water pollution causes and effect of water pollution and

ways to save water and ways to reduce water pollution

CLASS:2 DELPHI
NAME:KOOIYIXUAN
AHMAD ASYRAAF
RAVIN
Woo Chieh Xuan

Causes of water pollution

WASTEWATER
Domestic households, industrial and
agricultural practices produce wastewater
that can cause pollution of many lakes and
rivers.

Marine Dumping
Litter items such as 6-pack ring packaging can
get caught in marine animals and may result
in death.

Industrial waste
Industry is a huge source of water pollution, it
produces pollutants that are extremely
harmful to people and the environment.

Global Warming
An increase in water temperature can result in
the death of many aquatic organisms and
disrupt many marine habitats. For example, a
rise in water temperatures causes coral
bleaching of reefs around the world. This is
when the coral expels the microorganisms of
which it is dependent on. This can result in
great damage to coral reefs and
subsequently, all the marine life that depends
on it.

Effects of water pollution

1. Human Health
We all drink water that comes from a source: this may be a lake or local river.
In countries that have poor screening and purification practices, people often
get water-borne disease outbreaks such as cholera and tuberculosis. Every
year, there are an estimated 35 million cholera cases and 100,000120,000
deaths due to cholera. (WHO estimates that only 510% of cases are
officially reported.)
In developed countries, even where there are better purification methods,
people still suffer from the health effects of water pollution. Take toxins
emitted by algae growth for instance: this can cause stomach aches and
rashes. Excess nitrogen in drinking water also pose serious risks to
infants. EPAs 2010 National Lakes Assessment found that almost 20 percent
of the nations lakes have high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution.
The report also showed that poor lake conditions related to nitrogen or
phosphorus pollution doubled the likelihood of poor ecosystem health 1.

2. Ecosystems

Nutrient pollution from upstream (creeks and streams)

often flow downhill and even travel miles into other
larger water bodies. The effect is that, it breeds algae
growth and causes the growth of many more water
organism. This algae attack affects fish and other
aquatic animals by absorbing and reducing their oxygen
supply. Algae growth also clogs fish gills. Naturally, the
order of ecosystems in that water are affected
negatively, as the destruction or introduction of any
foreign organism alter the entire food chain in there.

3. Death of animals

Animals, including water animals die when water is poisoned for

various reasons. Other animals are stressed and their
populations are endangered. In a classic case of marine pollution
in recent time, 16000 miles of a US coastline was affected by an
oil spill. That water pollution caused a lot of damage and deaths
of many animals. Over 8,000 animals (birds, turtles, mammals)
were reported dead just 6 months after the spill, including many
that are already on the endangered species list. Immediate
impact on the wildlife includes oil-coated birds and sea turtles,
mammal ingestion of oil, and dead or dying deep sea coral 2.
Animals are also affected by solid waste thrown into water
bodies, as they harm them in many ways.

4. Economic cost
From

the above it is evident that there is some real financial

implications that will result from water pollution. It can cost a lot more
to purify drinking water that takes its source from nutrient polluted
water bodies. Fishing stock is affected negatively when there is a
depletion of oxygen. Consumers are also weary of fish from these
sources and tend to stay away from them, costing fisheries to lose
revenue. In places where there are water activities or sports, lots of
money is spent to clean up the water from algae blooms and the
like. The U.S. tourism industry loses close to $1 billion each year,
mostly from losses in fishing and recreational activities because of
nutrient-polluted water bodies. In Mississippi alone, tourism in the
three counties that border the Gulf Coast accounts for about $1.6
billion in visitor expenditures, 32 percent of state travel and tourism tax
revenues, and 24,000 direct jobs3

HOW TO SAVE WATER IN HOME

1.

2.

3.

4.

Check faucets and pipes for leaks

A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of
water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.
Don't use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket
Every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or other
small bit of trash, five to seven gallons of water is wasted.
Check your toilets for leaks
Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing,
the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you
have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Most
replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.
Use your water meter to check for hidden water leaks
Read the house water meter before and after a two-hour
period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read
exactly the same, there is a leak.

HOW TO SAVE WATER IN THE

YARD
1. Don't water the gutter

Position your sprinklers so water lands on the lawn or garden, not

on paved areas. Also, avoid watering on windy days.
2. Don't run the hose while washing your car
Clean the car using a pail of soapy water. Use the hose only for
rinsing - this simple practice can save as much as 150 gallons
when washing a car. Use a spray nozzle when rinsing for more
efficient use of water. Better yet, use awaterless car washing
system; there are several brands, such as EcoTouch, which are
now on the market.
3. Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks
4. Check for leaks in pipes, hoses, faucets and couplings
Leaks outside the house may not seem as bad since they're not as
visible. But they can be just as wasteful as leaks indoors. Check
frequently to keep them drip-free. Use hose washers at spigots
and hose connections to eliminate leaks.

THE WAYS TO REDUCE WATER

POLLUTION
1. 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.
. DO NOT flush pills, liquid or powder medications
or drugs down the toilet. Because you will pollute
rivers , streams or pond.
3 . Avoid using a garbage disposal. Keep
solid
wastes solid. Make a
compost pile from vegetable scraps.

1. Run

the dishwasher or clothes washer only

when you have a full load. This conserves
electricity and water.
2. Use the minimum amount of detergent and/or bleach
when you are washing clothes or dishes. Use only
phosphate free soaps and detergents.
. inimize the use of pesticides, herbicides,
fertilizers. DO NOT dispose of these chemicals,
motor oil, or other automotive fluids into the
sanitary sewer or storm sewer systems. Both
of them end at the river.