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Flood Safety Tips Floods are among Earth's most common, and most destructive, natural hazards.
Here are some safety tips to prepare for rising water—and what to do once a flood has begun.
Before a Flood
• Avoid building in a floodplain.
• Construct barriers (levees, beams, floodwalls) to stop floodwater from entering your home.
• Seal walls in basements with waterproofing compounds to avoid seepage.
• If a flood is likely in your area, listen to the radio or television for information.
• Know the difference between a flood watch and a flood warning. A watch means flooding is possible. A warning means flooding is occurring or will occur soon.
When a Flood Is Imminent
• Be prepared! Pack a bag with important items in case you need to evacuate. Don't forget to include needed medications.
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• If advised to evacuate your home, do so immediately.
• If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground.
• If possible, bring in outdoor furniture and move essential items to an upper floor.
• Turn off utilities at the main switches or valves if instructed to do so. Disconnect electrical appliances.
F L O O D S 1 0 1 No other kind of natural disaster in America has caused more death and destruction than floods. During a Flood
• Do not walk through moving water. As little as 6 inches (15 centimeters) of moving water can make you fall.
• If you have to walk in water, wherever possible, walk where the water is not moving. Use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of you.
• Do not drive into flooded areas. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground if you can do so safely.
• Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
After a Flood
• Listen for news reports to learn whether the community's water supply is safe to dri nk.
• Avoid floodwaters; water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline, or raw sewage. Water may also be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines.
• Avoid moving water.
• Be aware of areas where floodwaters have receded. Roads may have weakened and could collapse under the weight of a car.
• Stay away from downed power lines, and report them to the power company.
• Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.
• Stay out of any building if it is surrounded by floodwaters.
• Service damaged septic tanks, cesspools, pits, and leaching systems as soon as possible. Damaged sewage systems are serious health hazards.
• Clean and disinfect everything that got wet. Mud left from floodwater can contain sewage and chemicals.
Source: U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency
Water Pollution: Everything You Need to Know Our rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and seas are drowning in chemicals, waste, plastic, and other pollutants. Here’s why―and what you can do to help. May 14, 2018 Melissa Denchak
Jump to Section
What Is Water Pollution?
What Are the Causes of Water Pollution?
Categories of Water Pollution
The Most Common Types of Water Contamination
What Are the Effects of Water Pollution?
What Can You Do to Prevent Water Pollution?
British poet W. H. Auden once noted, “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” Yet while we all know water is crucial for life, we trash it anyway. Some 80 percent of the world’s wastewater is dumped— largely untreated—back into the environment, polluting rivers, lakes, and oceans.
This widespread problem of water pollution is jeopardizing our health. Unsafe water kills more people each year than war and all other forms of violence combined. Meanwhile, our drinkable water sources are finite: Less than 1 percent of the earth’s freshwater is actually accessible to us. Without action, the challenges will only increase by 2050, when global demand for freshwater is expected to be one-third greater than it is now.
Sip a glass of cool, clear water as you read this, and you may think water pollution is a problem . . . somewhere else. But while most Americans have access to safe drinking water, potentially harmful
contaminants—from arsenic to copper to lead—have been found in the tap water of every single state in the nation.
Still, we’re not hopeless against the threat to clean water. To better understand the problem and what we can do about it, here’s an overview of what water pollution is, what causes it, and how we can protect ourselves.
What Is Water Pollution? Water pollution occurs when harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms—contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment.
What Are the Causes of Water Pollution? Water is uniquely vulnerable to pollution. Known as a “universal solvent,” water is able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on earth. It’s the reason we have Kool-Aid and brilliant blue waterfalls. It’s also why water is so easily polluted. Toxic substances from farms, towns, and factories readily dissolve into and mix with it, causing water pollution.
Categories of Water Pollution Groundwater When rain falls and seeps deep into the earth, filling the cracks, crevices, and porous spaces of an aquifer (basically an underground storehouse of water), it becomes groundwater—one of our least visible but most important natural resources. Nearly 40 percent of Americans rely on groundwater, pumped to the earth’s surface, for drinking water. For some folks in rural areas, it’s their only freshwater source. Groundwater gets polluted when contaminants—from pesticides and fertilizers to waste leached from landfills and septic systems—make their way into an aquifer, rendering it unsafe for human use. Ridding groundwater of contaminants can be difficult to impossible, as well as costly. Once polluted, an aquifer may be unusable for decades, or even thousands of years. Groundwater can also spread contamination far from the original polluting source as it seeps into streams, lakes, and oceans.
Surface water Covering about 70 percent of the earth, surface water is what fills our oceans, lakes, rivers, and all those other blue bits on the world map. Surface water from freshwater sources (that is, from sources other than the ocean) accounts for more than 60 percentof the water delivered to American homes. But a significant pool of that water is in peril. According to the most recent surveys on national water quality from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nearly half of our rivers and streams and more than one-third of our lakes are polluted and unfit for swimming, fishing, and drinking. Nutrient pollution, which includes nitrates and phosphates, is the leading type of contamination in these freshwater sources. While plants and animals need these nutrients to grow, they have become a major pollutant due to farm waste and fertilizer runoff. Municipal and industrial waste discharges contribute their fair share of toxins as well. There’s also all the random junk that industry and individuals dump directly into waterways.
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Ocean water Eighty percent of ocean pollution (also called marine pollution) originates on land—whether along the coast or far inland. Contaminants such as chemicals, nutrients, and heavy metals are carried from farms, factories, and cities by streams and rivers into our bays and estuaries; from there they travel out to sea. Meanwhile, marine debris—particularly plastic—is blown in by the wind or washed in via storm drains and sewers. Our seas are also sometimes spoiled by oil spills and leaks—big and small—and are consistently soaking up carbon pollution from the air. The ocean absorbs as much as a quarter of man-made carbon emissions.
Point source When contamination originates from a single source, it’s called point source pollution. Examples include wastewater (also called effluent) discharged legally or illegally by a manufacturer, oil refinery, or wastewater treatment facility, as well as contamination from leaking septic systems, chemical and oil spills, and illegal dumping. The EPA regulates point source pollution by establishing limits on what can be discharged by a facility directly into a body of water. While point source pollution originates from a specific place, it can affect miles of waterways and ocean.
Nonpoint source Nonpoint source pollution is contamination derived from diffuse sources. These may include agricultural or stormwater runoff or debris blown into waterways from land. Nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of water pollution in U.S. waters, but it’s difficult to regulate, since there’s no single, identifiable culprit.
Transboundary It goes without saying that water pollution can’t be contained by a line on a map. Transboundary pollution is the result of contaminated water from one country spilling into the waters of another. Contamination can result from a disaster—like an oil spill—or the slow, downriver creep of industrial, agricultural, or municipal discharge.
The Most Common Types of Water Contamination Agricultural
Toxic green algae in Copco Reservoir, northern California Aurora Photos/Alamy Not only is the agricultural sector the biggest consumer of global freshwater resources, with farming and livestock production using about 70 percent of the earth’s surface water supplies, but it’s also a serious water polluter. Around the world, agriculture is the leading cause of water degradation. In the United States, agricultural pollution is the top source of contamination in rivers and streams, the second-biggest source in wetlands, and the third main source in lakes. It’s also a major contributor of contamination to estuaries and groundwater. Every time it rains, fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste from farms and livestock operations wash nutrients and pathogens—such bacteria and viruses—into our waterways. Nutrient pollution, caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water or air, is the number-one threat to water quality worldwide and can cause algal blooms, a toxic soup of blue-green algae that can be harmful to people and wildlife.
Sewage and wastewater
Used water is wastewater. It comes from our sinks, showers, and toilets (think sewage) and from commercial, industrial, and agricultural activities (think metals, solvents, and toxic sludge). The term also includes stormwater runoff, which occurs when rainfall carries road salts, oil, grease, chemicals, and debris from impermeable surfaces into our waterways
More than 80 percent of the world’s wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused, according to the United Nations; in some least-developed countries, the figure tops 95 percent. In the United States, wastewater treatment facilities process about 34 billion gallons of wastewater per day. These facilities reduce the amount of pollutants such as pathogens, phosphorus, and nitrogen in sewage, as well as heavy metals and toxic chemicals in industrial waste, before discharging the treated waters back into waterways. That’s when all goes well. But according to EPA estimates, our nation’s aging and easily overwhelmed sewage treatment systems also release more than 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater each year.
