POLLUTION OF WATER AND ITS MANAGEMENT

It is impossible to overestimate the impact of water for human survival. Whether it’s in our homes with flowing water, on our farms with animals and crops, or in business, the benefits are tremendous. It’s crucial to remember that decline of this resource, whether due to contamination or negligent use, has serious ramifications.

Water Pollution

If any substances or conditions are present to the point where the water cannot be used for a given purpose, the water is deemed polluted. Water pollution, according to Olaniran (1995), is defined as the presence of excessive concentrations of a danger (pollutants) in water that renders it unfit for drinking, bathing, cooking, or other uses. The act of contaminating the environment is referred to as pollution (Webster.com, 2010). Industrial and commercial trash, agricultural methods, daily human activities, and, most importantly, transportation modes all contribute to it. In many ways, there remain vestiges of the earth’s ecology and inhabitants regardless where you go or what you do. 

Sources of Water Pollution 

Water pollution arises from various activities, which are: 

1. Sewage leakages 
2. High population density 
3. Oil spillage
4. Menace of Nipa palm or water hyacinth 
5. Industrial waste dumped into the water 
6. Pollution of ground water through drilling activities 
7. Flooding during the rainy season which carries waste deposits into our waters.
8. Building lavatories and visionaries over running water or even the sea as is the practice in some riverine areas. 
9. Radioisotopes 
10. Heavy metal 
11. Combustion 
12. Toxic waste disposal at sea
13. Mineral processing plant (e.g. coal production) 
14. Eroded sediments 
15. Deforestation 
16. Mining 
17. Littering 
18. Pesticides
19. herbicides and fertilizers 
20. Failing septic system 
21. Household chemicals 
22. Animal wastes.

Effects of Water Pollution 

Pollution of the water supply has a two-fold impact on the environment. It is harmful to both people and the environment. Pollution has a wide range of consequences for both humans and aquatic ecosystems. polluted water roughly 14,000 people perish every day, primarily as a result of untreated water poisoning. In underdeveloped countries, sewage is a major source of pollution. 700 million Indians are believed to be without accessibility to a clean toilet, and every day, 1,000 children in India and other nations die from diarrhoea. Almost 500,000,000 safe drinking water is unavailable in China.

We can certainly anticipate a decrease in productivity as a result of all of these factors. When huge amounts of harmful materials are dumped into streams, lakes, and coastal waters throughout the ocean, biodiversity and community variety are likely to be lost. Sewage, especially organic waste, is a major source of aquatic contamination. This trash has the potential to boost secondary productivity while changing the aquatic community’s nature. The majority of fishes, particularly those sought as food by humans, are among the most vulnerable species, with the least amount of pollution causing them to disappear.

Human health is harmed as a result of pollution. Bacteria and viruses are transported into groundwater and surface water by disease-carrying organisms. Health risks arise as a result of the contamination of drinking water.

Human health is also affected by direct damage to plant and animal nutrition. Plant nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements that stimulate aquatic plant growth, may be in excess, resulting in algal bloom and weed growth. This imparts odour, flavour, and occasionally colour to the water.

In the end, a body of water’s biological balance gets thrown off. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides generate acid rain, which reduces soil PH, while carbon dioxide emissions cause ocean acidification, which is the continual decline in the PH of the Earth’s oceans as CO2 dissolves.

Pollution Management and Control 

There are numerous techniques to water contamination control and management that could be used. It could be through prevention, practice efforts, or participation in a development; regulation and monitoring, or control methods such as waste reduction or minimization.

According to Wikipedia, there are several strategies to prevent water pollution:

1. Wash your automobile as far away as possible from any storm drains.
2. Never pour trash, chemicals, or solvents down the drain.

iii. performs septic system inspections every 3–5 years

1. minimize using pesticides and fertilisers that can pollute water systems; 
2. sweep your driveway rather than hosing it down; 
3. always pump your boat’s waste-holding tanks; 

vii. use non-toxic cleaning products

viii. clean up oils as well as other liquid spills using kitty litter Paint brushes should not be washed in the sink.

Conclusion

Water contamination is a global environmental issue. Defecating, dumping rubbish, industrial pollutants, and washing clothes, among other things, all contribute significantly to water contamination. Environmental education appears to be quite important for usage in schools, and it should be included in the curriculum. They’ll be less likely to harm our waters as a result of this. Environmental education should be established and made mandatory in schools. Federal, state, and local governments should create organizations to oversee our environment and ensure that it remains clean and free of refuge dumps. According to the cliché that charity begins at home, industrial households or families should instill a sanitary atmosphere, particularly in their immediate surroundings. Instead of dumping these pollutants for rainwater to sweep them into the rivers and streams, rendering them unusable, our industry should make strides in attempting to recycle them.