Water Pollution
Marco Bruni, seecon international gmbh
Water Pollution
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The contents of the SSWM Toolbox reflect the opinions of the respective authors and not necessarily the official opinion of the funding or
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Depending on the initial situations and respective local circumstances, there is no guarantee that single measures described in the toolbox
will make the local water and sanitation system more sustainable. The main aim of the SSWM Toolbox is to be a reference tool to provide
ideas for improving the local water and sanitation situation in a sustainable manner. Results depend largely on the respective situation
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Water Pollution
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Contents
1. Introduction
2. What is Water Pollution
3. Wastewater’s Impact on Water Pollution
4. Reducing Water Pollution through Wastewater Recycling and
through efficient Wastewater Management
5. Further Causes of global Water Pollution
6. Responses to Water Pollution
7. References
Water Pollution
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1. Introduction
Water – Essential for Life
• Water is essential for all aspects of life and the defining feature of
our planet.
• Pollution from agricultural, industrial and domestic wastewater is
making water resources, both surface water and groundwater,
increasingly scarce and decreasingly poor in quality. (DOPP n.y.)
• In some regions of the world, rivers and seas have become polluted
in a way that the ecosystems and the health of plants, animals, and
humans are heavily threatened.
 The Global Water Crisis
Source: http://daughterearth.com/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2011/07/waterDrop1.jpg [Accessed:
30.01.2011]
Water Pollution
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1. Introduction
The Global Water Crisis
Drivers
• Population growth
• Urbanisation
• Industrialisation
}
• Increasing and expanding
food production
Pressure on water resources
Increase of the unregulated or
illegal discharge of
contaminated water within
and beyond national borders
(CORCORAN et al. 2010)
Water Pollution
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1. Introduction
Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there
Source: http://gcaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ocean-plastic.jpg [Accessed: 30.01.2011]
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2. What is Water Pollution?
Definition and Sources
• Water pollution occurs when materials like
• Nutrients (Phosphorus, Nitrogen, etc.)
• Organic matter (Carbon)
• Acids, Toxics, Oil
• Plastics
• Etc.
are released in to the natural environment, degrading the quality
of the water for other users. Water pollution includes all of the
waste materials that cannot be naturally broken down by water.
• Pollution can be caused by nature itself, such as when water flows
through soils with high acidities. But much more often, human
actions are responsible for the pollutants that enter the water.
• Main source of water pollution: Wastewater!
Water Pollution
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3. Wastewater’s Impact on Water Pollution
Facts about Wastewater and Wastewater Treatment
• Every day, 2 million tons of sewage, industrial and agricultural waste
are released into the world’s water system. (PACIFIC INSTITUTE 2010)
• Up to 90% of the world’s wastewater (domestic, industrial and
agricultural) in coastal zones is released untreated (CORCORAN et al. 2010)
Source: CORCORAN et al. (2010)
Water Pollution
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3. Wastewater’s Impact on Water Pollution
Consequences of Water Pollution due to Wastewater
•Decrease of biodiversity, natural resilience and the capacity of the
planet to provide ecosystem services.
•Severe health issues for local population
•Threat of access to safe drinking water
•Pollution of coastal ecosystems and hence diminishing yields of
fisheries
Water Pollution
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3. Wastewater’s Impact on Water Pollution
Further Implications
• Contaminated water due to inadequate wastewater management
 is one of the main restrictions to development.
 increases poverty due to high resulting costs for health care
Source: CORCORAN et al. (2010)
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4. Reducing Water Pollution
Through efficient Wastewater Management
• Today, most infrastructure regarding sanitation lacks of adequate
maintenance and is, hence, in a poor condition.
• Thinking in cycles rather than in
linear processes
 ‘Cradle to Cradle’
Water Pollution
Source:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/international/
media/photos/competitiveness-innovation-1.jpg
[Accessed: 30.01.201]
• Instead of the construction of conventional wastewater treatment
facilities, a smart and innovative wastewater management can
improve the livelihood of people in developing countries
substantially and in a sustainable way.
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4. Reducing Water Pollution
An Example of a Wastewater Management Intrument: Recycling
For many purposes, water can be reused rather than ‘disposed’
Example: Wastewater reuse in agricultural production
• The use of contaminated water in agriculture for irrigation and
fertilising purposes can be managed through the implementation
of various barriers which reduce the risk to both crop viability
and human health.
• Particularly in arid and semiarid regions and urban areas where
unpolluted water is a scarce resource, irrigation using
wastewater is rather common: 10% of the world’s population
relies on food grown with contaminated waste water. (CORCORAN et al. 2010)
Advantages:
•Alternative fertiliser for food production. Improvement of livelihood.
•Reduction of water pollution
Water Pollution
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5. Further Causes of global Water Pollution
Water Pollution is mainly but not only about Wastewater
Besides wastewater, many other factors contribute to the global water
pollution:
•Industrial waste
•Marine dumping
•Oil pollution
•Radioactive waste
•Underground storage leakages
•Global Warming
•Atmospheric deposition
•Eutrophication
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Eutrophication
Water Pollution
Source: http://marinelitter.gpa.unep.org/bilder/foton/global/globa
l-Manila-UNEP-HS.jpg [Accessed: 30.01.2012]
Source:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/ReSi
zes/OriginalWatermarked/Global/international
/planet-2/image/2007/2/toxic-waste-waterthailand.jpg [Accessed: 30.01.2012]
Industrial waste
Oil spill
Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Hj54y4gHVw/S9cRJ9Fsz3I/AAAAAAAAIjM/IHM42S3Bo_w/
s1600/IXTOC_I_oil_well_blowout_2.jpg [Accessed:
30.01.2012]
Source:
http://sites.duke.edu/biology217_01_s2011_m
kg14/files/2011/04/croaker_bloom1.jpg
[Accessed: 30.01.2012]
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5. Further Causes of global Water Pollution
Marine dumping
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6. Responses to Water Pollution
Strategies
Effective wastewater management can include:
Technical measures, Legal instruments, Economic instruments and
Co-operation among stakeholders from different sectors and levels
Paradigm shift
Single sector approaches such as wastewater treatment or river basin
management are limited in their actions. To save and recycle water,
regain resources and to protect aquatic ecosystems, the whole water
cycle needs to be taken into account in an integrated, holistic way.
Successful and sustainable management of wastewater
requires a cocktail of innovative approaches that engage the
public and private sector at local, national and transboundary
scales.
Planning processes should provide an enabling environment
for innovation, particularly at the community level.
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6. Responses to Water Pollution
Integrated, holistic Approach
Consider wastewater as a resource!
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7. References
CORCORAN, E. (Editor); NELLEMANN, C. (Editor); BAKER, E. (Editor); BOS, R. (Editor); OSBORN, D. (Editor); SAVELLI, H.
(Editor) (2010): Sick Water? The central role of wastewater management in sustainable development. A Rapid Response
Assessment. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UN-HABITAT, GRID-Arendal.
http://www.grida.no/_res/site/file/publications/sickwater/SickWater_screen.pdf [Accessed: 26.01.2012].
DOPP (Editor) (n.y.): TED Analysis Cases. Sea Water Pollution - Cases Analysis. Washington: American University.
http://www1.american.edu/ted/projects/tedcross/xseap17.htm [Accessed: 26.01.2012].
PACIFIC INSTITUTE (Editor) (2010): World Water Quality Facts And Statistics. Oakland: Pacific Institute.
http://www.pacinst.org/reports/water_quality/water_quality_facts_and_stats.pdf [Accessed: 26.01.2012].
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“Linking up Sustainable Sanitation,
Water Management & Agriculture”
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supported by:
Created
by:
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