Water Pollution

Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). This form of environmental degradation occurs when pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds.

   Around half of all ocean pollution is caused by sewage and waste water. Each year, the world generates 400 billion tons of industrial waste, much of which is pumped untreated into rivers, oceans, and other waterways.

Water covers over 70% of the Earth's surface and is a very important resource for people and the environment. Water pollution affects drinking water, rivers, lakes and oceans all over the world. This consequently harms human health and the natural environment.

Water pollution can occur via several mechanisms, but the most common causes are dumping industrial waste and sewage into bodies of water, along with the use of toxic substances in agriculture that runs off into rivers. There are also less common causes of water pollution like accidental oil spills.

                  Water pollution is detected in laboratories, where small samples of water are analysed for different contaminants. Living organisms such as fish can also be used for the detection of water pollution. Changes in their behavior or growth show us, that the water they live in is polluted.