the water and cross-reference the temperatures from the past and present.

Repercussions:
Biological water pollution includes pollutants such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Vibrio cholerae. Lakes, river and oceans always contain some bacteria and microorganisms. Although many of these substances are harmless, drinking water is, for the most part, kept bacteria-free. Some bacteria in water cause extreme illness. (This will be discussed further in the known health risks section) Water that is overly polluted with biological waste will have a distinct, nasty odor or taste and have a cloudy appearance.

Chemical pollution includes metals and solvents from factories, pesticides from farms, laundry detergents, and petroleum from oil spills. The presence of harmful chemicals in water has become one of the most crucial environmental issues. These chemical directly affect the species that inhabit the water. Glyphosate, a pesticide chemical that has entered waterways because of run-off, caused a delay in the metamorphosis process of tadpoles, which resulted in a 70% decrease in frog biodiversity. Also, oil often inadvertently enters our waterways. It can seep into marsh and sediments and loiter there for decades, negatively affecting marsh grasses, marine worms, and other aquatic life forms that live in, on, or near the sediment.

Physical pollution is pollution caused by suspended solids, foaming, or radioactivity. Suspended solids, such as human trash, can choke marine life and, if it is an item such as a battery, can release harmful chemicals into the water. Foaming may be the result of detergents or a broken sewage pipe. These pollutions are both harmful to the marine life and to humans if we are exposed to the water. Detergents can often cause excessive algae growth, which depletes the water of necessary oxygen. Foam has been known to fill in spaces between rocks where bug larvae grow, but the foam prevents this. Bugs are an important food source for many fish. Radioactivity in the water causes things such as seaweed to become radioactive and this seaweed may someday be eaten by a human.

Thermal pollution harms lakes and rivers because of the release of excessive waste heat into them by industrial processes. For example, water can be heated by factories when it was used to cool machines and then was released back into the water. The change in temperature in a place is catastrophic to that entire ecosystem. The marine life present there is not adapted to that temperature and will often die.

The Proactive Measures
Many proactive measures are being taken to prevent biological pollution. Drinking water is cleaned and filtered vigorously. Any bacteria in it are killed. In fact, some scientists believe the human population has killed too much bacteria, eliminating the bacteria that are beneficial. To prevent chemical pollution, many strict regulations have been applied to factories. They cannot simply release waste into waterways. Also, companies that sell pesticides and household chemicals are producing less-harmful alternatives. Laws restricting dumping of trash prevent some physical pollution. To prevent thermal pollution, some factories have man-made cooling ponding to use for industrial cooling, rather than using natural water bodies which are filled with marine life. Other factories use the heat left in the water to heat building and other domestic purposes before releasing the water.

The Known Health Risks
Biological pollutants can cause many health risks. Many diseases can be caused by the drinking of infected water. “Beaver Fever”, otherwise known as Giardiasis, is caused by a single-celled parasite that lives in the intestines of humans and animals. When the parasite reproduces, it forms cysts, which can stay in the water for up to two months. Illness can occur if this contaminated water is drunk. Microorganisms from human waste, meat packing plants, and food operations can cause water to become polluted. Testing of plant or animal indicators can be used to supervise the health of an environment. Washing your car away from storm drains, checking your septic system every 3 to 5 years, not throwing trashing into sewage drains, and cleaning up oil and other liquid spills properly are all methods the can be used to prevent biological pollution.
Chemical water pollution can have devastating effects on the brains of children, causing autism, and celeberal paulsy. The cause of these lifelong impacts on the brain is the low-levels of lead and mercury. Drowziness, hallucinations, headaches, convulsions, confusion, severe stomach, leg, and back pain, cancer, loss in vision and hearing, and difficulty concentrating are caused by chemicals such as Acrylamide, Acetone, and Styrene. Some preventive measures against chemical water pollution are choosing what type of products you use, such as shampoo, conditioners, detergents, that have a minimal amount of harmful chemicals.
Physical water pollution has many harmful effects on both humans and the environment. Typhoid, ameobiasis, hookworm, and ascariasis are all water borne diseases that can be caused by physical water pollutants. Foaming and radioactivity are also impacts of physical water pollution. Sedimentation, water filters, and disinfection, are all methods used to remove sediment and other forms of physical water pollution out of water.
To prevent thermal water pollution, we must prevent soil erosion, deforestation on the shoreline, using power plants to create electricity of fossil fuels, and not using water as a cooling agent in industrial facilities. Some preventive measures against thermal pollution are using hybrid power plants and combination cooling towers. Cooling towers are used to precool water before the discharge directing heat to the atmosphere instead.

