You wash your dishes with it. You wash your clothes with it. You may cook with it, make your coffee with it, you may even pour yourself a glass and drink. It is water and you think it is safe. The water you use in your daily life is clear, odorless and tasteless, which stands to reason that it must be harmless, right? Not necessarily. The threat of water pollution increases when natural water sources such as creeks, lakes, and even oceans are investigated. The truth is that water pollution is out there, and there are things that you can do to protect your family and steps you can take to prevent further water pollution.

What is Water pollution?

Water pollution is defined as large amounts of materials contaminating a body of water in an adverse way. Water pollution sources are lumped into two main types: a point source or a non-point source. Pollution that stems from a point source happens when a pollutant is directly entered into a waterway. An example is when sewage pipes burst and spill into a river. Non-point sources come from runoffs, such as from farm fertilizers.

Water Pollution Types

There are several different types of water pollutants, including toxins, organic substances, thermal pollution and ecological pollution. Toxic substances are elements that are not naturally occurring in the environment, such as pesticides. Organic substances are things that are natural but should not be in the water, such as manure or sewage. Thermal pollution might happen when factories and plants use water as a cooling agent. The heat can decrease the oxygen level which may kill the life within the water. Then, there is ecological pollution that occurs when natural causes pollute the water such as when a volcano erupts.

Specific Water Pollutants

There are several different toxins that can cause pollution in water. These include arsenic, cadmium, chlorine, chromium, cyanide, lead, nitrates and nitrites, sulphates, selenium, mercury and bacteria. Some of these can cause diseases among those who drink it or swim in it, while others can be fatal.

Conclusion

There are many ways that you can prevent water pollution. Try using natural solutions such as lemon juice, vinegar and salt. Refrain from pouring toxins down sinks. There are several other ways to prevent water pollution. Keeping the waters clean means keeping you and your family healthy.

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