Oil pollution Big spills may dominate headlines, but consumers account for the vast majority of oil pollution in our seas, including oil and gasoline that drips from millions of cars and trucks every day. Moreover, nearly half of the estimated 1 million tons of oil that makes its way into marine environments each year comes not from tanker spills but from land-based sources such as factories, farms, and cities. At sea, tanker spills account for about 10 percent of the oil in waters around the world, while regular operations of the shipping industry— through both legal and illegal discharges—contribute about one-third. Oil is also naturally released from under the ocean floor through fractures known as seeps.
Radioactive substances Radioactive waste is any pollution that emits radiation beyond what is naturally released by the environment. It’s generated by uranium mining, nuclear power plants, and the production and testing of military weapons, as well as by universities and hospitals that use radioactive materials for research and medicine. Radioactive waste can persist in the environment for thousands of years, making disposal a major challenge. Consider the decommissioned Hanford nuclear weapons production site in Washington, where the cleanup of 56 million gallons of radioactive waste is expected to cost more than $100 billion and last through 2060. Accidentally released or improperly disposed of contaminants threaten groundwater, surface water, and marine resources.
What Are the Effects of Water Pollution? On human health To put it bluntly: Water pollution kills. In fact, it caused 1.8 million deaths in 2015, according to a study published in The Lancet. Contaminated water can also make you ill. Every year, unsafe water sickens about 1 billion people. And low-income communities are disproportionately at risk because their homes are often closest to the most polluting industries.
Waterborne pathogens, in the form of disease-causing bacteria and viruses from human and animal waste, are a major cause of illness from contaminated drinking water. Diseases spread by unsafe water include cholera, giardia, and typhoid. Even in wealthy nations, accidental or illegal releases from sewage treatment facilities, as well as runoff from farms and urban areas, contribute harmful pathogens to waterways. Thousands of people across the United States are sickened every year by Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of pneumonia contracted from water sources like cooling towers and piped water), with cases cropping up from California’s Disneylandto Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
A woman using bottled water to wash her three-week-old son at their home in Flint, Michigan Todd McInturf/The Detroit News/AP Meanwhile, the plight of residents in Flint, Michigan—where cost-cutting measures and aging water infrastructure created the recent lead contamination crisis—offers a stark look at how dangerous chemical and other industrial pollutants in our water can be. The problem goes far beyond Flint and involves much more than lead, as a wide range of chemical pollutants—from heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury to pesticides and nitrate fertilizers—are getting into our water supplies. Once they’re ingested, these toxins can cause a host of health issues, from cancer to hormone disruption to altered brain function. Children and pregnant women are particularly at risk.
Even swimming can pose a risk. Every year, 3.5 million Americans contract health issues such as skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections, and hepatitis from sewage-laden coastal waters, according to EPA estimates.
On the environment In order to thrive, healthy ecosystems rely on a complex web of animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi—all of which interact, directly or indirectly, with each other. Harm to any of these organisms can create a chain effect, imperiling entire aquatic environments.
When water pollution causes an algal bloom in a lake or marine environment, the proliferation of newly introduced nutrients stimulates plant and algae growth, which in turn reduces oxygen levels in the water. This dearth of oxygen, known as eutrophication, suffocates plants and animals and can create “dead zones,” where waters are essentially devoid of life. In certain cases, these harmful algal blooms can also produce neurotoxins that affect wildlife, from whales to sea turtles.
Chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater contaminate waterways as well. These contaminants are toxic to aquatic life—most often reducing an organism’s life span and ability to reproduce— and make their way up the food chain as predator eats prey. That’s how tuna and other big fish accumulate high quantities of toxins, such as mercury.
Marine ecosystems are also threatened by marine debris, which can strangle, suffocate, and starve animals. Much of this solid debris, such as plastic bags and soda cans, gets swept into sewers and storm drains and eventually out to sea, turning our oceans into trash soup and sometimes consolidating to form floating garbage patches. Discarded fishing gear and other types of debris are responsible for harming more than 200 different species of marine life.
Meanwhile, ocean acidification is making it tougher for shellfish and coral to survive. Though they absorb about a quarter of the carbon pollution created each year by burning fossil fuels, oceans are becoming more acidic. 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.
What Can You Do to Prevent Water Pollution? With your actions It’s easy to tsk-tsk the oil company with a leaking tanker, but we’re all accountable to some degree for today’s water pollution problem. Fortunately, there are some simple ways you can prevent water contamination or at least limit your contribution to it:
Reduce your plastic consumption and reuse or recycle plastic when you can.
Properly dispose of chemical cleaners, oils, and non-biodegradable items to keep them from ending up down the drain.
Maintain your car so it doesn’t leak oil, antifreeze, or coolant.
If you have a yard, consider landscaping that reduces runoff and avoid applying pesticides and herbicides.
If you have a pup, be sure to pick up its poop.
With your voice One of the most effective ways to stand up for our waters is to speak out in support of the Clean Water Rule, which clarifies the Clean Water Act’s scope and protects the drinking water of one in three Americans.
Tell the federal government, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and your local elected officials that you support the Clean Water Rule. Also, learn how you and those around you can get involved in the policymaking process. Our public waterways serve every American. We should all have a say in how they’re protected.
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7 Biggest Culprits Behind Water Pollution Around the World Share Share +1 Tweet Pin Are you worried about what you’re putting in your body every day?
Do you pay close attention to things like sustainable foods and healthy ingredients?
Did you know that the water you drink might be doing more harm than anything else in your life?
Water pollution is a huge problem for everyone in the world. Some places see much more significant pollution problems than others, but water everywhere is being affected by a water pollution global issue that we should all be paying attention to.
In this article, you’ll get a crash course in water pollution around the world. You’ll find out all about the seven most heavily polluted countries as well as what if anything they’re doing to try to make a difference.
Now, if you’re ready to get started, it’s time to learn about water pollution in the world today and how it might be affecting you.
Jump To A Section! Water Pollution in the World Today 7 Biggest Water-Polluting Countries 1. China 2. United States 3. India 4. Japan 5. Germany 6. Indonesia 7. Brazil Conclusion BONUS VIDEO! Water Pollution in the World Today It’s no secret that water pollution is a big issue. Everyone around the world has to deal with it in some way, at some point in their lives, but many places are worse than others about it. The types of water pollution that face developed countries are different from those that plague developing countries, and it’s important to understand the distinctions between the two before you read any further. Below are a couple of lists to help you get started.
In developed countries, water pollution has a handful of sources that are generally the same across the board.
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Most developed countries can point to agriculture as the biggest culprit in their local water pollution. This industry also puts a huge strain on water sources, so agriculture doubly affects water in that it also leads to overuse in many areas. Pesticides and other chemicals used in regular agriculture are major pollutants of groundwater and surface water both, and they lead to a buildup of nitrates in surface water that causes toxic algal blooms. In many developed countries, factories are another huge cause of water pollution. Whether these factories produce, store, or use toxic chemicals or they simply dump wastewater from their processes into freshwater sources, they are harming water and the environment in their area. You might think dumping wastewater into freshwater is an old problem that doesn’t exist anymore, but unfortunately, it happens in almost every developed country even now. Developed countries also see a lot of water pollution from fuel emissions. Especially in large cities where the population is growing all the time, oil and fuel contribute a lot to water pollution. These substances often spill or leak, but even when that doesn’t happen, emissions get into the atmosphere and are carried through clouds until they rain down on the land and contaminate groundwater. The sources of water pollution in developing countries differ somewhat from those in developed countries, but the end result is much the same. Waste management is one of the biggest causes of water pollution in developing countries. In small areas such as towns and villages with lower population numbers, many of these countries don’t have dedicated sewage or septic systems available. Therefore, the people who live there have no way
to dispose of their waste, and it often pollutes the groundwater and even the surface water in the area. This leads to the spread of bacteria, illness, and parasites. In these countries, agriculture is still a problem, but in different ways. Agricultural practices aren’t developed enough to focus on sustainable methods, so water is often over-used. Waste management is a problem here, too, since animal waste isn’t disposed of properly and dead animal bodies are usually not either. A lack of dedicated water sources also contributes to the problem in these countries. Many of these rural communities don’t have taps for water distribution, and most of them rely on a single source of surface water. Sometimes they may have wells drilled, but unless this is done by a professional, the drilling may actually cause further pollution damage.
As you can see, there are some differences between the two types of countries, but when it comes to water pollution, we all have to face it sometime. In the next section, you’ll find out more specifics about water pollution in some of the biggest culprits around the world.
