US Green Living .com
Water bodies including lakes, oceans, rivers and groundwater are affected by adverse chaemicals as well as natural disasters causing water pollution.
These harmful effects cause ecological imbalance in the status of water around the globe. Organic wastes including sewage create high demands for oxygen on the affected water bodies creating oxygen depletion inducing potential hazard
on the entire eco-system Variety of discharges from industries such as metals resin pellets, organic toxins, oils, nutrients, and solids generate huge collection of pollutants in water. Discharges might also have thermal effects, especially those from power plants, and this also deplete the oxygen level in the water. Silt bearings pieces from several activities like waste from the construction site, deforestation as well as agricultural waste can reduce the infiltration of sunlight through the water column, limiting photosynthesis and creating blanketing of the water in the lake or river causing ecological imbalance.
Pollutants in water comprises of variety of chemicals, physical chemistry as well as sensory variations. Most of the chemical substances exhibit toxic effects. Pathogens might result in waterborne diseases for human beings and animals. Acidity, Temperature variation and difference in conductivity are some form of alterations found in the water due to pollution.
Eutrophication refers to fertilization of surface water by nutrients which are generally scarce. Several municipal water supplies in urbanized countries can show health risks. Water Pollution has become one of the major sources of waterborne diseases creating a world wide concern with an average recording of more than 14,000 people dying daily due to water pollution.
There are several source of pollution in the water bodies. Some of them include waste released as by product from the industrial discharge and Surface scraps from fertilizers and pesticides. Even the wastes discharges after wrong agriculture would result in water pollution. At times the hot water or the contaminated water from the process units might produce severe water pollution. Water pollution is also produced from the discharge generated by burning the high sulfur fossil fuels. Leaking of underground storage tanks can lead to contamination of the soil followed by aquifer contamination. Incorrect disposal of several solid wastes, littering and oil spilling can also be a potential source of water contamination.
There is a need to adopt Policies to prevent water pollution in the rivers, lakes and oceans around the world. Efforts are to be made to control the discharge being sent to the above water bodies. Should there be a need to clear the water discharges, there should be systematic way to manage the liquid waste so as to ensure it does not pollute the water meant for usage.
Effluent treatment mechanisms may be implemented in the industries. Wet process in the industries can be thought of replacing with dry process like replacing acids with sand blasting where in liquid effluents are not produced.
To reduce the volume of effluents, less polluted waste water may be used in rinsing process in the factories. Treatment plants are to be used as far as possible in all the industries reducing the effect of water pollution caused by harmful chemicals.
