WATER POLUTION

by, deena anuar

What is water
pollution?

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies.

Eg; lakes, rivers, oceans, aquirfers, groundwater
Water pollution occurs when pollutants are directly or
indirectly discharged into water bodies without
adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds.
Water pollution affects plants and organisms living in
these bodies of water.
In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to
individual species and populations, but also to the
natural biological communities

????Water pollution????

6 Facts of water pollution

The total volume of water available on Earth is about 1.4

billion km and about 70% of the earth is covered in water.

The largest quantities of water are in the oceans.
Fresh water in the world is only 2.5% of the total water
available on this planet. Make sure the water you drink is
clean with this water filter.
Around 70% of the industrial waste is dumped into the
water bodies where they pollute the usable water supply.
At least 320 million people in China do not have access to
clean drinking water.
20% of the groundwater in China is used as drinking water
which is highly contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals
which cause high levels of water pollution.

Steps to reduce water

pollution
DO NOT pour fat from cooking or any other type
of fat, oil, or grease down the sink. Keep a fat
jar under the sink to collect the fat and discard
in the solid waste when full.
Avoid using a garbage disposal. Keep solid
wastes solid. Make a compost pile from vegetable
scraps.
Run the dishwasher or clothes washer only when
you have a full load. This conserves electricity
and water.
Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides,
fertilizers. DO NOT dispose of these chemicals,
motor oil, or other automotive fluids into the

Just because it
disappears,
doesnt mean it
goes away

Effects of water pollution on living things

Water pollution is very harmful to humans, animals and
water life. The effects can be catastrophic, depending on
the kind of chemicals, concentrations of the pollutants and
where there are polluted. Below, we shall see a summary
of the effects of water pollution.
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.

Death of aquatic (water) animals

The main problem caused by water
pollution is that it kills life that depends on
these water bodies. Dead fish, crabs, birds
and sea gulls, dolphins, and many other
animals often wind up on beaches, killed
by pollutants in their habitat (living
environment).

Disruption of food-chains
Pollution disrupts the natural food chain as well. Pollutants
such as lead and cadmium are eaten by tiny animals. Later,
these animals are consumed by fish and shellfish, and the
food chain continues to be disrupted at all higher levels.
Examples of food chain:
Little fishes eat tiny organic particles

V
Big fishes eat tiny fishes

Humans eat fish

Diseases
Eventually, humans are affected by
this process as well. People can get
diseases such as hepatitis by eating
seafood that has been poisoned. In
many poor nations, there is always
outbreak of cholera and diseases as
a result of poor drinking water
treatment from contaminated waters

Destruction of ecosystems
Ecosystems (the interaction of living
things in a place, depending on each
other for life) can be severely changed
or destroyed by water pollution. Many
areas are now being affected by
careless human pollution, and this
pollution is coming back to hurt
humans in many ways.

Water Purification
Dipping your head into a cold mountain stream and taking a long
refreshing drink is an experience that has basically vanished from the
wilderness areas of America. With the increased use of the wilderness
there has also been an increase in the amount of bacteriological
contamination of backcountry water supplies. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency reports that 90 percent of the worlds water is
contaminated in some way. There are a variety of microscopic organisms
that can contaminate water supplies and cause potentially serious, even
fatal, illnesses among wilderness travelers. The major danger in the
backcountry from these infections is fluid loss due to diarrhea and
vomiting, which can lead to hypovolemic shock.In order to drink the water,
you should be prepared to treat it. There are numerous methods of water
purification, described below in order of effectiveness. Remember,
however, that infections can also be spread through poor personal hygiene,
something that purifying your water wont prevent.

Biologically Contaminated vs. Toxic Water

Biologically contaminated water is water that contains
microorganisms such as Giardia (a common
microorganism that, if not killed, leads to intestinal
disorders), bacteria, or viruses that can lead to
infections (see Gastrointestinal Infections, page 316).
Toxic water sources contain chemical contamination
from pesticide runoffs, mine tailings, and so on.
Boiling, filtering, or chemically treating water can
remove or kill microorganisms, but it will not remove
chemical toxins. This is also the case when using a
solar still (see page 223).

Boiling
Boiling is the most certain way of killing all
microorganisms. According to the Wilderness Medical
Society, water temperatures above 160 F (70 C)
kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and above 185 F
(85 C) within a few minutes. So in the time it takes
for the water to reach the boiling point (212 F or
100 C) from 160 F (70 C), all pathogens will be
killed, even at high altitude. To be extra safe, let the
water boil rapidly for one minute, especially at higher
altitudes since water boils at a lower temperature (see
page 68.)