7 Biggest Water-Polluting Countries So where is water pollution happening in the world? No matter where you live, remember that we are all affected by water pollution in our locality in any country. Some countries, however, are worse about this type of pollution than others, so depending on where you live, you might have a very significant problem to worry about. In this section, you’ll learn about the seven worst culprits in terms of water pollution. You’ll be introduced to a few surprising Facts about each one, and you’ll find out about some of the biggest incidents of water pollution in these places as well. If anything is being done on a national scale to cut back on pollution, that will be listed here too. Read on to learn more.
1. China
http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/lostpedia/images/c/ca/FlagChina.png/revision/latest?cb=20061113035732 Facts
The Yangtze River is known as the most polluted river in China, while the Yellow River is known for being exploited beyond its means. This river is dry in some portions and seriously polluted in others, and it can’t sustain fish or animal life well anymore. The Pearl River is contaminated with industrial runoff and wastewater from nearby factories. Small, rural villages in China are serviced by water supplies that are used by factories for dumping wastewater and toxic chemicals. These villages have seen a huge spike in the number of individuals with cancer since this practice began. A study in 1999 showed that about 700 million people in China regularly drank water contaminated with human and animal waste. This was almost half the population at the time of the study, and this contaminated drinking water contributed to a huge number of disease outbreaks and infections from parasites in China.
Incidents of Pollution
In 2010, a major oil spill took place in China’s Yellow Sea following the explosion of a pipeline. 1500 tons of crude oil entered the sea and caused a 50-square kilometer belt of oil to stretch through the water. This caused serious pollution. In 2013, sixteen thousand dead pigs were found in the Huangpu River, which led to the water being infected with porcine circovirus. While this isn’t harmful to people, it is deadly to pigs, and it was feared that the virus would spread to living pig stock from this strange instance of contamination.
What’s Being Done?
Laws – There are several laws in effect in China to regulate wastewater management and treatment of water supplies. Quality standards – The Chinese government has a list of water quality standards that are different depending on the use of the water. Surface and groundwater are held to fairly high standards. Enforcement of both of these is not very strict, and industries continue to dump wastewater in freshwater sources regularly.
2. United States
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Pesticides are one of the biggest pollutants in the United States, with other chemicals coming in close behind. These chemicals can lead to neurological problems, nervous system damage, kidney and liver problems, and cancer in both humans and animals who drink the contaminated water. A 2010 study by the Environmental Working Group found chromium-6, a carcinogen, present in the drinking water of at least 35 major cities in the United States. A 2016 study from Harvard found other cancer-causing chemicals present in the water in 33 states.
Incidents of Pollution
The Camp Lejeune water contamination incident occurred from 1953 to 1987 and contaminated the drinking water used by the people of this Marine Corps camp for decades. A high number of people who once lived in this camp later developed cancer from exposure to these chemicals. In 2015, the Gold King Mine wastewater spill occurred when a plug holding back wastewater was accidentally broken and allowed toxic elements to spill into the nearby Cement Creek. The water is still polluted with heavy metals. In Flint, Michigan a widespread water contamination event is still going on. Lead has slowly seeped into the drinking water in this town and contaminated water pipes, further exposing residents to lead poisoning. The water still hasn’t been cleaned up.
What’s Being Done?
The Safe Drinking Water Act regulates the amounts of contaminants that can be present in water in any given location in the country. It covers 91 different contaminants, but there are thousands present in the United States’ drinking water. The Clean Water Act is an older piece of legislation that strives to regulate assessments of drinking water as well as investigations of chemical storage and transportation. It makes it illegal to dump wastewater without a permit. Both of these are very difficult to enforce and will require stricter punishments for breaking these laws if any changes are to be made.
3. India
http://desinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/india-flag-a4-1024x723.jpg Facts
According to the World Health Organization, 626 million people in India openly defecate, which contributes significantly to the amount of pollution in all water sources. While there are steps being taken toward improved sanitation conditions in India, many of the sewage treatment plants in operation aren’t maintained well. Many diseases are widespread because of this.
97 million people in India don’t have access to improved drinking water. People are gaining access as more and more programs are being put into action, but it will take a while.
Incidents of Pollution
In 1984, the world’s worst industrial disaster took place in Bhopal. This terrible incident occurred when several small leaks throughout the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant culminated in one massive leak that exposed five hundred thousand people to toxic gas. Over 3700 people died, and over five hundred thousand injuries took place. According to a 2009 report, the water in this area is still heavily contaminated with toxic waste. This water supply services fifteen communities in the area.
What’s Being Done?
The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974 was put into place to help regulate water resources and work toward conservation and cleaner drinking water for residents of India. The Act is still being amended to this day, with its most recent changes being made in 2003. With such a high rate of open defecation in India, this Act can’t be enforced on a widespread level. While it focuses a lot on industries, it can’t change the habits of individuals.
4. Japan http://desinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/india-flag-a4-1024x723.jpg Facts
Surface water makes up 70% of the drinking water sources used throughout Japan, especially since groundwater pollution has increased significantly in the past few decades. However, chlorine is becoming more present in drinking water from these sources. Eutrophication is a big problem in enclosed water bodies throughout the country. This leads to algal blooms that severely affect the environment and can be toxic to humans. Red tide is very common.
Incidents of Pollution
The most well-known modern incident of water pollution in Japan is related to the Fukushima disaster. In 2013, two years after the disaster, radioactive water was still leaking into the surrounding ocean. According to a 2013 report, over 71,000 gallons of radioactive water were spilling into the sea on a daily basis. Now, in 2016, it’s believed that some of this radioactive ocean water is reaching United States shores.
What’s Being Done?
The Basic Environment Plan focuses on a plan for the environment as a whole, including water protection and conservation, into the future. It lays out several objectives that are meant to help clean up water supplies and keep the environment beautiful and healthy as much as possible. The Water Pollution Control Law regulates factories, businesses, and companies and their ability to dispose of wastewater in areas where people live. It also improves trends in domestic waste disposal across the country.
5. Germany
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Facts
Many of Germany’s rivers are severely polluted. During a study that took place in 2015, it was determined that most of these rivers are nowhere near good quality water. 257 toxic compounds were found in German rivers and many in high levels. Although the Rhine river has received a lot of help and cleanup efforts in the past decades, according to a local water utility service in the area, E. coli is still very present in the water. This makes the river unsafe for swimming and drinking.
Incidents of Pollution
On the outskirts of Bonn in 2015, very alkaline water was accidentally introduced to the drinking water supply near a pumping station. This water caused toxic reactions in people who used it. At a chemical storehouse in Switzerland in 1986, a fire led to toxic chemicals being released into both the air and the water of the Rhine river. This water entered Germany through the Rhine, which turned red from the chemicals.
What’s Being Done?
The Federal Water Act, which came into being in 1957 and was last updated in 2002, attempts to assess the quality of water throughout Germany and strives to help clean up water sources into the future. It focuses largely on drinking water and other types of water for human consumption. The Waste Water Charges Act regulates the type and amount of wastewater dumping that can legally be done by various industries. It also enacts fines and penalties for breaking this law.
6. Indonesia
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Indonesian water makes up 6% of the water in the whole world. However, these water resources degrade by at least 15% and up to 35% every year. 80% of the 250 million people who live in Indonesia didn’t have access to dedicated clean tap water sources as recently as 2000. Around 66% of these residents use river water for bathing and washing, which further contributes to pollution issues.
Incidents of Pollution
In 2004, a chemical plant in Indonesia exploded and caught fire, leading to the release of maleic anhydride into the atmosphere. The area around the plant was evacuated, but the explosion led to seventy casualties. After the event took place, water in the area surrounding the plant had a bad smell and caused itching and rashes when exposed to skin. Buyat Bay is known for being one of the main dumping sites for the Newmont Mining Corporation. People who live in the area suffer from strange health problems, but the mining company still dumps hazardous materials into the water there even so.
What’s Being Done?
The Pollution Control Evaluation and Rating program encourages companies to adopt cleaner, safer business practices and look for environmentally friendly and sustainable ways to operate. The Clean River Program encourages companies to enroll and promise to participate in regular water assessments and quality control checks.
The Natural Resources Management Division works to improve agricultural practices and shift them toward more modern and environmentally safe options. It seeks to conserve water sources throughout the country by enacting its various programs.
7. Brazil Facts
Brazil creates over 161,000 tons of waste on a daily basis, and two-thirds of the municipalities in the country rely on landfills to dispose of that waste. These landfills lead to higher levels of soil toxicity and polluted groundwater in the area. Over 800 tons of waste are dumped into Guanabara Bay on a daily basis, including waste that is infected with bacteria, fecal matter, and parasites. 16 million people rely on this bay for water, and four million of them don’t have a dedicated sewage system.