Environmental factors, cultural beliefs, and socioeconomic considerations on the health of a society
The health of a water-using society is largely impacted by environmental factors, cultural beliefs, and socioeconomic considerations. An example of these impacts is prominently observed in South Africa. There are many small towns in these countries, each of which are built around a water body. For example, the town of Harare in Zimbabwe is built around Lake Chivero. The lake has been polluted with high levels of toxic metals as well as being filled with sewage discharge. There has been a huge increase in fish mortality because of these unsanitary conditions. However, it is not only the fish that are being affected. The towns located around the lake use this water body for bathing, drinking, cooking, and other domestic activities. The Sadc region in Africa is also being largely affected by polluted water sources. Untreated industrial waste is regularly discharged into streams and rivers. There are many villages in Swaziland residing in these areas whose lives, for years, have depended on these waterways. Toxic and radioactive substances generated from industries are contaminating rivers, which is causing severe, long-term health effects on the people. Not only do towns in Southern Africa use the waterways for daily domestic reasons, but the water is also used for religious practices. Water contamination in Southern Africa has become such a prominent issue because of the poverty of these areas. The government does not have the funds to clean the polluted water, build sewage treatment plants, or find alternative resources. Water pollution has become a universal concern; however, the problem is must severe in areas that are poverty-stricken.

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The Introduction
1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water, and industrial waste are discharged into US waters annually. The US EPA has warned that sewage levels in rivers could be back to the super-polluted levels of the 1970s by the year 2016.Water pollution is caused by many sources that are involved in our everyday lives. These sources come from many different places and can be broken into three groups: agricultural waste, domestic waste, and industrial waste. The pollutants in each group help with the classification. Agricultural waste is classified into natural and non-natural sources, while industrial waste is classified into the specific types of pollutants. The three groups are caused mostly by the everyday activities of humans. They have many negative effects on the environment and human health. However, some are trying to restore the earth’s original health by simple measures such as buying items in bulk. By understanding the classifications of water pollution, agricultural, domestic, and industrial waste, the waters can return to a sustainable health, which will benefit future generations of all organisms.

The Classifications
Agricultural wastes consist of two different types: natural (organic) wastes and non-natural wastes. Organic wastes, such as animal wastes or dead plants, are usually not harmful to the environment; on the contrary, they can enrich the soil with nutrients and minerals. Non-natural wastes include packaging or non-packaging plastics, agrochemicals (pesticides, etc.), and animal health products. These are the main pollutants that truly create problems.
Several types of domestic waste include ignitable, corrosive, poison, cleaning solutions, and automotive wastes. Ignitable pollutants are items such as adhesives and glues that are frequently used, but when glued trash is disposed of improperly, it can end up in a lake or river. Corrosive pollutants are cleaning items like toilet bowl cleaners in which the harsh chemicals are great for tidying the bathroom, but fatal to our waterways. Poison pollutants include ant and roach killers; after one sprays these chemicals out on a deck or patio, the rain will drain these poisons into the water at one point or another. Cleaning solutions, like oven cleaners, can be toxic, acidic, and decrease growth in underwater ecosystems. Automotive wastes such as brake fluid can leak onto the roads and run directly into drain polluting their purity.
Industrial waste is one of the more lethal types of water pollution sources that consist of toxic (heavy metals), ignitable (oxidizers), corrosive (alkaline degreasers), and reactive pollutants (cyanide wastes). These contaminants don’t get as much publicity when it comes to their affect on waters, but they have some of the most deadly effects.

The Methods of Detection
Agricultural Waste
One type of pollution concerning agricultural waste is directly affected by fertilizers and pesticides from farms that contain nitrogen. When it rains, the fertilizer runs off into rivers and lakes, filling it with nitrogen. This causes a thriving algae population growth because algae lives off of the nutrients the fertilizers provide. Once all of the food is gone, the algae die and sink to the bottom using all of the oxygen in the water. Because the water is depleted of nutrients and oxygen, live is not sustainable making it a dead zone. This process is called eutrophication, a deadly process that can deplete the water of essential items and cause the ecosystem to be off balance. When this process occurs, it will kill fish, among other species, causing their population to decrease. This “dead zone” is forever unsustainable unless proactive measures are taken. A method of detecting eutrophication is the Chemiluminescent Method. Using machines like the one to the left, scientists can detect the amount of dissolved nitrogen in the water, which is very helpful in identifying the health of an ecosystem. This gives a very accurate picture if eutrophication is happening, because eutrophication is dependant of nitrogen.

