In these mountains, nobody would guess that this water will be transformed into one of the most heavily polluted rivers in the world, with faecal bacteria levels up to 31 million per millilitres. This is according to reports from Sankat Mochan Foundation, an organisation struggling to restore the Ganges to its former glory. These levels mean that the sacred river has become synonymous with water pollution, a worldwide problem affecting one in every three people on the planet, according to the United Nations UN.
The World Health Organisation WHO says that polluted water is water whose composition has been changed to the extent that it is unusable. In other words, it is toxic water that cannot be drunk or used for essential purposes like agriculture, and which also causes diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and poliomyelitis that kill more than , people worldwide every year.
The main water pollutants include bacteria, viruses, parasites, fertilisers, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, nitrates, phosphates, plastics , faecal waste and even radioactive substances. These substances do not always change the colour of the water, meaning that they are often invisible pollutants. That's why small amounts of water and aquatic organisms are tested to determine water quality.
It is sometimes caused by nature, such as when mercury filters from the Earth's crust, polluting oceans, rivers, lakes, canals and reservoirs.
However, the most common cause of poor quality water is human activity and its consequences, which we will now go on to explain:. Rising global temperatures caused by CO 2 emissions heat the water, reducing its oxygen content. Felling forests can exhaust water resources and generate organic residue which becomes a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Chemical dumping from these sectors is one of the main causes of eutrophication of water. Much of the plastic pollution in the ocean comes from fishing boats, tankers and cargo shipping.
The transportation and storage of oil and its derivatives is subject to leakage that pollutes our water resources. Deteriorating water quality is damaging the environment, health conditions and the global economy. The president of the World Bank, David Malpass, warns of the economic impact: "Deteriorating water quality is stalling economic growth and exacerbating poverty in many countries".
The explanation is that, when biological oxygen demand — the indicator that measures the organic pollution found in water — exceeds a certain threshold, the growth in the Gross Domestic Product GDP of the regions within the associated water basins falls by a third. In addition, here are some of the other consequences:.
See more. More and more of our groundwater is being polluted Between and , the scale of groundwater pollution doubled. How groundwater pollution affects humans An example of a chemical often present in drinking water is bisphenol A or BPA. When our groundwater is polluted, we are therefore polluting many aspects of our everyday lives. Dirty water kills Unclean water and sanitation are responsible for more lives over the past century than any other cause.
Sources of Pollution The main sources of water pollution are the following: Discharge of untreated Raw Sewage from households and factories Chemicals dumped from Factories Agricultural run-offs that make their way into our rivers and streams and groundwater sources Urbanization The rising use of synthetic organic substances Oil Spills Acid Rain caused by the burning of Fossil Fuels Human littering in rivers, oceans, lakes and other bodies of water. Harmful litter includes plastics, aluminum, glass and Styrofoam.
Effect of Polluted Water on Humans How does water pollution affect humans? Chemicals in the water also have negative effects on our health.
Arsenic — causes liver damage, skin cancer and vascular diseases Flourides - in excessive amounts can make your teeth yellow and cause damage to the spinal cord.
Petrochemicals — even with very low exposure, can cause cancer. These are just to name a few. If you see anyone throwing litter into any body of water, report it to the authorities. Help increase awareness by educating your children and increasing awareness within your community. Support TheWorldCounts Spread the message. Visit our Shop Make a Donation. Sustainable Shopping. Made Simple. Easily browse thousands of verified sustainable products. This process makes it harder for shellfish and other species to build shells and may impact the nervous systems of sharks, clownfish, and other marine life.
Fortunately, there are some simple ways you can prevent water contamination or at least limit your contribution to it:. Tell the federal government, the U. Also, learn how you and those around you can get involved in the policymaking process. Our public waterways serve every American.
The mighty bivalves are both, and this former schoolteacher and bartender seeks to inspire a new generation of aquaculturists while putting North Carolina oysters on the map. The humble bivalves, which concentrate everything from heavy metals to cancer drugs in their tissues, provide an ideal way for scientists to monitor nearshore water health.
Litter, sewage, plastic, and other pollutants do more than just ruin the beauty of the beach. They are closing down coastal areas, destroying marine life, and making people seriously sick. The PFAS-laden firefighting foam used in training exercises at military bases easily slips into groundwater supplies, tainting everything around it.
As droughts parch the Southeast, interstate squabbles heat up over the Tennessee River and the Chattahoochee. Ugly, foul-smelling and sometimes toxic, algal blooms are becoming more common in freshwater ecosystems like rivers, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. In a move that could open the door to industrial waste and interstate squabbles, the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission is making its water quality standards voluntary.
President Trump revokes the Clean Water Rule and doubles down on his fake weather forecast, while the Bureau of Land Management hitches up its wagons to move west. From fertilizer runoff to methane emissions, large-scale industrial agriculture pollution takes a toll on the environment. The administration relocates science jobs, refuses to fill others, and tosses a lifeline to polluters while silencing citizens.
A growing number of communities—both coastal and inland—are finding themselves underwater. Extreme weather, sea level rise, and other climate change impacts are increasingly to blame.
More than craft breweries from across the country, including Brooklyn Brewery and New Belgium Brewing Company, are joining NRDC to explain why clean water is essential for great-tasting beer. By relying on plants, soil, and natural systems to manage rainfall runoff, green infrastructure tackles urban water woes and boosts climate resilience. After an illegal dumping of close to 2, tons of dangerous sludge and contaminated materials across the street from two schools, a Kentucky community struggles with what to do next.
Ten years after the disaster at a Tennessee power plant, the cleanup crew is seeking justice. At the same time, the Trump administration is weakening protections for this toxic pollution.
As the Trump administration ratchets up its rhetoric demanding billions for a wall, American communities along the Mexico border are in need of basic services, like reliable sewage treatment.
The problem of how to dispose of nuclear waste has haunted the United States for six decades. Residents of cities like Pittsburgh and Newark continue to face high levels of this toxic metal in their drinking water supplies. For years the state has ignored its foamy rivers and water supplies contaminated with chemicals called PFASs. For drinking water, flood control, climate defense, habitat protection, fishing, swimming, and, of course, craft beer.
Plus, Wheeler ignores factory farm pollution, Zinke ignores damage to wetlands, and Trump ignores public opposition to drilling the Arctic Refuge. We will keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. What Are the Causes of Water Pollution? Toxic green algae in Copco Reservoir, northern California.
A woman using bottled water to wash her three-week-old son at their home in Flint, Michigan. Beach Pollution Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms Week NOAA v. Hurricane Donald. Saving a Rare Plant and Rescuing a River. Industrial Agricultural Pollution
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