Incidents of Pollution
The three largest water pollution incidents in Brazil have all taken place in the same location: Guanabara Bay. These took place in 1975, 1997, and 2000. The 2000 Guanabara Bay oil spill was by far the worst. During this spill, 1.3 million liters of oil seeped into the water and killed a huge number of fish and water mammals that lived there. The 2000 spill in Guanabara Bay caused the fishing industry to plummet and led to a serious economic downfall in the country. This spill brought about many changes in Brazilian water pollution policy and law.
What’s Being Done?
The National Policy on Water Resources specifies which water-related practices must be done with a permit or license from a public authority. It also prohibits certain types of water activities completely and allows for penalties for anyone who doesn’t comply with these rules. The National Policy on Water Resources also mandates that anyone or any company who causes a water pollution incident must take care of that incident in some way. They must either physically clean it up themselves or pay enough money for the proper authorities to do so.
Conclusion Are you surprised at the significant amount of water pollution taking place all over the world? You might feel a little shocked after reading some of this information, but remember that all is not lost. Although it does feel as though things are going to get pretty dire if we all continue down the same path into the future, most countries are starting to make more environmentally friendly shifts toward healthier and more sustainable practices and regulations that will keep freshwater sources clean and safe in the future. Although it might take some time to see significant positive changes from these movements, bear in mind that they do exist and they’re making progress every day.
If you live in a place where you feel like the water pollution situation isn’t getting enough attention, however, don’t forget that there’s always something you can do to make a difference. Be brave and speak out to people in positions of power in your country, city, county, or state, and let your voice be heard. Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors, and consider starting a petition or some other documentation you can use to show your local government just how serious you and the people around you are about clean water. If all else fails, get out there and clean up the water yourself. Although you won’t be able to do anything like providing a dedicated chemical water treatment facility, you can help cut back on the amount of waste and debris that ends up in rivers across the world every year. Organize cleanup groups or volunteer with a local nonprofit organization to help improve the quality of freshwater sources where you live.
There’s always something you can do to get involved. Don’t be afraid to reach out and find the right way you can help solve the problem of water pollution no matter where you live.
BOLIVIA
Water runs down from Bolivia's glaciers, through rivers that pass the city of El Alto, and finally arrives at Lake Titicaca, contaminating the shores and bay areas where most of the lake population lives. Image by Noah Friedman-Rudovsky. Bolivia, 2011.
In 2006, people from the municipality of Laja blocked a key highway leading toward Bolivia’s administrative capital, La Paz. They were protesting pollution of the Pallina River, which begins in Andean glaciers and passes through the metropolis of El Alto before traveling about 40 miles across Bolivia’s high plains to Lake Titicaca. Along that route it passes through Laja. Pedro Huanca was mayor of Laja during the 2006 roadblock. The Pallina River had once been a source of clean water for the people who lived on its banks. Their livestock drank it and they used it to wash tunta, a dried potato that they sold for relatively high prices. Huanca remembers that clean river, but by the time he became mayor it was gone. El Alto began rapid growth and industrialization in the 1980s, and waste transformed the Pallina as fish and frogs disappeared from its waters. The roadblock raised awareness of the river in Bolivia and attracted valuable international funding, but six years later the Pallina is still a foamy, pea-green soup with a strange smell. In fact, 2006 wasn’t the first time the government had something to say about water pollution in the area. In 2004, the government of then-President Carlos Mesa passed a law declaring four rivers, including the Pallina, an environmental disaster zone. A recently published thesis sitting in a university library in La Paz suggests the Pallina River is still an environmental disaster. Evelin Susana Humerez Espinoza studied eco-toxicity in the river. Among her many analyses were two simple experiments. She nourished onions with water from the Pallina, and they grew brown and shriveled. She put freshwater fish in the Pallina’s water, and they died within minutes. According to Humerez Espinoza’s research, the Pallina’s waters “can’t be used for irrigation, nourishing animals, and much less human consumption.” Humerez Espinoza also found that not only El Alto, but also the upstream city of Viacha and Laja itself fail to adequately treat the wastewater they produce. El Alto is simply the biggest threat because of its industries and population of more than one million people. The loss of the river to wash tunta and water cows are a major blow to the local economy, Huanca says, as wells must be dug so animals can have clean water, and the loss of tunta sales cuts incomes for people living in one of South America’s poorest countries. Carlos Mesa is no longer president of Bolivia and Pedro Huanca is no longer mayor of Laja, but the Pallina’s problems persist. The 2004 law prioritizing its cleanup is one piece of paper among many. Huanca later tried to sue El Alto for polluting the Pallina, but the lawsuit went nowhere. Today several non-governmental organizations have projects underway in El Alto and Lake Titicaca, such as a group whose work includes education to decrease industrial contamination, but the scale of the problem is large and downstream communities continue to suffer. In an office in Pucarani, a municipality neighboring Laja, Rocio Butron talks about the challenges communities face when it comes to fighting pollution. She says local governments often lack the trained staff to take on large environmental projects, and key issues such as healthcare and education tend to take precedence over sanitation in the municipal budget. “We see that as municipal governments we are in a weak position to take on these (environmental) challenges,” Butron said. “There should be a bigger push from the central government and the departmental government to tackle these issue and get the municipalities involved to contribute.” Butron hopes that leaders from all the affected areas stretching from El Alto down to Lake Titicaca will meet and hammer out an overarching plan. She says that would give her more confidence than laws or roadblocks, which draw attention in
the moment, but don’t create workable solutions. After all, she says, downstream communities are powerless to fight the tide of contamination alone, making cooperation their best hope.
Bolivia: El Alto's Contaminated Waters
The Seco River begins in Andean glaciers that top 20,000-foot peaks and rolls down over Bolivia’s plains toward the vast expanse of Lake Titicaca. Along the way it passes straight through one of the fastest-growing cities in South America: El Alto. What was once a shantytown perched next to the city of La Paz is now a political and industrial powerhouse of about one million people that has grown by nearly 50 percent since 2000. Despite this boom, the chronic poverty and lack of access to services historically faced by Bolivia’s indigenous people persist in El Alto. Bolivia is one of Latin America’s poorest countries, and its population of just 10.5 million people, of whom more than 6 million identify as indigenous, has radically shifted from the countryside to cities over the past two decades. Infrastructure lags behind El Alto’s spontaneous and unplanned growth. Many homes lack access to potable water, and hopeful estimates put the number of homes and businesses that link to the city’s sorely overtaxed sewage treatment plant at 50 percent. The remaining wastewater is piped directly into rivers like the Seco, and eventually reaches South America’s largest lake, the high altitude expanse of Titicaca. During the dry season, from May through November, the Seco is just a trickle fed by wastewater from homes, slaughterhouses, tanneries and mining operations. Along its course through El Alto its waters run red with blood, vivid green with algae, black with oil and a thick brilliant rust color from mineral processing. The riverbed also doubles as a dump—plastic bags, rotting food, tires, dead dogs and feces line its banks. The water smells sharp and bitter. When the rainy season arrives in December, everything sweeps toward the lake. “The water keeps getting dirtier,” said 17-year-old Susi Mamani from El Alto as she walked along the bank of the Seco. She says that for many households the river is the closest and easiest way to dispose of trash, especially when garbage trucks fail to collect it week after week. “I hope we can clean the water and learn not to throw our trash in the rivers. I want to see them cleaner with more plants,” she said. “The problem is that there is no complete and structured treatment of wastewater,” said Marco Ribera Arismendi of The Environmental Defense League (LIDEMA) in La Paz. Treating all the wastewater El Alto produces would require tens of millions of dollars to invest in piping and an adequate wastewater treatment plant, more money for an industrial park and even more money to guarantee trash pickup and educate communities about trash disposal. But the cash to create that infrastructure has not been forthcoming from national or local governments since serious pollution became apparent about 10 years ago. “The things governments have done so far are like giving an aspirin to someone who has been shot,” said Ribera Arismendi. Even if money were available, reaching consensus on a project of such scope is a daunting challenge in a city where neighborhood organizations are often more powerful than the city government, and leadership changes frequently. Meanwhile, without a comprehensive water treatment solution in sight, El Alto’s continued growth poses increasing threats to its residents and communities downstream. Near the Bay of Cohana, where the rivers running from El Alto finally meet Lake Titicaca, most people live by raising sheep and cows, and small-scale farming. Scientific studies on the effects of water contamination on the people and animals of Cohana are scarce, but concern in lakeshore communities is high. Several hundred yards from the river a man drills a deep well. The people here are hesitant to talk about water contamination because if suspicion were ever cast on the health of their livestock it could destroy their livelihoods. But this farmer, who did not want to be named, is certain a well is an excellent investment. The river, he says, is dirty, and he can’t allow his cows to drink from it.