Domestic Waste
Domestic waste is one of the most publicly broadcasted pollution sources, and much knowledge is known about the sources. Causes of domestic waste include land clearing, road and building construction, fertilizer application, road salt application, natural vegetation destruction, wetland and riparian area destruction, septic tank use, and pet wastes. It is not hard to identify which daily activities help pollute waters. These daily activities increase toxic chemicals in the environment, water temperature, pathogens, likeliness of human disease outbreak, swimming beach closures, and decline in species health. In order to detect when this pollution is occurring, scientists use short-term respirometry. A short-term batch respirometric test coupled with ultraviolet (UV) photometry was developed to detect the presence in wastewater of toxic substances such as heavy metals, cleaning and sanitizing agents, and textile dyes. Tests have been carried out on a wastewater plant having various toxic substances. This was performed in order to determine the usefulness of this method for detecting toxic events. Short-term respirometry gives an estimation of the immediate biological activity, which is influenced by all of the pollutants and contaminants in the waters. To separate both effects, scientists combined short-term respirometry with a rapid estimation of pollution by UV-spectrophotometry.

Industrial Waste
Industrial waste is probably the most toxic type of waste there is. Its causes are made by careless decisions and an economic mind instead of an ecological mind. Many industrial facilities use freshwater to carry away the plant’s waste into rivers, lakes, and oceans. The industrial processes use chemicals that are often very dangerous forms of waste. Most industries have displayed an unwillingness to find ways to deal with this hazardous waste because of the expenses needed to carry out the process. Even worse, many industries and governments create crude landfills to store waste, and usually just dump these waste chemicals into nearby bodies of water. These acts can effect the environment in unimaginable ways. Many dangerous chemicals are now floating in the water killing the marine life and polluting our vital sources of water. This waste causes illnesses like asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer, intestinal cancer and liver cancer. It is harmful to the health of many animals, including humans, as it can slow down the action of bodily enzymes. Industrial waste is so complex that it is hard to clean up once the environment is contaminated. It can cause illness through mercury poisoning, or cause eutrophication, which is very problematic to marine environments. All the oil from the industrious waste doesn’t dissolve in water; it forms a thick layer on the water surface preventing the marine plants from receiving the light needed for photosynthesis. Industrial waste can be detected using green chemistry; it’s a chemical analysis that is quick and doesn’t produce any chemical waste in the process. It used by aiming a laser beam at the material sample that is being tested. This causes a tiny amount of it to be vaporized so that optical and mass analysis techniques and unique computer software can analyze the sample in seconds. This will help identify the amount of lead or other chemicals that are poisoning the marine environment the sample is from.

The Repercussions
Agricultural waste, if not properly managed, can have devastating effects of the environment and quality of water. Contaminants such as pesticides, nitrates, bacteria, herbicides, and phosphates can have shocking effects on groundwater that runs under agricultural areas. The increase in nitrogen in the water can increase the algal population therefore eliminating oxygen from the water and making it uninhabitable, and undrinkable.
Domestic wastes, when dumped into water sources, can be harmful to marine life. Not always fatal, but infection and disease can spread through the fish population and infect other animals higher up on the food chain. For example, when these infected fish are caught by humans and are consumed, it can result in birth defects and cancers in humans.
Industrial waste is being dumped into waterways and improperly contained, which is causing serious problems. This is causing leakage into groundwater and ground waters. Industrial pollution impacts the quality and quantity of our water sources. It is probable that the waste will enter the soil causing widespread environmental problems.The nature of the global environment is having an affect on industrial pollution. It is limited to industrial nations. It is now limited to industrial nations. Ice cores from Antarctica and the Artic display high levels of industrial pollutants. Illustrating the immense distances that pollutants can travel, and traces of industrial pollutants have been identified in isolated human, animal, and plant populations as well.

