Water pollution denotes the contamination of water by other foreign chemicals that make water become detrimental for plants and animal use. There are several causes of water pollution. These pollutants fall into two main categories namely; indirect and direct contaminants. Water pollution through indirect contaminants occurs when they enter the water supply from the atmosphere through rain or from the groundwater. Direct contaminants are produced by refineries and factories. Water pollution causes a plethora of problems. Water pollution is a threatening concern as it poisons both food animals and drinking water for animals and humans. Another significant problem is that it interferes with the biological diversity. This is because it leads to unbalance lake and river ecosystems which are habitants for many living organism. Moreover, water pollution causes acid rain which corrodes metals and interferes with paint.
There are many ways to prevent and provide solutions to the water problem. However, preventing water solution should be a personal responsibility for everyone as it effects on the environment are adverse to everyone. One way to prevent water pollution is ensuring the legislation of comprehensive laws that gets implemented strictly and wholly. In the United States, the Water Act was enacted to ensure that dumping of water pollutants into water bodies was controlled. Since its inception, the Act has established several agencies that have regulated water pollution and monitored the quality of water. Therefore, the first solution should be enforcing existing law to the letter. Another solution to the water problem is stopping pesticide and nutrient pollution. This is mainly caused by farmers who use fertilizers and pesticides to improve their crop yields. A significant portion of these chemicals get washed by surface run off ending up in rivers and lakes. Farmers can reduce their dependence on fertilizers for increased yields by using organic fertilizers. The use of compost, grass clippings and leaf litter methods to improve soil quality will tremendously reduce water pollution.
Air pollution is also a significant contributor to water pollution. Therefore, reducing air pollution will directly reduce water pollution. Emissions from factories, cars, refineries among other smoke emitting machines release immense pollutants directly into the water or into the air. This causes acid rain. Therefore, people should be encouraged to drive less or use public transport. Factories should treat their emissions before they release it to the atmosphere. It is vital to use green household and utilize personal care products. A lot of chemicals that are in food substances get dumped in waterways. It is extremely vital that they should be treated through the requisite procedure provided by municipal authorities.
`Water pollution is critical problem that affects almost all living organisms and some non-living organisms. In order to ensure the survival of planet earth it is vital that this problem is properly handled. Measures to conserve the soil, proper disposal of chemical substances, the use of effectively machinery, cleaning up water systems and waterways and taking a personal responsibility to prevent and resolve this problem should be highly encouraged. Therefore, the most effective way to ensure that the problem is solved is by educating the public. Education about the causes and the adverse effects of water pollution to the various ecosystems on earth will enable people take personal responsibility.
Reference
Goel, P. K., 2006. Water Pollution: Causes, Effects and Control. New York: New Age International.