Here are some safety tips to prepare for rising water—and what to do once a flood has begun.
Before a Flood
• Avoid building in a floodplain.
• Construct barriers (levees, beams, floodwalls) to stop floodwater from entering your home.
• Seal walls in basements with waterproofing compounds to avoid seepage.
• If a flood is likely in your area, listen to the radio or television for information.
• Know the difference between a flood watch and a flood warning. A watch means flooding is possible. A warning means flooding is occurring or will occur soon.
When a Flood Is Imminent
• Be prepared! Pack a bag with important items in case you need to evacuate. Don't forget to include needed medications.
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• If advised to evacuate your home, do so immediately.
• If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground.
• If possible, bring in outdoor furniture and move essential items to an upper floor.
• Turn off utilities at the main switches or valves if instructed to do so. Disconnect electrical appliances.
F L O O D S 1 0 1 No other kind of natural disaster in America has caused more death and destruction than floods. During a Flood
• Do not walk through moving water. As little as 6 inches (15 centimeters) of moving water can make you fall.
• If you have to walk in water, wherever possible, walk where the water is not moving. Use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of you.
• Do not drive into flooded areas. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground if you can do so safely.
• Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
After a Flood
• Listen for news reports to learn whether the community's water supply is safe to dri nk.
• Avoid floodwaters; water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline, or raw sewage. Water may also be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines.
• Avoid moving water.
• Be aware of areas where floodwaters have receded. Roads may have weakened and could collapse under the weight of a car.
• Stay away from downed power lines, and report them to the power company.
• Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.
• Stay out of any building if it is surrounded by floodwaters.
• Service damaged septic tanks, cesspools, pits, and leaching systems as soon as possible. Damaged sewage systems are serious health hazards.
• Clean and disinfect everything that got wet. Mud left from floodwater can contain sewage and chemicals.
Source: U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency
Water Pollution: Everything You Need to Know Our rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and seas are drowning in chemicals, waste, plastic, and other pollutants. Here’s why―and what you can do to help. May 14, 2018 Melissa Denchak
Jump to Section
What Is Water Pollution?
What Are the Causes of Water Pollution?
Categories of Water Pollution
The Most Common Types of Water Contamination
What Are the Effects of Water Pollution?
What Can You Do to Prevent Water Pollution?
British poet W. H. Auden once noted, “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” Yet while we all know water is crucial for life, we trash it anyway. Some 80 percent of the world’s wastewater is dumped— largely untreated—back into the environment, polluting rivers, lakes, and oceans.
This widespread problem of water pollution is jeopardizing our health. Unsafe water kills more people each year than war and all other forms of violence combined. Meanwhile, our drinkable water sources are finite: Less than 1 percent of the earth’s freshwater is actually accessible to us. Without action, the challenges will only increase by 2050, when global demand for freshwater is expected to be one-third greater than it is now.
Sip a glass of cool, clear water as you read this, and you may think water pollution is a problem . . . somewhere else. But while most Americans have access to safe drinking water, potentially harmful
contaminants—from arsenic to copper to lead—have been found in the tap water of every single state in the nation.
Still, we’re not hopeless against the threat to clean water. To better understand the problem and what we can do about it, here’s an overview of what water pollution is, what causes it, and how we can protect ourselves.
What Is Water Pollution? Water pollution occurs when harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms—contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment.
What Are the Causes of Water Pollution? Water is uniquely vulnerable to pollution. Known as a “universal solvent,” water is able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on earth. It’s the reason we have Kool-Aid and brilliant blue waterfalls. It’s also why water is so easily polluted. Toxic substances from farms, towns, and factories readily dissolve into and mix with it, causing water pollution.
Categories of Water Pollution Groundwater When rain falls and seeps deep into the earth, filling the cracks, crevices, and porous spaces of an aquifer (basically an underground storehouse of water), it becomes groundwater—one of our least visible but most important natural resources. Nearly 40 percent of Americans rely on groundwater, pumped to the earth’s surface, for drinking water. For some folks in rural areas, it’s their only freshwater source. Groundwater gets polluted when contaminants—from pesticides and fertilizers to waste leached from landfills and septic systems—make their way into an aquifer, rendering it unsafe for human use. Ridding groundwater of contaminants can be difficult to impossible, as well as costly. Once polluted, an aquifer may be unusable for decades, or even thousands of years. Groundwater can also spread contamination far from the original polluting source as it seeps into streams, lakes, and oceans.
Surface water Covering about 70 percent of the earth, surface water is what fills our oceans, lakes, rivers, and all those other blue bits on the world map. Surface water from freshwater sources (that is, from sources other than the ocean) accounts for more than 60 percentof the water delivered to American homes. But a significant pool of that water is in peril. According to the most recent surveys on national water quality from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nearly half of our rivers and streams and more than one-third of our lakes are polluted and unfit for swimming, fishing, and drinking. Nutrient pollution, which includes nitrates and phosphates, is the leading type of contamination in these freshwater sources. While plants and animals need these nutrients to grow, they have become a major pollutant due to farm waste and fertilizer runoff. Municipal and industrial waste discharges contribute their fair share of toxins as well. There’s also all the random junk that industry and individuals dump directly into waterways.
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Ocean water Eighty percent of ocean pollution (also called marine pollution) originates on land—whether along the coast or far inland. Contaminants such as chemicals, nutrients, and heavy metals are carried from farms, factories, and cities by streams and rivers into our bays and estuaries; from there they travel out to sea. Meanwhile, marine debris—particularly plastic—is blown in by the wind or washed in via storm drains and sewers. Our seas are also sometimes spoiled by oil spills and leaks—big and small—and are consistently soaking up carbon pollution from the air. The ocean absorbs as much as a quarter of man-made carbon emissions.
Point source When contamination originates from a single source, it’s called point source pollution. Examples include wastewater (also called effluent) discharged legally or illegally by a manufacturer, oil refinery, or wastewater treatment facility, as well as contamination from leaking septic systems, chemical and oil spills, and illegal dumping. The EPA regulates point source pollution by establishing limits on what can be discharged by a facility directly into a body of water. While point source pollution originates from a specific place, it can affect miles of waterways and ocean.
Nonpoint source Nonpoint source pollution is contamination derived from diffuse sources. These may include agricultural or stormwater runoff or debris blown into waterways from land. Nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of water pollution in U.S. waters, but it’s difficult to regulate, since there’s no single, identifiable culprit.
Transboundary It goes without saying that water pollution can’t be contained by a line on a map. Transboundary pollution is the result of contaminated water from one country spilling into the waters of another. Contamination can result from a disaster—like an oil spill—or the slow, downriver creep of industrial, agricultural, or municipal discharge.
The Most Common Types of Water Contamination Agricultural
Toxic green algae in Copco Reservoir, northern California Aurora Photos/Alamy Not only is the agricultural sector the biggest consumer of global freshwater resources, with farming and livestock production using about 70 percent of the earth’s surface water supplies, but it’s also a serious water polluter. Around the world, agriculture is the leading cause of water degradation. In the United States, agricultural pollution is the top source of contamination in rivers and streams, the second-biggest source in wetlands, and the third main source in lakes. It’s also a major contributor of contamination to estuaries and groundwater. Every time it rains, fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste from farms and livestock operations wash nutrients and pathogens—such bacteria and viruses—into our waterways. Nutrient pollution, caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water or air, is the number-one threat to water quality worldwide and can cause algal blooms, a toxic soup of blue-green algae that can be harmful to people and wildlife.
Sewage and wastewater
Used water is wastewater. It comes from our sinks, showers, and toilets (think sewage) and from commercial, industrial, and agricultural activities (think metals, solvents, and toxic sludge). The term also includes stormwater runoff, which occurs when rainfall carries road salts, oil, grease, chemicals, and debris from impermeable surfaces into our waterways
More than 80 percent of the world’s wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused, according to the United Nations; in some least-developed countries, the figure tops 95 percent. In the United States, wastewater treatment facilities process about 34 billion gallons of wastewater per day. These facilities reduce the amount of pollutants such as pathogens, phosphorus, and nitrogen in sewage, as well as heavy metals and toxic chemicals in industrial waste, before discharging the treated waters back into waterways. That’s when all goes well. But according to EPA estimates, our nation’s aging and easily overwhelmed sewage treatment systems also release more than 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater each year.
