ENGLISH 115
11-23-2013
Introduction
Both salty and fresh water take up to seventy-five percent of our planet’s surface. Thus, if polluted, the effects are likely to affect every life form interconnected to the ecosystem. These include humans, plants, marine, and terrestrial wildlife among others. In general, water pollution results from of the emission of organic, toxic, thermal, and non-organic wastes into water bodies. The causes can further take the form of two major levels: point source, and non-point source. Point source pollution targets water pollution agents that flow directly into large water bodies through rivers and streams. On the other hand, non-point source pollution describes the pollution, which happens through runoffs and leakages. This congressional paper explores the possible causes and effects of water pollution in Lake Huron. Thesis statement: Raw sewage from residential, commercial and industrial residential establishments is the main cause of water pollution in Lake Huron.
Raw Sewage as the major cause of Pollution in Lake Huron
Lake Huron is part of the famous five fresh water lakes in the Great Lakes region of the US. It got its name from the Huron people, who were the areas’ original inhabitants. Lake Huron covers a surface area of approximately 23,000 square miles. This makes it the second and third largest fresh water lake in the Great Lakes and world, respectively. The lake borders Michigan State to the west and Ontario to the east. Major human settlements that rely on the lake’s water are Sarnia, Cheboygan, Roger City, Bay City, and Port Huron. This water body has long been cradle of life to a wide array of marine life like sculpins, ciscos, and trout among others. It is also worth noting that the lake serves as a major source of water for the increasing human population residing around it (Wright, Tsang, & Latham, 2011).
However, raw sewage as the main cause of pollution in this lake come in different dimensions. For example, there has been an increased presence of residential urban settlements, commercial buildings, and industries. This results in an increased level of sewage, which sips and leaks into the lake. Local governments of cities around the area have an obligation of treating sewage from such activities prior to releasing it into water bodies. However, city residents living around the Great Lakes region are guilty of committing major kinds of environmental hazards with their sewer systems. For instance, they are notable of flushing harmful pharmaceuticals and chemicals into their systems. Second, industrial wastes from neighboring factories, commercial establishments, and farms have raw sewer systems draining into the lake. This proves that raw sewage plays a major role in polluting the lake because of untreated industrial waste. Thus, some of the notable industrial wastes include asbestos, lead, mercury, petrochemicals, and hot water (EPA, 2012).
Public Littering as the Second Cause of Pollution
This section proposes public littering as the second major cause of pollution in Lake Huron. Indeed, the stereotypical American is environmental unconscious when it comes to public waste disposal. Therefore, they tend to litter and dump solid and indecomposable waste matter in the lake and its surroundings. Such wastes include Styrofoam, metal; cardboards, plastics, and glass among others (refer to picture 1). These activities are not only a nuisance to marine organisms, but also make the water unsafe for both human and wildlife consumption (NRDC, 2012).
Other causes of Pollution in Lake Huron
There are other two notable causes of pollution in the Great Lakes region. These include oil pollution and global warming. Oil-based pollution comes from oil spills and combustion engines from tankers and boats used for recreational and fishing purposes (refer to picture 2). Due to the insolvable nature of oil products, they cover the lake’s surface causing a thick sludge. This has the ability of blocking oxygen from circulating, thus hindering the normal functioning of marine processes. Second, global warming has a warming effect on the water temperature. This means that plants and animals that use the lake lack a cool habitat, which is essential for their normal functioning (Wright, Tsang, & Latham, 2011).
The three Economic effects of Pollution in Lake Huron
Water pollution in Lake Huron has three major economic effects. These include a rise in drinking water costs, losses in the tourism sector, and reduced harvests in commercial fishing. First, industrial wastes result in an increased presence of algae and nitrates in the lake. These have the ability of increasing the costs of water treatment. Thus, the use of nitrate and algae removal systems have resulted in inflated water supply costs per gallon over the past five years. It also costs a fortune to clean up the polluted lake. Indeed, every dollar spent in environmental protection would save the costs of water treatment (EPA, 2012).
Second, the Great Lakes tourism industry loses a lot through losses in boating and fishing activities. This is because of the negative effects of adverse water pollution in Lake Huron and its environments. Water pollution has also affected visibility at the lake’s marine destinations and deep water diving. Furthermore, recent reports show that continuous water pollution would cost investors around the lake region millions worth of structural damages (Wright, Tsang, & Latham, 2011).
Last, water pollution in Lake Huron has resulted in losses in the commercial fishing industry. The NRDC estimates yearly losses to the Great Lakes fishing industry from water pollution as tens of thousands of dollars. Fishing companies in the region experience great losses following the harmful effects of algal blooms. Indeed, too much algae not only contaminates water bodies, but also kills fish through oxygen deprivation (NRDC, 2012).
The Effects of Water Pollution in Lake Huron on People
Water pollution is one of the major hazards to people. After all, we cannot survive without using and drinking water. Therefore, the following are three major ways which water pollution affects the people depending on Lake Huron for survival. First, solid waste from sewers contaminate the lake with high toxic wastes, thus affecting its safeness. This type of pollution effect is destructive because it provides a breeding ground for disease carrying organisms. Thus, bathing in and using such waters result in a wide array of illnesses. These include diseases such as typhoid, cancer, stomachache, and rashes among others (EPA, 2012).
Second, fish and other edible marine organisms in Lake Huron also feed on the household and industrial wastes. Such wastes, comprising of mercury, lead, and other harmful metals, become part of the fish until its maturity. Upon consumption, high amounts of mercury have the ability of killing small children and pregnant women. The EPA (2012) also notes that mercury and lead cause disruptions to the normal growth of unborn babies (EPA, 2012).
Last, leakages from pits allow harmful bacteria and antibiotics find their way into Lake Huron. Increased amounts of such substances become dangerous to aquatic life. This is because they may lead to excessive growth of plants thus death through suffocation. As fish die, people are bound to live without their favorite sea diet (NRDC, 2012).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the above analysis has explored water pollution in Lake Huron as having a significant effect on the ecosystem. Thus, efforts to tackle this situation will have a huge impact on all who reside around the Great Lakes area. Indeed, it is everybody’s responsibility to control environmentally unhealthy habits especially near the lake. Given the above discussion, it is worth concluding that raw sewage from residential, commercial and industrial residential establishments is the main cause of water pollution in Lake Huron.
Reference List
EPA. (2012, 6 26). US Report: US Great Lakes Program Report on the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement . Retrieved from EPA Web site: http://epa.gov/glnpo/glwqa/usreport/part4.html
NRDC. (2012). The Great Lakes Supplement: Testing the Waters. New York, NY: Natural Resources Defence Council.
Wright, E., Tsang, A., & Latham, A. (2011). A Study on how pollution affects wildlife in the great lakes region. St Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Publishers.
Picture 1: Plastic Pollution in Lake Huron
Picture 2: Diesel Spills Lake-Huron
