Water pollution
Class 3ºB
By:
Marta Grech Santi
Andrea Piñeiro Martínez
Martina Tato Rabuñal
Lucia Viña López
doing:
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Interesting facts
Example
bibliography
solutions
bibliography
 Introduction
 Causes
 bibliography
1. INTRODUCTION
Water resources are the different types of sources from where we obtain
water. About three-fourth of the earth's surface is covered with water. But only a
small portion of total water resources is actually available for human use. The
97.3% of the water in the world is salty, so just a 2.7% is fresh water, in which
two thirds is frozen in glaciers.
We use freshwater for drinking, washing, cleaning, cooking, and growing food
as well as many other things. This is why water is so important, because it is
basic for all living beings way of life.
There are mainly three sources from where we can obtain water:
 Rain water: this is the primary source and the purest form of water.
 Surface water:
 Reservoirs
 Rivers
 Ponds, lakes...
 Ground water:
 Shallow wells
 Deep wells
 Springs
Water pollution can come from a number of different sources. If the pollution comes
from a single source, such as an oil spill, it is called point-source pollution. If the
pollution comes from many sources, it is called nonpoint-source pollution.
Most types of pollution affect the immediate area surrounding the source. Sometimes
the pollution may affect the environment hundreds of miles away from the source, such
as nuclear waste, this is called transboundary pollution.
2. CAUSES
Sewage and wastewater
Domestic households, industrial and agricultural practices produce wastewater that
can cause pollution of many lakes and rivers.
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Sewage is the term used for wastewater that often contains urine and laundry
waste.
Untreated sewage water contaminates the environment and cause diseases
Sewages waste is disposed into the sea.
Marine dumping
Dumping of litter in the sea can cause huge problems. Litter items such as 6-pack
ring packaging can get caught in marine animals and may result in death.
Different items take different lengths of time to degrade in water:
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Aluminium – Takes 200 years to degrade.
Plastic packaging – Takes 400 years to degrade.
Glass – It takes so long to degrade that we don’t know the exact time.
Industrial water and water pollution
Many industrial facilities use freshwater to carry away waste from the plant and
into rivers, lakes and oceans.
Pollutants from industrial sources include:
o
Asbestos, Lead and mercury have many harmful effects; they produce
diseases such as cancer.
o
Oils
Nuclear waste
Nuclear waste is produced from industrial, medical and scientific processes that
use radioactive material.
Oil pollution
Oceans are polluted by oil from oil spills, routine shipping, run-offs and dumping.
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An oil spill from a tanker is a severe problem because there is such a huge
quantity of oil being spilt into one place.
Oil cannot dissolve in water and forms a thick sludge in the water. This
suffocates fish, gets caught in the feathers of marine birds stopping them from
flying and blocks light from photosynthetic aquatic plants.
Underground storage leakages
Atmospheric
Atmospheric deposition is the pollution of water caused by air pollution.
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In the atmosphere, water particles mix with carbon dioxide sulphur dioxide
and nitrogen oxides, this forms a weak acid.
Air pollution means that water vapour absorbs more of these gases and
becomes even more acidic.
When it rains the water is polluted with these gases, this is called acid rain.
When acid rain pollutes marine habitats such as rivers and lakes, aquatic life is
harmed.
Global warming
An increase in water temperature can result in the death of many aquatic
organisms and disrupt many marine habitats. This rise is caused by global warming.
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Global warming is a process where the average global temperature increases
due to the greenhouse effect.
The burning of fossil fuel releases greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide,
into the atmosphere.
This causes heat from the sun to get ‘trapped’ in the Earth’s atmosphere and
consequently the global temperature rises.
3. INTERESTING FACTS
Water pollution is a problem that affects almost all nation of the world. If proper
stapes are not taken to control this means, it would lead to disastrous
consequences near the future. Here you have some fact about water and water
pollution to take coincidence
About humans: we need drinking water, unpolluted water.
-The humansbody is made up,a 50% o 65% water, but the human body of
childrens is made up os 75% the same percent than the water that three is in
the brain.
-Humanscan survive a couple of weeks without food, but he only can survive
few days
About the world:
-The total volume of water available on Earth is about 1.4 billion km and about
70% of the earth is covered in water.
- The largest quantities of water are in the oceans.
-Fresh water in the world is only 2.5% of the total water available on this planet.