Oil pollution Big spills may dominate headlines, but consumers account for the vast majority of oil pollution in our seas, including oil and gasoline that drips from millions of cars and trucks every day. Moreover, nearly half of the estimated 1 million tons of oil that makes its way into marine environments each year comes not from tanker spills but from land-based sources such as factories, farms, and cities. At sea, tanker spills account for about 10 percent of the oil in waters around the world, while regular operations of the shipping industry— through both legal and illegal discharges—contribute about one-third. Oil is also naturally released from under the ocean floor through fractures known as seeps.
Radioactive substances Radioactive waste is any pollution that emits radiation beyond what is naturally released by the environment. It’s generated by uranium mining, nuclear power plants, and the production and testing of military weapons, as well as by universities and hospitals that use radioactive materials for research and medicine. Radioactive waste can persist in the environment for thousands of years, making disposal a major challenge. Consider the decommissioned Hanford nuclear weapons production site in Washington, where the cleanup of 56 million gallons of radioactive waste is expected to cost more than $100 billion and last through 2060. Accidentally released or improperly disposed of contaminants threaten groundwater, surface water, and marine resources.
What Are the Effects of Water Pollution? On human health To put it bluntly: Water pollution kills. In fact, it caused 1.8 million deaths in 2015, according to a study published in The Lancet. Contaminated water can also make you ill. Every year, unsafe water sickens about 1 billion people. And low-income communities are disproportionately at risk because their homes are often closest to the most polluting industries.
Waterborne pathogens, in the form of disease-causing bacteria and viruses from human and animal waste, are a major cause of illness from contaminated drinking water. Diseases spread by unsafe water include cholera, giardia, and typhoid. Even in wealthy nations, accidental or illegal releases from sewage treatment facilities, as well as runoff from farms and urban areas, contribute harmful pathogens to waterways. Thousands of people across the United States are sickened every year by Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of pneumonia contracted from water sources like cooling towers and piped water), with cases cropping up from California’s Disneylandto Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
A woman using bottled water to wash her three-week-old son at their home in Flint, Michigan Todd McInturf/The Detroit News/AP Meanwhile, the plight of residents in Flint, Michigan—where cost-cutting measures and aging water infrastructure created the recent lead contamination crisis—offers a stark look at how dangerous chemical and other industrial pollutants in our water can be. The problem goes far beyond Flint and involves much more than lead, as a wide range of chemical pollutants—from heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury to pesticides and nitrate fertilizers—are getting into our water supplies. Once they’re ingested, these toxins can cause a host of health issues, from cancer to hormone disruption to altered brain function. Children and pregnant women are particularly at risk.
Even swimming can pose a risk. Every year, 3.5 million Americans contract health issues such as skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections, and hepatitis from sewage-laden coastal waters, according to EPA estimates.
On the environment In order to thrive, healthy ecosystems rely on a complex web of animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi—all of which interact, directly or indirectly, with each other. Harm to any of these organisms can create a chain effect, imperiling entire aquatic environments.
When water pollution causes an algal bloom in a lake or marine environment, the proliferation of newly introduced nutrients stimulates plant and algae growth, which in turn reduces oxygen levels in the water. This dearth of oxygen, known as eutrophication, suffocates plants and animals and can create “dead zones,” where waters are essentially devoid of life. In certain cases, these harmful algal blooms can also produce neurotoxins that affect wildlife, from whales to sea turtles.
Chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater contaminate waterways as well. These contaminants are toxic to aquatic life—most often reducing an organism’s life span and ability to reproduce— and make their way up the food chain as predator eats prey. That’s how tuna and other big fish accumulate high quantities of toxins, such as mercury.
Marine ecosystems are also threatened by marine debris, which can strangle, suffocate, and starve animals. Much of this solid debris, such as plastic bags and soda cans, gets swept into sewers and storm drains and eventually out to sea, turning our oceans into trash soup and sometimes consolidating to form floating garbage patches. Discarded fishing gear and other types of debris are responsible for harming more than 200 different species of marine life.
Meanwhile, ocean acidification is making it tougher for shellfish and coral to survive. Though they absorb about a quarter of the carbon pollution created each year by burning fossil fuels, oceans are becoming more acidic. 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.
What Can You Do to Prevent Water Pollution? With your actions It’s easy to tsk-tsk the oil company with a leaking tanker, but we’re all accountable to some degree for today’s water pollution problem. Fortunately, there are some simple ways you can prevent water contamination or at least limit your contribution to it:
Reduce your plastic consumption and reuse or recycle plastic when you can.
Properly dispose of chemical cleaners, oils, and non-biodegradable items to keep them from ending up down the drain.
Maintain your car so it doesn’t leak oil, antifreeze, or coolant.
If you have a yard, consider landscaping that reduces runoff and avoid applying pesticides and herbicides.
If you have a pup, be sure to pick up its poop.
With your voice One of the most effective ways to stand up for our waters is to speak out in support of the Clean Water Rule, which clarifies the Clean Water Act’s scope and protects the drinking water of one in three Americans.
Tell the federal government, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and your local elected officials that you support the Clean Water Rule. Also, learn how you and those around you can get involved in the policymaking process. Our public waterways serve every American. We should all have a say in how they’re protected.
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7 Biggest Culprits Behind Water Pollution Around the World Share Share +1 Tweet Pin Are you worried about what you’re putting in your body every day?
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Did you know that the water you drink might be doing more harm than anything else in your life?
Water pollution is a huge problem for everyone in the world. Some places see much more significant pollution problems than others, but water everywhere is being affected by a water pollution global issue that we should all be paying attention to.
In this article, you’ll get a crash course in water pollution around the world. You’ll find out all about the seven most heavily polluted countries as well as what if anything they’re doing to try to make a difference.
Now, if you’re ready to get started, it’s time to learn about water pollution in the world today and how it might be affecting you.
Jump To A Section! Water Pollution in the World Today 7 Biggest Water-Polluting Countries 1. China 2. United States 3. India 4. Japan 5. Germany 6. Indonesia 7. Brazil Conclusion BONUS VIDEO! Water Pollution in the World Today It’s no secret that water pollution is a big issue. Everyone around the world has to deal with it in some way, at some point in their lives, but many places are worse than others about it. The types of water pollution that face developed countries are different from those that plague developing countries, and it’s important to understand the distinctions between the two before you read any further. Below are a couple of lists to help you get started.
In developed countries, water pollution has a handful of sources that are generally the same across the board.
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Most developed countries can point to agriculture as the biggest culprit in their local water pollution. This industry also puts a huge strain on water sources, so agriculture doubly affects water in that it also leads to overuse in many areas. Pesticides and other chemicals used in regular agriculture are major pollutants of groundwater and surface water both, and they lead to a buildup of nitrates in surface water that causes toxic algal blooms. In many developed countries, factories are another huge cause of water pollution. Whether these factories produce, store, or use toxic chemicals or they simply dump wastewater from their processes into freshwater sources, they are harming water and the environment in their area. You might think dumping wastewater into freshwater is an old problem that doesn’t exist anymore, but unfortunately, it happens in almost every developed country even now. Developed countries also see a lot of water pollution from fuel emissions. Especially in large cities where the population is growing all the time, oil and fuel contribute a lot to water pollution. These substances often spill or leak, but even when that doesn’t happen, emissions get into the atmosphere and are carried through clouds until they rain down on the land and contaminate groundwater. The sources of water pollution in developing countries differ somewhat from those in developed countries, but the end result is much the same. Waste management is one of the biggest causes of water pollution in developing countries. In small areas such as towns and villages with lower population numbers, many of these countries don’t have dedicated sewage or septic systems available. Therefore, the people who live there have no way
to dispose of their waste, and it often pollutes the groundwater and even the surface water in the area. This leads to the spread of bacteria, illness, and parasites. In these countries, agriculture is still a problem, but in different ways. Agricultural practices aren’t developed enough to focus on sustainable methods, so water is often over-used. Waste management is a problem here, too, since animal waste isn’t disposed of properly and dead animal bodies are usually not either. A lack of dedicated water sources also contributes to the problem in these countries. Many of these rural communities don’t have taps for water distribution, and most of them rely on a single source of surface water. Sometimes they may have wells drilled, but unless this is done by a professional, the drilling may actually cause further pollution damage.
As you can see, there are some differences between the two types of countries, but when it comes to water pollution, we all have to face it sometime. In the next section, you’ll find out more specifics about water pollution in some of the biggest culprits around the world.
7 Biggest Water-Polluting Countries So where is water pollution happening in the world? No matter where you live, remember that we are all affected by water pollution in our locality in any country. Some countries, however, are worse about this type of pollution than others, so depending on where you live, you might have a very significant problem to worry about. In this section, you’ll learn about the seven worst culprits in terms of water pollution. You’ll be introduced to a few surprising Facts about each one, and you’ll find out about some of the biggest incidents of water pollution in these places as well. If anything is being done on a national scale to cut back on pollution, that will be listed here too. Read on to learn more.
