Environmental Pollution

Causes of Water Pollution

  1. Industrial Waste:

Industrial waste includes huge amounts of toxic chemicals and pollutants such as lead, mercury, sulphur and asbestos. Often, industries lack proper waste management systems. Consequently, their waste is drained into rivers which lead to the sea. These toxic chemicals cause eutrophication and can even change the water’s color or temperature, both of which threaten marine life. 1

  1. Sewage and waste water:

Sewage water contains deadly bacteria and chemicals that lead to severe health issues. Pathogens commonly found in sewers can carry fatal diseases. Sewer lines also have the potential to leak and contaminate the underground drinking water which then becomes unsafe to consume. Domestic sewage is incredibly toxic to organisms and the environment if it is not adequately treated or disposed of correctly. 2

  1. Marine Dumping:

Garbage is sometimes deposited into the sea in some countries. Items like rubber, glass, plastic, paper and aluminum can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 200 years to decompose, polluting the water and endangering marine life like birds. 3 The short clip from a documentary below reveals the tragic effect of plastic garbage on the birds of Midway Island.

http://youtu.be/dtJFiIXp5Bo

4. Oil Spills:

When a ship transporting large amounts of oil accidentally spills this toxic fuel into the ocean, the consequences can be deadly for fish, birds and sea otters. 4

5. Burning of Fossil Fuels:

Coal and oil are two fossil fuels that produce ash in the atmosphere when burned. The particles released contain toxic chemicals which cause acid rain when mixed with water vapor. 5 When acid builds up in the water, it can lower the water’s pH to a point where the water can no longer support aquatic life. Acid rain also damages forests by making trees more susceptible to disease and insects by interfering with their growth, destroying their leaves and harming the bark. 6

6.  Chemical Fertilizers:

Fertilizers and pesticides allow farms to protect their crops from insects. However, rain can cause these chemicals to leak into the groundwater. Runoff travels into rivers and canals with the potential to severely harm plants and animals. 7

  1. Conserve-Energy-Future. “What is Water Pollution?” Accessed December 12, 2014, http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/sources-and-causes-of-water-pollution.php. ↩
  2. Ibid. ↩
  3. Ibid. ↩
  4. Ibid. ↩
  5. Ibid. ↩
  6. “What is Acid Rain?” Conserve Energy Future, Accessed December 12, 2014,  http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-acid-rain.php. ↩
  7. Conserve-Energy-Future. “What is Water Pollution?” Accessed December 12, 2014, http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/sources-and-causes-of-water-pollution.php. ↩