About cities:
-220 million people that live in citys from developed countries doesn't have a
water resource clase to their homes
-90% from the waste water procedents the city from developed countries are
vertidas without tratamiento into de rivers, lakes, and other cursos de agua
negar de coast
About children:
-According to UNICEF, more than 3000 children die everyday due to
consumption of contaminated drinking water.
- About 700 million people worldwide drink contaminated water
Water pollution
Did you know?
Fact1: A single quart of motor oil that seeps into the groundwater can pollute
250,000 gallons of drinking water.
Fact2: According to a report by the Worldwatch Institute on nuclear waste, Lake
Karachay in Russia is regarded as the most polluted spot on earth due to
decades of dumping of nuclear waste. Spending an hour there can probably kill
a person
Fact3: The Ganges river in India is one the most polluted in the world. It contain
sewage, trash, food, and animal remains.
Each year 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water, and industrial
waste are dumped into U.S. waters.
4. SOLUTIONS
PREVENTING
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If we want to help the environment keeping the water clean, there are some simple
guidelines in our everyday life:
· Conserve water by turning water is not necessary.
· Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet.
· Use environmentally household products.
· Take great care not to oversuse pesticides and fertilizers. This will prevent runoffs of
the material into nearby water resources.
· Do not throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans
TREATING
INDUSTRIAL WATER AND WATER POLLUTION
Industry is a huge source of water pollution, it produces pollutants that are extremely
harmful to people and he environment:
· Pollutants from industrial sources include: Lead, Mercury, Nitrates, Phosphates,
Sulphur, Oils, and Petrochemicals.
OZONE WASTEWATER TREATMEN
Ozone wastewater treatment is a method that is increasing in popularity. An ozone
generator is used to break down pollutants in the water source.
· The generators convert oxygen into ozone by using ultraviolet radiation or by an
electric discharge field.
· Ozone is a very reactive gas that can oxidize pollutants found in water.
SOLUTIONS
We mustn´t pollute the water, because life without water there is no life, and the
problem is increasing.
STEPS FOR PREVENTION
· Save water: this is the most important, and here are some examples, like don´t use
the washing machine when the load is not high, use a mop or cloth to wash the yard
instead of a hose pipe.
· Watch what you are throwing: never throw oil, paints, litter, food... into the sink or
toilet.
· Use natural products: instead of chemicals that contaminate and pollute the water.
5. EXAMPLE
River Ganges
What is the river Ganges?
The Ganges River, also called Ganga in honour of the goodness, is a holy river located
in north India that flows toward the border with Bangladesh. It is the longest river in
India and flows for around 2,525 km from the Himalayan Mountains to the Bay of
Bengal. This river has the second greatest water discharge in the world and its basin is
the most heavily populated in the world with over 400 million people living in the basin.
What is the importance of the river Ganges?
In India this river has many uses. It is a sign of religion used for ceremonies, it’s also
used by people for drinking, bathing, cooking... it has a great importance due to its role
in India, as it carries around 60% of the available fresh water, millions of people
depend on it in order to survive.
What causes river Ganges pollution?
The Ganges is a much polluted river mainly because everyone releases their waste
into.
This river is also contaminated by human and animal excrements, some heavy metals
and bacteria.
Washing cloth and animals in the river, the diposal of waste from textiles, dying and
brass making industries, and solid wastes like plastic bagsand flower garlands in the
river thrown out by the towns men in the river main cause of its pollution.
The Ganges River Pollution is now at such a high level that the amount of toxins,
chemicals and other dangerous bacteria found in the river are almost 3000 times over
the limit suggested by the WHO as 'safe'.
Approximately 1 billion litres of raw, untreated sewage are dumped in the river on a
daily basis.
The rapid explosion of India’s population in the last 25 years and the changes in
industries since the industrial revolution lead to an explosion in Ganges pollution.
Thousands of human bodies are cremated on this river and many animal’s carcases
are dumped in.
The presence of coliform bacteria in the waters has increased well above.
What are the consequecen of this pollution?
The river is now a leading to an increase of infant and child mortality rates, skin
problems and some more, serious disabilities
What are the solucions to this problem?
To reduce the threat of excessive water extraction, countries can irrigate crops more
efficiently, use local knowledge, end perverse subsidies, cap water extraction levels,
further community education and awareness, and support integrated river basin
management.
Achieve biodiversity conservation within the broader context of sustainable
development and poverty reduction.
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.studymode.com/essays/Water-Resources-And-Their-Role-153863.html
http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/links.html
http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/treating.html
http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/preventingyou.html
http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/health.html
http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/causes.html
http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/types.html