Sources of water contamination

The main causes of water contamination are due to human

activities which result in pollution, but natural events also
play a role. Some significant sources of water
contamination include:

1. Agricultural activities: The use of pesticides, fertilizers,

and failures in animal waste management, can all lead
to water contamination through runoff and leaching.
When rainwater washes over fields treated with
pesticides and fertilizers, it can carry these chemicals
into nearby streams, rivers, and groundwater aquifers.
Similarly, animal waste from feedlots and farms can
contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can
contaminate water sources if not properly managed.
2. Industrial waste: Industries generate a variety of
chemicals and heavy metals as byproducts of their
operations. If these materials are not properly disposed
of or stored, they can leak into nearby water sources,
contaminating them. Leakage from underground
storage tanks, such as those used to store gasoline and
oil, can also contribute to groundwater contamination.
3. Sewage: Human waste, as well as waste from industry
and agriculture, can enter water sources through
sewage treatment plant discharges and septic
systems. Improperly treated sewage can contain a
wide range of contaminants, including bacteria,
viruses, and chemicals, that can pose a risk to human
health and the environment
4. Natural events: Storms, earthquakes, and volcanic
eruptions, can also cause water contamination. Some
of these events are accentuated indirectly by human
actions, such as storm intensity increasing due to
climate change or landslides being caused not just by
rain, but also by improper land use, while others are
more or less beyond human activity, such as volcanic
eruptions.
Water contamination
Effects of the most common water
contaminants
All water contaminants negatively affect human activity, as
well as the rest of the biosphere. Health risks are a
particularly high concern, as some contaminants can pose
serious health risks, including illness, disease, and even
death. Contaminants like bacteria and viruses can cause
disease outbreaks, while chemicals and heavy chemicals
can cause long-term declines in human health and birth
defects that are only noticed when it is too late.

Contaminants can also have negative impacts on the health

of ecosystems, such as killing aquatic life and harming
wildlife. For example, micro plastics found in both
freshwater and seawater have been observed to affect the
development and behavior of both plankton and fish. Algal
blooms caused by agricultural runoff can decimate entire
lakes, and these algae can then produce toxins which then
threaten humans.

contaminated water can affect the taste, odor, and

appearance of water, making it unpleasant for drinking,
cooking, and bathing, leading to decreased quality of life. It
puts a higher burden on medical systems, requires more
expensive treatment, and can affect economic activities,
such as agriculture and water tourism
Ways to Prevent Water Pollution

1. Pick up litter and throw it away in a garbage can.

2. Blow or sweep fertilizer back onto the grass if it
gets onto paved areas. Do not put fertilizer on the
grass right before it rains. The chemicals will wash
into storm drains and waterways.
3. Mulch or compost grass or yard waste, or leave it
in your yard if you can't compost. Don't blow leaves
into the street. This clogs and damages storm drains.
4. Wash your car or outdoor equipment where it
can flow to a gravel or grassy area instead of a
street.
5. Don't pour motor oil down the storm drain. Take it
to the nearest auto parts store. It's free!
6. Never clean up a spill by hosing it into a storm drain.
Place kitty litter, sand, or another absorbent on the
spill. Once the liquid becomes solid - sweep it up and
throw it in a garbage can.
7. Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers.
DO NOT dispose of these chemicals, motor oil, or
other automotive fluids into the sanitary sewer or
storm sewer systems. Both of them end at the river.
8. If your home has a sump pump or cellar drain, make
certain it does not drain into the sanitary sewer
system. If you are unsure, please call Simsbury
Water Pollution Control at (860) 658-1380 and we
can assist in determining the discharge point.
 Water contamination

Water pollution is a broad term that describes any kind of

contamination of bodies of water such as rivers, lakes or

wetlands with substances that can pose threats to human

health or the natural environment.

Such pollution is a major source of death and disease

worldwide, especially in developing nations. Even in

wealthier nations where piped water supplies mean

that water pollution poses fewer direct threats to human

health, many lakes and rivers are polluted.