1. China
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The Yangtze River is known as the most polluted river in China, while the Yellow River is known for being exploited beyond its means. This river is dry in some portions and seriously polluted in others, and it can’t sustain fish or animal life well anymore. The Pearl River is contaminated with industrial runoff and wastewater from nearby factories. Small, rural villages in China are serviced by water supplies that are used by factories for dumping wastewater and toxic chemicals. These villages have seen a huge spike in the number of individuals with cancer since this practice began. A study in 1999 showed that about 700 million people in China regularly drank water contaminated with human and animal waste. This was almost half the population at the time of the study, and this contaminated drinking water contributed to a huge number of disease outbreaks and infections from parasites in China.
Incidents of Pollution
In 2010, a major oil spill took place in China’s Yellow Sea following the explosion of a pipeline. 1500 tons of crude oil entered the sea and caused a 50-square kilometer belt of oil to stretch through the water. This caused serious pollution. In 2013, sixteen thousand dead pigs were found in the Huangpu River, which led to the water being infected with porcine circovirus. While this isn’t harmful to people, it is deadly to pigs, and it was feared that the virus would spread to living pig stock from this strange instance of contamination.
What’s Being Done?
Laws – There are several laws in effect in China to regulate wastewater management and treatment of water supplies. Quality standards – The Chinese government has a list of water quality standards that are different depending on the use of the water. Surface and groundwater are held to fairly high standards. Enforcement of both of these is not very strict, and industries continue to dump wastewater in freshwater sources regularly.
2. United States
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Pesticides are one of the biggest pollutants in the United States, with other chemicals coming in close behind. These chemicals can lead to neurological problems, nervous system damage, kidney and liver problems, and cancer in both humans and animals who drink the contaminated water. A 2010 study by the Environmental Working Group found chromium-6, a carcinogen, present in the drinking water of at least 35 major cities in the United States. A 2016 study from Harvard found other cancer-causing chemicals present in the water in 33 states.
Incidents of Pollution
The Camp Lejeune water contamination incident occurred from 1953 to 1987 and contaminated the drinking water used by the people of this Marine Corps camp for decades. A high number of people who once lived in this camp later developed cancer from exposure to these chemicals. In 2015, the Gold King Mine wastewater spill occurred when a plug holding back wastewater was accidentally broken and allowed toxic elements to spill into the nearby Cement Creek. The water is still polluted with heavy metals. In Flint, Michigan a widespread water contamination event is still going on. Lead has slowly seeped into the drinking water in this town and contaminated water pipes, further exposing residents to lead poisoning. The water still hasn’t been cleaned up.
What’s Being Done?
The Safe Drinking Water Act regulates the amounts of contaminants that can be present in water in any given location in the country. It covers 91 different contaminants, but there are thousands present in the United States’ drinking water. The Clean Water Act is an older piece of legislation that strives to regulate assessments of drinking water as well as investigations of chemical storage and transportation. It makes it illegal to dump wastewater without a permit. Both of these are very difficult to enforce and will require stricter punishments for breaking these laws if any changes are to be made.
3. India
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According to the World Health Organization, 626 million people in India openly defecate, which contributes significantly to the amount of pollution in all water sources. While there are steps being taken toward improved sanitation conditions in India, many of the sewage treatment plants in operation aren’t maintained well. Many diseases are widespread because of this.
97 million people in India don’t have access to improved drinking water. People are gaining access as more and more programs are being put into action, but it will take a while.
Incidents of Pollution
In 1984, the world’s worst industrial disaster took place in Bhopal. This terrible incident occurred when several small leaks throughout the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant culminated in one massive leak that exposed five hundred thousand people to toxic gas. Over 3700 people died, and over five hundred thousand injuries took place. According to a 2009 report, the water in this area is still heavily contaminated with toxic waste. This water supply services fifteen communities in the area.
What’s Being Done?
The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974 was put into place to help regulate water resources and work toward conservation and cleaner drinking water for residents of India. The Act is still being amended to this day, with its most recent changes being made in 2003. With such a high rate of open defecation in India, this Act can’t be enforced on a widespread level. While it focuses a lot on industries, it can’t change the habits of individuals.
4. Japan http://desinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/india-flag-a4-1024x723.jpg Facts
Surface water makes up 70% of the drinking water sources used throughout Japan, especially since groundwater pollution has increased significantly in the past few decades. However, chlorine is becoming more present in drinking water from these sources. Eutrophication is a big problem in enclosed water bodies throughout the country. This leads to algal blooms that severely affect the environment and can be toxic to humans. Red tide is very common.
Incidents of Pollution
The most well-known modern incident of water pollution in Japan is related to the Fukushima disaster. In 2013, two years after the disaster, radioactive water was still leaking into the surrounding ocean. According to a 2013 report, over 71,000 gallons of radioactive water were spilling into the sea on a daily basis. Now, in 2016, it’s believed that some of this radioactive ocean water is reaching United States shores.
What’s Being Done?
The Basic Environment Plan focuses on a plan for the environment as a whole, including water protection and conservation, into the future. It lays out several objectives that are meant to help clean up water supplies and keep the environment beautiful and healthy as much as possible. The Water Pollution Control Law regulates factories, businesses, and companies and their ability to dispose of wastewater in areas where people live. It also improves trends in domestic waste disposal across the country.
5. Germany
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/1280pxFlag_of_Germany.svg.png
Facts
Many of Germany’s rivers are severely polluted. During a study that took place in 2015, it was determined that most of these rivers are nowhere near good quality water. 257 toxic compounds were found in German rivers and many in high levels. Although the Rhine river has received a lot of help and cleanup efforts in the past decades, according to a local water utility service in the area, E. coli is still very present in the water. This makes the river unsafe for swimming and drinking.
Incidents of Pollution
On the outskirts of Bonn in 2015, very alkaline water was accidentally introduced to the drinking water supply near a pumping station. This water caused toxic reactions in people who used it. At a chemical storehouse in Switzerland in 1986, a fire led to toxic chemicals being released into both the air and the water of the Rhine river. This water entered Germany through the Rhine, which turned red from the chemicals.
What’s Being Done?
The Federal Water Act, which came into being in 1957 and was last updated in 2002, attempts to assess the quality of water throughout Germany and strives to help clean up water sources into the future. It focuses largely on drinking water and other types of water for human consumption. The Waste Water Charges Act regulates the type and amount of wastewater dumping that can legally be done by various industries. It also enacts fines and penalties for breaking this law.
6. Indonesia
http://www.winne.com/themes/2014/images/icons/flags/flag_mc.svg Facts
Indonesian water makes up 6% of the water in the whole world. However, these water resources degrade by at least 15% and up to 35% every year. 80% of the 250 million people who live in Indonesia didn’t have access to dedicated clean tap water sources as recently as 2000. Around 66% of these residents use river water for bathing and washing, which further contributes to pollution issues.
Incidents of Pollution
In 2004, a chemical plant in Indonesia exploded and caught fire, leading to the release of maleic anhydride into the atmosphere. The area around the plant was evacuated, but the explosion led to seventy casualties. After the event took place, water in the area surrounding the plant had a bad smell and caused itching and rashes when exposed to skin. Buyat Bay is known for being one of the main dumping sites for the Newmont Mining Corporation. People who live in the area suffer from strange health problems, but the mining company still dumps hazardous materials into the water there even so.
What’s Being Done?
The Pollution Control Evaluation and Rating program encourages companies to adopt cleaner, safer business practices and look for environmentally friendly and sustainable ways to operate. The Clean River Program encourages companies to enroll and promise to participate in regular water assessments and quality control checks.
The Natural Resources Management Division works to improve agricultural practices and shift them toward more modern and environmentally safe options. It seeks to conserve water sources throughout the country by enacting its various programs.
7. Brazil Facts
Brazil creates over 161,000 tons of waste on a daily basis, and two-thirds of the municipalities in the country rely on landfills to dispose of that waste. These landfills lead to higher levels of soil toxicity and polluted groundwater in the area. Over 800 tons of waste are dumped into Guanabara Bay on a daily basis, including waste that is infected with bacteria, fecal matter, and parasites. 16 million people rely on this bay for water, and four million of them don’t have a dedicated sewage system.