The Pro-active Measures
Many things are being done to mend or prevent the current health condition of agricultural waste. Some include rotational grazing and pasture renovation. Rotational grazing is the process of moving livestock to a fresh pasture to allow the previously grazed pastures to grow back. Pasture renovation has various practices such as inter-seeding legumes, fertilizing, liming, controlling weeds, and the improvement of grazing management. These efforts strive to improve the sustainability of pastures and renew the land. Riparian buffers, strips of land bordering bodies of water to improve water quality, and other structures should be used to prevent waste contamination of water.
There are many ways to prevent domestic waste that can be done in one’s household, such as choosing small containers instead of large ones when purchasing food. Also, buying food in bulk will reduce the amount of plastic or containers that will go back into the environment. Recycling, without the bottle caps on, can help use plastics in a different way, instead of putting them in a landfill where they can never break down. Returning containers to the industry, such as glass bottles, and taking advantage of refills that are available, such as with shampoo, can greatly reduce the amount of domestic waste.
To reduce the amount of industrial waste produced, many precautions can be taken. Properly disposing of and storing of toxic contaminants such as heavy metals, alkaline degreasers, and oxidizers, can reduce the amount foolishly disposed of into the waterways. Also, using non-toxic cleaning materials and finding alternative items that aren’t so harmful. Although proactive measure may be more expensive, it would benefit the environment and possibly save the company in years to come.

The Health Risks
Pollution in our water has many extremely hazardous health risks. One factor that contributes greatly to water pollution is agricultural waste. For example, farms that raise cattle, swine, and poultry feed these animals special foods that are rich in heavy metals, such as copper and zinc. They are essential nutrients for animal growth. These metals are released in manure, which is later used as a fertilizer. Through rainwater or erosion, the metals will eventually enter the water as runoff. Being exposed to this water can have many negative effects. Some health risks include kidney problems, nervous system dysfunctions, headaches, and cardiovascular system problems. Also, pesticides are commonly used in agriculture. They are full of carcinogens, which cause cancer. Domestic waste is also a major polluter of water. Many household products and wastes can get into our waters due to carelessness or illegal garbage dumping. These are known to cause cancer, organ failure, tooth decay, skin irritation, infections, and birth defects. Many countries have problems with their water being polluted with human feces. Drinking this contaminated water cause illnesses such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. These illnesses lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Countries such as China, which are rapidly industrializing, have extremely polluted water. Industrial waste in water has many horrific health risks. The water pollution can be caused from industrial waste being dumped into waterways or improper storage of the waste, which leads to leaks the run into groundwater or waterways. Chemicals such as PCBs, radon, ammonia, chromium, cause long-term effects such birth defects and short-term effects such as sicknesses. Mercury can lead to nervous disorders. However, the most evident effect of being exposed to this water is cancer. Also, sulfur dioxide, released from burning fossil fuels, can cause acid precipitation, which runs into waterways. This water can cause heart and lung disorders, such as asthma and emphysema. The health risks caused by water pollution are extremely important and demand immediate attention.

The Preventative Measures
Water pollution has become such a major catastrophe that environmental organizations have been researching ways to help eliminate this problem and many people, who are becoming aware of this issue, are developing preventive measures to help control the pollution. To deal with agricultural pollution, some people are supporting small farmers rather than large, industrious farms. These small farms pay more attention to how they affect the local waterways. They use waste and fertilizers in field at responsible amount, minimizing their effect on the waterways. To help with the problem of toxic pesticides entering waterways through runoff, some companies, such as Fertrell, are creating pesticides that are less harmful. Fertrell, for example, has created a line of completely organic pesticides.

To deal with domestic waste water pollution, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working on the Clean Water Act which is regulating pollution in drinking water. Of course, there are preventive measures that we all usually participate in. This includes habits like throwing garbage in a can rather than on the ground when you’re at the beach and not dumping our household trash into lakes or rivers. Also, people must dispose of potentially harmful substances, such as batteries and cleaning chemical, in the proper manner.

There is not much the average person can do to prevent industrial water pollution. It is in the hands of the factories to figure out alternative ways to produce products that have a reduced impact on the environment. The US government also regulates the amount of waste that a factory emits. Many more people all over the world need to start to take action to help prevent water pollution.
The Environmental, Cultural, and Socioeconomic Factors
Contaminated water is directly affecting many societies by the environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic factors around them. On California beaches, workers use specialized nets made to clean up oil from tanker spills, these spills are a huge problem due to the fact that it is almost impossible to remove the oil, and when it is done right it is time consuming and dangerous. Economic development is directly affected water; industrialized countries have bacterial contamination due to the waste that causes serious health problems in major cities. Europe and North America have begun building sewer networks to direct domestic waste away from water sources, but rapid growth has outpaced the ability of these positive actions. Ever since the chemical age has dawned, these industrial and agricultural chemicals heavily impacted water quality. Eutrophication, nitrification, and acidification have been affecting world water sources for years. In newly industrialized countries, like China, India, Thailand, and Brazil, where they otherwise wouldn’t have been affected, are facing all of these issues concurrently. In America, leisurely activities have become more and more directed towards water (fishing, boating, swimming). Not only are theses activities dumping more wastes into the water, like gasoline, trash, and chemicals, but humans are affected by these activities too. Someone who lives by a beach and swims in the water regularly has a higher chance of getting affected by the chemicals in the water. Water in religion is essential to be clean. Hindus believe all water is sacred, especially in rivers, while Christians need clean water for baptismal and communal practices. Religious groups believe and try to convey that keeping water clean is in our best interest to be spiritually moral.

