Water pollution
Intended
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this
session, students will be able to
• Explain water Pollution
• Describe the source of water pollution
• Discuss the effect of water pollution
• Discuss control of water pollution
Content
• Water Pollution
• Source of Water pollution
• Effect of Water pollution
• Water pollution Management and Control
Water
pollution
• Importance of water for sustenance of life cannot be
overemphasized. Whether it is in use of running water in our homes, rearing cattle
and growing crops in our farms, or the increased uses in industry, remain
immeasurable
• It is important therefore, to not that depletion of this
commodity either through contamination, or careless use results in serous
consequences
• Water is considered polluted if some substances or
condition is present to such a degree that the water cannot be used for a
specific purpose
• Defined as presence
of excessive amounts
of a hazard
(pollutants) in water in
such a way
that it is
no long suitable
for drinking, bathing, cooking or other uses
• Pollution is the introduction of a contamination into the
environment
• It is created by industrial and commercial waster,
agricultural practices, everyday human activities and most notably, models of
transportation
Sources of
Water Pollution
i. Sewage leakages
ii. High population density
iii. Oil spillage
iv. Industrial waste dumped into our waters
v. Pollution of ground water through drilling activities
vi. Flooding during rainy season which carries waste
deposits into our waters
vii. Radioisotopes
viii. Heavy metal
ix. Combustion
x. Toxic waste disposal at sea
xi. Mineral processing plant (e.g. coal production)
xii. Eroded sediments xiii. Deforestation
xiv. Mining
xv. Pesticides
xvi. Herbicides and fertilizers xvii. Failing septic system
xviii. House hold chemicals
xix. Animal wastes
Effects of
Water Pollution
• Water pollution has a duel effect on nature
• Has negative effects on the living and also on the
environment
• Effects of pollution on human beings and aquatic
communities are many and varied
• Water pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per
day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in
developing countries
• An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a
proper toilet and 1,000 Indians children’s die of diarrhea every day
• Biomas and diversity of communities are to be expected
when large amount of toxic materials are released into the streams, lakes and
coastal waters in the ocean
• Much of aquatic pollution involves sewage in which organic
waste predominate
• This waste can increase secondary productivity while
altering the character of the aquatic community
• Most fishes especially the species desired as food by man
are among the sensitive species that disappear with the least intense pollution
• Water pollution leads to damage to human health
• Disease carrying agents such as bacteria and viruses are
carried into the surface and ground water
• Drinking water is affected and health hazards result
• Direct damage to plants and animals nutrition also affects
human health
• Plants nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus and other
substances that support the growth of aquatic plant life could be in excess
causing algal gloom and excessive weed growth
• This makes water to have odour, taste and sometimes colour
• Ultimately, the ecological balance of a body of water is
altered
• Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides cause acid rain which
lowers the PH value of soil and emission of carbon dioxide cause ocean
acidification, the ongoing decrease in the PH of the Earth’s Oceans as CO2
becomes dissolved
Pollution
Management and Control
• There are many approaches that could be adopted in water
pollution control and management
• Prevention of water pollution includes the following ways:
i. Wash your car far away from any storm water drains
ii. Don’t throw trash, chemicals or solvents into sewer
drains
iii. Inspects your septic system every 3 – 5 years
iv. Avoid using pesticides and fertilizers that can run off
into water systems
v. Sweep your driveway instead of hosing it down
vi. Always pump your waste-holding tanks on your boat vii.
Use non-toxic cleaning materials
viii. Clean up oil and other liquid spills with kitty litter
and sweep them up
ix. Don’t wash paints brushes in the sink
Another way is to join or get involved with pollution
prevention is to practice efforts on your own or join projects or programme
• Pollution control means to control the emissions and
effluents into the air, water and land or soil
• Without pollution control, the waster products from
consumptions, heating, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation and
other human activities, whether they accumulate or disperse, will degrade the
environment
• Pollution prevention and waste minimization are more
desirable than pollution control
• However, pollution could be minimize by adopting these
practices
(i) by recycling
(ii) by reusing
(iii) waste minimization
(iv) by mitigating
(v) by preventing
(vi) by compost
Summary
• Water is considered polluted if some substances or
condition is present to such a degree that the water cannot be used for a
specific purpose
• Sources of Water Pollution are Sewage leakages, High
population density, oil spillage etc
• Water pollution has a duel effect on nature and has
negative effects on the living and also on the environment
• There are many
approaches that could
be adopted in
water pollution control and
management i.e. prevention, practice efforts or join a project/program;
Regulation and monitoring or engaging in control measures by reducing or
minimizing waste