Chemical Purification
There are two types of chemical treatment: those
using iodine and those using chlorine. There are a
variety of products on the market, so follow the
directions on the bottle. Be advised that many of
the tablets have an expiration date and become
ineffective after that point. Also, once the bottle
has been opened, the tablets must be used within
a certain period. When in doubt, buy a new bottle.
Remember that chemical purification methods
may only be partially effective, depending on the
water temperature. Chlorine Treatment

General Chemical Treatment Procedures

The effectiveness of all chemical treatment of water is related to the
temperature, pH level, and clarity of the water. Cloudy water often
requires higher concentrations of chemical to disinfect.
If the water is cloudy or filled with large particles, strain it, using a cloth,
before treatment. Large particles, if swallowed, may be purified only "on
the outside."
Add the chemical to the water and swish it around to aid in dissolving.
Splash some of the water with the chemical onto the lid and the threads
of the water bottle so that all water areas are treated.
The water should sit for at least 30 minutes after adding the chemical to
allow purification to occur. If using tablets, let the water sit for 30
minutes after the tablet has dissolved.
The colder the water, the less effective the chemical is as a purifying
agent. Research has shown that at 50 F (10 C),

 only 90 percent of Giardia cysts were inactivated after 30

minutes of exposure. If the water temperature is below
40 F (4 C), double the treatment time before drinking.
It is best if water is at least 60 F (16 C) before
treating. You can place the water in the sun to warm it
before treating.
Chemically treated water can be made to taste better by
pouring it back and forth between containers, after it has
been adequately treated. Other methods include adding a
pinch of salt per quart or adding flavorings (e.g.,
lemonade mix, etc.) after the chemical treatment period.

Filtration
There are a number of devices on the market that filter out
microorganisms. A water filter pumps water through a
microscopic filter that is rated for a certain-size organism.
The standard size rating is the micron (the period at the end
of this sentence is about 600 microns). Depending on the
micron rating of the filter, smaller organisms (like viruses)
can pass through. Be cautious when selecting a filter. You
should know what potential organisms you need to treat for.
You dont want to go to an area where a virus like hepatitis
A is present in the water (a problem in some developing
countries) with a filter that will handle only a larger
organism like Giardia.

Ways to Conserve Water

1. Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of
tissues, insects, and other such waste in the trash
rather in the toilet.
2. Never put water down the drain when there may be
another use for it such as watering a plant or garden.
3. Take shorter showers.
4. Create an awareness of the need for water
conservation among the children.
5. Water only when necessary. More plants die from
over-watering than from under-watering.
6. When ice cubes are leftover from your drink, dont
throw them out. Pour them on a plant.

Ways to control water

pollution

STEPS THAT CAN BE TAKEN BY

INDIVIDUALS AND GOVERMENT
As an individual we are responsible to control
water pollution in order to preserve and conserve
our water resource.
The government

Rivers in Malaysia

 If this continues, water source in our country will

be depleted and the next generation wont be
able to enjoy clean and safe drinking water.
We might end up drinking processed water from
faeces or sewage .

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
GOVERMERNT
Government should educate people so that they
understand what water pollution is and are aware of
how to control it by having campaigns. For an
example , in United States , United Kingdom,
Australia and Japan throughDive Against Debris,

Project AWARE volunteerscuba divers remove

undersea litter collected while diving and report
results. Trash removed during Dive Against
Debris makes the ocean safer for marine life, and
more importantly, information reported helps
inform policy change. This also helps in cleaning
the rivers and sterams

 Government authorities should have

regular checks on industries to ensure that
their waste is treated and disposed of in
correct ways.
Proper sanitary toilets should be build so
that sewage is properly collected and
treated. Overhanging latrines along river
banks should not be used.

 Authorities in-charge should patrol the seas to

prevent ships from discharging oil waste into the
seas.
Supervise lodging and opening up of land for
housing or industries so that siltation and
flooding.
Ensure that all anti-pollution laws are followed by
regular and strict checks.

THE RESPONSIBLITY OF AN
INDIVIDUAL
We should not throw garbage in
drains and rivers.

 We should not throw garbage or sewage

into ponds , lakes and rivers.
We should not build overhanging latrines
by river banks or streams.
We should bring to the attention of
authorities any case of people polluting
water.