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Two Classifications of Water Pollution Sources

The Introduction
Water is essential for life and no matter who or what you are, if you want to survive, you have to consume it. Water makes up 70% of this planet, and 97 % of that is salt water. Out of the 3% that is fresh, and able to be consumed, only a third of that we have access too. But humans have been polluting that water at an outstanding rate, and eventually not every human will have access and many will perish. The pollution is classified into two major categories, Point and Non-Point Sources. These sources are classified based on their causes, and both have detrimental effects on the environment. To begin, let’s discuss these types of pollution.

The Classifications
To begin, water pollution is classified into two main spectrums. Scientists and specialists classify the pollution based on the source itself. If the pollution comes from one single source, it is a called Point-Source Pollution. An example, like the image to the right, would be a sewage pipe emptying into a freshwater source.
If the pollution comes from multiple sources it is called Nonpoint-Source Pollution, an example would be polluted runoff from agricultural areas contaminating a river. The picture above shows a few types of this kind of pollution.

The Methods of Detection
Secondly, these types of pollution can be detected many different ways. Contaminated water is detected most precisely in laboratories,like the one to the left, where scientists can take different samples of measure and they are analyzed for specific contaminants. Using computer models, scientists can also determine what dangers there can be in certain marine environments. They import the data they have collected on a specific area and the computer measures if the water has any impurities or a chance for serious pollution. A much less precise detection that is used is utilizing living organisms for detection of pollutants. Changes in normal behavior or growth shows that the water in that specific habitat is tainted. Specific properties of these organisms can give information on the sort of pollution in their environment.
You and I could also tell if water is contaminated, without any tests or experiments. If there is a dead zone in an area, obviously something is wrong. Also if there is a weird taste, or if the water appears different or unsanitary, the water is most likely contaminated. If the water feels oily, or leaves the hands feeling coated, there is something wrong with the water.

The Causes
There are dozens of reasons for water contamination. Oil pollution, including mass spills, which is a point source and smaller leaks from cars and boats are all contributing, which is an example of nonpoint pollution. The dumping of sewage and wastewater into rivers and oceans is a major cause. Industrial factories release water and toxins into streams, rivers, and oceans. Atmospheric pollution is even affecting our water sources; acid rain and atmospheric deposition can contaminate the water. Other pollutants are: eutrophication, marine dumping, radioactive waste, underground storage leakages, and even global warming. All of these are also examples of nonpoint pollution. However, the cause of all of this is the capitalistic mind of man.



The Effects
Contaminated water is affecting every living organism on this planet, including humans. Organic matter and nutrients cause an increase in aerobic algae and depletes oxygen from the water column. This suffocates fish and other aquatic organisms, creating what we call a Dead Zone, the picture to the left is a dead give away of a dead zone. Sulfate particles from acid rain can harm the health of marine life in the rivers and lakes it contaminates, and can result in mortality. Suspended particles in freshwater reduces the quality of drinking water for animals that drink from the source and the aquatic environment for marine life. Suspended particles can often reduce the amount of sunlight penetrating the water, disrupting the growth of photosynthetic plants and microorganisms. Discarded or lost fishing gear (Such as line, rope, and nets) and certain trash items can entangle marine animal’s fins or flippers, causing drowning or painful and slow amputation. Marine debris can also degrade coral reefs, sea grass beds, and other aquatic habitats.

The Measures After Detection
When pollution is detected, it should be met with a quick and effective technique. If pollution cannot be taken care of preemptively, than it must be saved before too many lives are lost. The best way to clean water is through Industrial treatment, this is a fast and simple way to clean basic pollutants in a very large quantity. In the photo to the right, there is an example of a water treatment plant. Also storing waste in septic tanks is a smart way to clean waste and store it for later. Through a process called Denitrification, scientists are able to remove nitrogen and store it as a gas for other uses. Another way is to treat water is using the Ozone wastewater treatment. Every day researchers are looking for new and better ways to clean water.