Incidents of Pollution
The three largest water pollution incidents in Brazil have all taken place in the same location: Guanabara Bay. These took place in 1975, 1997, and 2000. The 2000 Guanabara Bay oil spill was by far the worst. During this spill, 1.3 million liters of oil seeped into the water and killed a huge number of fish and water mammals that lived there. The 2000 spill in Guanabara Bay caused the fishing industry to plummet and led to a serious economic downfall in the country. This spill brought about many changes in Brazilian water pollution policy and law.
What’s Being Done?
The National Policy on Water Resources specifies which water-related practices must be done with a permit or license from a public authority. It also prohibits certain types of water activities completely and allows for penalties for anyone who doesn’t comply with these rules. The National Policy on Water Resources also mandates that anyone or any company who causes a water pollution incident must take care of that incident in some way. They must either physically clean it up themselves or pay enough money for the proper authorities to do so.
Conclusion Are you surprised at the significant amount of water pollution taking place all over the world? You might feel a little shocked after reading some of this information, but remember that all is not lost. Although it does feel as though things are going to get pretty dire if we all continue down the same path into the future, most countries are starting to make more environmentally friendly shifts toward healthier and more sustainable practices and regulations that will keep freshwater sources clean and safe in the future. Although it might take some time to see significant positive changes from these movements, bear in mind that they do exist and they’re making progress every day.
If you live in a place where you feel like the water pollution situation isn’t getting enough attention, however, don’t forget that there’s always something you can do to make a difference. Be brave and speak out to people in positions of power in your country, city, county, or state, and let your voice be heard. Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors, and consider starting a petition or some other documentation you can use to show your local government just how serious you and the people around you are about clean water. If all else fails, get out there and clean up the water yourself. Although you won’t be able to do anything like providing a dedicated chemical water treatment facility, you can help cut back on the amount of waste and debris that ends up in rivers across the world every year. Organize cleanup groups or volunteer with a local nonprofit organization to help improve the quality of freshwater sources where you live.
There’s always something you can do to get involved. Don’t be afraid to reach out and find the right way you can help solve the problem of water pollution no matter where you live.
BOLIVIA
Water runs down from Bolivia's glaciers, through rivers that pass the city of El Alto, and finally arrives at Lake Titicaca, contaminating the shores and bay areas where most of the lake population lives. Image by Noah Friedman-Rudovsky. Bolivia, 2011.
In 2006, people from the municipality of Laja blocked a key highway leading toward Bolivia’s administrative capital, La Paz. They were protesting pollution of the Pallina River, which begins in Andean glaciers and passes through the metropolis of El Alto before traveling about 40 miles across Bolivia’s high plains to Lake Titicaca. Along that route it passes through Laja. Pedro Huanca was mayor of Laja during the 2006 roadblock. The Pallina River had once been a source of clean water for the people who lived on its banks. Their livestock drank it and they used it to wash tunta, a dried potato that they sold for relatively high prices. Huanca remembers that clean river, but by the time he became mayor it was gone. El Alto began rapid growth and industrialization in the 1980s, and waste transformed the Pallina as fish and frogs disappeared from its waters. The roadblock raised awareness of the river in Bolivia and attracted valuable international funding, but six years later the Pallina is still a foamy, pea-green soup with a strange smell. In fact, 2006 wasn’t the first time the government had something to say about water pollution in the area. In 2004, the government of then-President Carlos Mesa passed a law declaring four rivers, including the Pallina, an environmental disaster zone. A recently published thesis sitting in a university library in La Paz suggests the Pallina River is still an environmental disaster. Evelin Susana Humerez Espinoza studied eco-toxicity in the river. Among her many analyses were two simple experiments. She nourished onions with water from the Pallina, and they grew brown and shriveled. She put freshwater fish in the Pallina’s water, and they died within minutes. According to Humerez Espinoza’s research, the Pallina’s waters “can’t be used for irrigation, nourishing animals, and much less human consumption.” Humerez Espinoza also found that not only El Alto, but also the upstream city of Viacha and Laja itself fail to adequately treat the wastewater they produce. El Alto is simply the biggest threat because of its industries and population of more than one million people. The loss of the river to wash tunta and water cows are a major blow to the local economy, Huanca says, as wells must be dug so animals can have clean water, and the loss of tunta sales cuts incomes for people living in one of South America’s poorest countries. Carlos Mesa is no longer president of Bolivia and Pedro Huanca is no longer mayor of Laja, but the Pallina’s problems persist. The 2004 law prioritizing its cleanup is one piece of paper among many. Huanca later tried to sue El Alto for polluting the Pallina, but the lawsuit went nowhere. Today several non-governmental organizations have projects underway in El Alto and Lake Titicaca, such as a group whose work includes education to decrease industrial contamination, but the scale of the problem is large and downstream communities continue to suffer. In an office in Pucarani, a municipality neighboring Laja, Rocio Butron talks about the challenges communities face when it comes to fighting pollution. She says local governments often lack the trained staff to take on large environmental projects, and key issues such as healthcare and education tend to take precedence over sanitation in the municipal budget. “We see that as municipal governments we are in a weak position to take on these (environmental) challenges,” Butron said. “There should be a bigger push from the central government and the departmental government to tackle these issue and get the municipalities involved to contribute.” Butron hopes that leaders from all the affected areas stretching from El Alto down to Lake Titicaca will meet and hammer out an overarching plan. She says that would give her more confidence than laws or roadblocks, which draw attention in
the moment, but don’t create workable solutions. After all, she says, downstream communities are powerless to fight the tide of contamination alone, making cooperation their best hope.
Bolivia: El Alto's Contaminated Waters
The Seco River begins in Andean glaciers that top 20,000-foot peaks and rolls down over Bolivia’s plains toward the vast expanse of Lake Titicaca. Along the way it passes straight through one of the fastest-growing cities in South America: El Alto. What was once a shantytown perched next to the city of La Paz is now a political and industrial powerhouse of about one million people that has grown by nearly 50 percent since 2000. Despite this boom, the chronic poverty and lack of access to services historically faced by Bolivia’s indigenous people persist in El Alto. Bolivia is one of Latin America’s poorest countries, and its population of just 10.5 million people, of whom more than 6 million identify as indigenous, has radically shifted from the countryside to cities over the past two decades. Infrastructure lags behind El Alto’s spontaneous and unplanned growth. Many homes lack access to potable water, and hopeful estimates put the number of homes and businesses that link to the city’s sorely overtaxed sewage treatment plant at 50 percent. The remaining wastewater is piped directly into rivers like the Seco, and eventually reaches South America’s largest lake, the high altitude expanse of Titicaca. During the dry season, from May through November, the Seco is just a trickle fed by wastewater from homes, slaughterhouses, tanneries and mining operations. Along its course through El Alto its waters run red with blood, vivid green with algae, black with oil and a thick brilliant rust color from mineral processing. The riverbed also doubles as a dump—plastic bags, rotting food, tires, dead dogs and feces line its banks. The water smells sharp and bitter. When the rainy season arrives in December, everything sweeps toward the lake. “The water keeps getting dirtier,” said 17-year-old Susi Mamani from El Alto as she walked along the bank of the Seco. She says that for many households the river is the closest and easiest way to dispose of trash, especially when garbage trucks fail to collect it week after week. “I hope we can clean the water and learn not to throw our trash in the rivers. I want to see them cleaner with more plants,” she said. “The problem is that there is no complete and structured treatment of wastewater,” said Marco Ribera Arismendi of The Environmental Defense League (LIDEMA) in La Paz. Treating all the wastewater El Alto produces would require tens of millions of dollars to invest in piping and an adequate wastewater treatment plant, more money for an industrial park and even more money to guarantee trash pickup and educate communities about trash disposal. But the cash to create that infrastructure has not been forthcoming from national or local governments since serious pollution became apparent about 10 years ago. “The things governments have done so far are like giving an aspirin to someone who has been shot,” said Ribera Arismendi. Even if money were available, reaching consensus on a project of such scope is a daunting challenge in a city where neighborhood organizations are often more powerful than the city government, and leadership changes frequently. Meanwhile, without a comprehensive water treatment solution in sight, El Alto’s continued growth poses increasing threats to its residents and communities downstream. Near the Bay of Cohana, where the rivers running from El Alto finally meet Lake Titicaca, most people live by raising sheep and cows, and small-scale farming. Scientific studies on the effects of water contamination on the people and animals of Cohana are scarce, but concern in lakeshore communities is high. Several hundred yards from the river a man drills a deep well. The people here are hesitant to talk about water contamination because if suspicion were ever cast on the health of their livestock it could destroy their livelihoods. But this farmer, who did not want to be named, is certain a well is an excellent investment. The river, he says, is dirty, and he can’t allow his cows to drink from it.
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