Pollution can come from a wide variety of sources and

these sources are often categorized as either point

source or nonpoint source. Point source pollution has

single identifiable source, whether it is a wastewater pipe

or a ship dumping waste. Nonpoint source pollution

comes from water runoff picking scattered pollutants off

the ground.
 Industrialization

Negative by product of industrialization is environmental

pollution that harms human health. When companies do
not fix or pay for the environmental damage they cause,
or when these harms are not captured in pricing, this is
termed a negative externality. The cost burden is
transferred to the government in the form of
deforestation, extinction of species, widespread pollution,
excessive waste, and other forms of environmental
degradation.

In the U.S., there has been some official recognition of

industrial damage to the U.S. environment since at least
1970. In that year, President Richard Nixon created
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set
pollution standards and seek ways to minimize the
impact of industries on the environment.

Financial Disadvantages

Industrialization results in a wider gap between the rich

and poor due to a division of labor and capital. Those
who own capital tend to accumulate
excessive profits derived from their economic activities,
resulting in a higher disparity of income and wealth.
Negative effects of industrialization on natural
resource
Industrialization had a profound impact on the
environment that will have lasting consequences.
Whether it be the pollution of the air, the effect it has on
living conditions in parts of the world (China for example),
or specifically the effect it has had on the earth’s natural
resources. These effects have been more often
overlooked rather than directly addressed, until today.
Earth’s natural resources are finite, meaning that there is
a limited amount of them. Yes, with time they can be
replenished and restored back to their original amount,
but this takes hundreds of thousands to millions of years
to do. With how much we use these resources today, that
is foolish thinking.
Nonetheless, the issue before us is that our primary
resource that we use for manufacturing, coal, is depleting
rapidly. The article “Depleting of Natural Resources” says
this about coal, “This is the most used fossil fuel and a
non-renewable energy source. Peak coal extraction is
predicted between 2025 and 2048. In 2011, it was
estimated that we have enough coal to meet global
demands for 188 years. If the demand increases, the
timeframe will decrease.” This is a very interesting
dilemma. We need coal to produce the massive amount
of resources that we use for every day life, but if there is
any increase, the time we have to use coal starts to
dwindle away.
This foundational use of coal is rooted in the industrial
revolution. In the U.S. coal mines were set up as a means
for work for the people who lived in those areas. These
mines helped to support the large factories that were
producing large amounts of resources to be used in
America as well as to be shipped out for trade. This
boosted the American economy significantly, but had
irreversible effects on the environment and natural
resources that we are dealing with today.
.

Reducing industrial pollution

The EEA regularly assesses trends in industrial pollution in

Europe based on E-PRTR and other data. These assessments show
that industrial pollution has decreased over the past decade for
emissions to both air and water. Existing and incoming EU policy
instruments are expected to further reduce industrial emissions,
but pollution is likely to continue to have adverse impacts on
human health and the environment in the future.

A strong, growing, low-carbon industry based on circular material

flows is part of the EU industrial policy strategy. The goal is to
create a growing industrial sector that draws less and less on
natural resources, reduces pollutant emissions to air, water and
land, and generates decreasing amounts of waste.

Meanwhile, other EU legislation sets more concrete air emission

reduction targets, such as the National Emission Ceilings
Directive and the Industrial Emissions Directive, which aim to
achieve the ambitious prevention and reduction of emissions, in
particular through the continuous uptake of so-called best
available techniques
Industrialization
 Conclusion

There will be a depletion of biodiversity due to the

extinction and the death of living organisms. A natural
disaster like drought, flood etc., will also occur upon lack
of natural resources.

The loss of natural resources is a serious concern

because of the adverse effect on the ecosystem. Due to
the mass utilization of non-renewable resources, natural
assets are being depleted at an unsustainable rate. Fossil
fuels are a central issue. Resource depletion is without
delay proportional to a population boom and resultant
demand

In conclusion, natural resource depletion is a critical

issue that requires urgent attention. We must act
now to conserve natural resources and adopt sustainable
practices to ensure a healthy and sustainable future for
our planet and all its inhabitants

The conservation of natural resources is critical, and it is

our responsibility to ensure that we use these resources
sustainably. We must reduce our consumption and adopt
sustainable practices that allow us to live in harmony with
nature. We must also invest in renewable energy sources
and prioritize the protection of ecosystems and
biodiversity [2]. By doing so, we can ensure that future
generations inherit a healthy and sustainable planet .
 Bibiliography

Linkedin.

Unacademy

Britannica.com