The Risks
Polluted water brings about many risks for the human body and its health. Disease and other hazards often come from long term or frequent exposure to contaminated water. Several factors that cause water pollution also cause disease and have adverse effects on the humans that consume them. Untreated sewage water, for example can contaminate the water in an environment and be consumed by humans. The result of this would be sickness, such as diarrhea. Sewage can produce microbial pollutants that can lead to infectious diseases. The diseases can affect the organisms living in the water source as well as the terrestrial organisms that drink the water. Microbial pollution is becoming a major problem in the developing world. This pollution has been recorded to cause diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. Typhoid fever is the primary cause of infant mortality. Industrial processes can also pollute the water. The pollution from these processes can be heavy metals like lead. They can be consumed by marine organisms and subsequently consumed by humans. These metals can stunt a person’s development and can result in birth defects. Some of these metals can also be carcinogenic which would contribute to causing cancer. Industrial waste also contains other toxic compounds that are harmful to humans. These toxins can have mild effects and even lead to fatalities. Some specific effects that the toxins can have are immune suppression, reproductive failure, and acute poisoning.


The Methods of Prevention
The world’s population as a whole can avoid health risks that are born from water pollution. These methods must be done as one effort in an attempt to save planet Earth and the human population. Steps to prevent water pollution involve conserving water. Turning tap water when it is not immediately being used can conserve water. Turning off the water can help to prevent water shortages and it reduces the amount of contaminated water that needs to be treated. Also, be careful of what you throw down your sink or toilet. Do not throw paints, oils, or other forms of litter down the drain. Use environmentally friendly household products such as washing powder, household cleaning agents and toiletries. Take care not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers. This will prevent runoff of the material into nearby water sources. By having more plants in your garden you can prevent those fertilizers, pesticides and contaminated water from running off into nearby water sources. Another important, and obvious method of prevention, is not throwing litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean up any litter you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes and make sure it is safe to collect the litter and put it in a nearby dustbin.

Environmental Factors
Africa
In the dry savannahs or scorching deserts in Africa, water sources (let alone clean water sources) aren’t very common. A small river or a tiny lake may be all a poor community has to live off of. Regardless of whether it is sanitary or not, these people have to use this water to survive. Women are cleaning their babies with contaminated water and making them susceptible to water-related diseases and are putting unwanted bacteria into their child’s body. These African people are unknowingly slowly infecting themselves which could be fatal.


America
In America, people take most of their neighborly water sources for granted and as a result, pollute them. Local beaches, oceans, lakes, and rivers become polluted in to a point that even if it is freshwater, it cannot be used. This causes a decrease in available sources; therefore when a clean freshwater source is found, it is vastly overexploited. This overexploitation adds to the problem of decreasing available sources and puts more stress on future generation for water.

Cultural Beliefs
Africa
Urbanization is increasing in the Sadc region and water experts say most cities have not been able to develop the basic utilities for water and environmental services (solid waste disposal systems, sewage treatment and industrial pollution control) to keep pace with the rapid growth. African cities are in such high demand for proper housing, electronics, and ultimately a stable community, which is resulting in ignorance for water treatment facilities. They are becoming overloaded and facing serious difficulties in handing the increasing volumes of wastewater generated by the increasing urban population.

America
In one week, a typical cruise ship generates 210,000 gallons of sewage;
1,000,000 gallons of "gray water" from showers, sinks, dishwashers and clothes washers; 37,000 gallons of oily bilge water; more than eight tons of solid waste; and toxic wastes from onboard operations like dry cleaners and photo processing laboratories. Demand for leisure activities and vacations have resulting in the huge industry of cruise ships. These cruise ships are giving Americans the chance to sleep, dine, and have fun at the sea while stopping at ports to see beautiful sites. What seemed like a great idea has turned into a water contaminating monster.

Socioeconomic Considerations
America
Pollution from agriculture may include animal feeding operations, animal waste treatment lagoons, or storage, handling, mixing, and cleaning areas for pesticides, fertilizers, and petroleum. And if we ended up stopping production of such products not only would thousands of jobs be lost but production of crops would slow, and millions would go starving.




Africa
The first contributor to water pollution in Africa is the mining organizations and farmers. Many of the mines are polluting the water with their waste and there is very little being done to control this. Farmers are asked not to plant on the land that is within 30 or 40m of the waterways such as rivers and numerous wetlands. This informal law is notfrequently followed by the farmers that know that the Western Cape Department of Agriculture only has two inspectors that work to enforce this.

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