By Phil McNamara
It is an old saying that humans can go three minutes without breathing, three days without water, and three weeks without food. Air, water, and food are therefore necessities for us. Because they are necessities, they should be as available and as clean as possible.
Water pollution is both a common and an avoidable problem. Most of what pollutes the water can prevented or limited, and what remains can be filtered out by water companies and in the home.
Yet, even though the U.S. has the cleanest water supply in the world, it does not mean we should ignore the problem of water pollution. Let us explore what contaminates define water pollution, and the reasons why it is a problem for us all.
What is water pollution?
Water pollution is simply the presence of toxic chemicals or biological agents exceeding a “natural” presence in the water. Most pollutants are in the water because of human activity, either directly or indirectly.
The environment can absorb a certain amount of pollutants. Problems arise, however, when the level of pollutants exceeds that capacity, either in the short term or long term. For example, a single napkin blowing off a picnic table into a pond will be broken down quickly; it is not a significant pollutant. A truckload of napkins, however, which ran off the road into the pond would pose a major problem, not only because of the paper but the truck and fuel.
Where does water pollution come from?
Water pollution comes from two broad categories of sources. Point sources are localized, coming from a single point—although some bodies of water may have multiple point sources. A town’s sewage treatment plant is an example of a point source, as is a papermill by a lake or river. Non-point sources are those which come from many sources that are difficult to localize. For example, fertilizer which runs off farms and lawns and gets into streams is a non-point source.
Point sources are more easily regulated by people and governments. They also tend to emit more pollutants than non-point sources. Non-point source pollution can be regulated but requires compliance by many more people.
What kinds of water pollution are common?
Broadly speaking, there are six types of water pollution. Each happens in different ways and requires different responses to limit the danger from pollution.
Surface water pollution is when major bodies of water are contaminated. Oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams all can become contaminated when pollutants enter them. Much of this pollution is point-source, coming from industry.
Groundwater pollution, on the other hand, happens when rain percolates through the ground, carrying with it any pollutants on or in the ground. These pollutants can include fertilizer and pesticide, as well as chemicals. Even gasoline products left on highways can get into the groundwater.
Oil and chemical pollution come from marine activities. The most visible example is an oil spill, such as Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. While mainly coming from point sources, the effects can be widespread. Chemical pollution can also become surface and groundwater pollution, as the chemicals—such as fertilizers and pesticides—run off.
Thermal pollution is a change in temperature of a body of water. Usually produced by industrial processes, thermal pollution can affect the living things in the river or stream.
Agricultural pollution not only comes from the runoff of fertilizers and pesticides. Farm runoff also can include topsoil, as well as manure from retaining ponds at pig farms and feedlots.
Why is surface and groundwater pollution a problem?
Most human drinking water is obtained either from surface or groundwater. Pollutants in that water must be removed before the water is safe to drink. The more pollutants in the water, the costlier the treatment will be.
Surface and groundwater pollution can also come from sources far from the people affected. In 2014, Toledo, Ohio’s drinking supply was contaminated by toxins produced by blue-green algae bloom in Lake Erie—the source of the water. The algae which produced the toxins grew after the lake was polluted by phosphorus, which was produced by runoff from farms and lawns—non-point sources. Phosphorus is a major component of fertilizer.
While the water supply did not stop as a result of the toxins, Toledo residents were under a “do not drink” warning for three days. This problem demonstrates both the danger of water pollution as well as the ability of non-point sources to endanger that supply.
Why is oil and chemical pollution a problem?
While oil is a naturally occurring mineral, large quantities of petroleum in the water present great dangers to wildlife and the food chain. Oil spills kill seabirds, fish, and shellfish. As the oil settles to the bottom, it can be absorbed by shellfish and other small marine creatures, which are then eaten by others—and so on, up the food chain (including humans).
Chemical spills, including gasoline, are actively toxic. While many evaporate quickly, some can linger, ignite, or explode. They can be absorbed into the bodies of birds, fish, and mammals, and lead to long-lasting effects. Some are carcinogenic.
If the chemical pollution is in fresh water, it can get into the water supply and endanger the people drinking from it.
Why is thermal pollution a problem?
The most common source of thermal pollution comes from industrial processes which use water to cool machinery. Even though many plants use cooling towers before discharging the water, the water still can be warmer than the ambient temperature of the stream, river, or lake.
Organisms are designed to function in a certain water temperature, and the thermal shock from the discharge can kill them. Warm water contains less oxygen, also endangering marine life. Warmer water also accelerates the decomposition of organic material in water—decomposition also uses up oxygen.
Why is agricultural pollution a problem?
Humans need food as well as water, and American agriculture is remarkably productive. Excess nutrients from agricultural processes, however, can get into the water supply. That pollution can lead to many problems. It is probable that the ongoing Toledo, Ohio problem was caused, in part, by agricultural pollution.
CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) for cattle, pigs, chickens, and other animals also produce a lot of manure, much of which is held in retaining ponds. If the dams creating the ponds fail, the manure can get into the surface water downstream from the ponds. This contamination kills fish and wildlife and can present a strain on water supplies.
Why should we care?
Most Americans get their water from their town or a water company. Others have their own wells. Each household can provide some water filtering to keep their water safe.
As we’ve seen, though, the water system in and around the U.S. is intricately connected. Surface water can become groundwater. Pollution can cause effects far from the site of the pollution. The interconnectedness of the water supply indicates that pollution is a problem of universal concern.
The solutions may vary, depending on the cause. There’s no reason to give up on an advanced, technical society, but keeping the water clean benefits everyone, and it should be a consideration for all.
Phil is originally from California, where the need for water filtration equipment is vast. After college, he dove into the growing problem of clean water both nationally and worldwide. After many years in the industry, he found WaterFiltersFAST.com and aligned his knowledge of the industry with theirs to help educate and inform consumers. He is also an avid outdoorsman and tech enthusiast. An oxymoron for sure, but he makes it work.
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This piece was edited and posted onto SEVENSEAS Media by Giacomo Abrusci