Disease caused by water pollution

The WHO reports that 25-30% of all hospital admissions are connected to water borne bacterial and parasitic conditions, with 60% of infant deaths caused by water infections.
The long-term effects on human health of pesticides and other pollutants include colon and bladder cancer, miscarriage, birth defects, deformation of bones, and sterility.

Contamination of fresh water with radionuclides, which can result from mining, testing, disposal and manufacturing of radioactive material, as well as transportation accidents, has led to increased incidences of cancer, developmental abnormalities and death.

Cesspools of stagnant dirty water, both in rural and urban areas, account for a large number of deaths caused by potentially fatal diseases like cholera, malaria, dysentery and typhoid.
Nitrate concentration in water above 45mg/l makes it unfit for drinking by infants. The nitrates are reduced in body to nitrites and cause a serious blood condition called the "Blue Baby Syndrome". Higher concentrations of nitrate causes gastric cancer.
Untreated and highly toxic industrial sewage is also used for irrigation near major cities. This can contaminate crops and consequently affect consumers.

Karachi's untreated wastewater from domestic sewage and industrial estates is discharged into the Layari and Malir rivers, which fall into the Arabian Sea. This waste has begun to pose a serious threat to the marine environment, as the channel water is contaminated not only with bacteria but also with toxic chemicals.
Water pollution also extends a savage threat to wildlife of Pakistan. Animals drink water out of polluted water bodies, ailing ponds, rivers and streams. This sickens the animals and some may even die. Oil spills kill thousands of fish in oceans. Extreme pollution of river Ravi has destroyed the once existing 42 species of fish and the bird life around the river has migrated to other areas. Survival of small invertebrates, micro fauna and flora is also threatened.

Effects of water pollution on ecosystem

Water pollution can come as a result of natural or unnatural compounds being added to a watersource. These can sway the balance of an ecosystem resulting in danger to natural wildlife of aquatic environments.

Some animals and plants are highly susceptible to the effects of water pollution:

* Amphibians tend to be very pollution sensitive due to the fact that they absorb chemicals in the water through their skins; this is one reason why many amphibian populations are in distress today.
* With addition of detergents to the eco-system, insects that normally have the ability to walk on water will be unable to.
* Younger animals also have a greater sensitivity to chemical compunds, especially those that mimic organic compounds, since they are still undergoing the physiological changes associated with maturation. These effects can range from physiological effects such as suffocation and thinning of eggshells to the alteration of neurochemistry.

That is why one water-quality monitoring technique involves a survey of macroinvertebrates in the stream; if animals with narrow requirements are present, then the stream health has to be above their minimum threshold. By definition, pollution reduces aquatic biodiversity! Since no species (or very few) live in total isolation, the difficulties of these species often get passed on to others.
Pollution-tolerant organisms

Other organisms are highly tolerant to pollution of their environments, among these are aquatic worms, leeches, and snails. As a rule, as complexity increases, tolerance to pollution decreases. Keep in mind that, even though these species may be able to survive in less than ideal environments, the species that rely on them for food may not be able to. Further, any pollutants or toxins in the prey animals or plants will be concentrated in the predators unless their systems are capable of removing the compound from their system.

Even if an organism can survive in such conditions, the presence of pollutants may stress them sufficiently to make them more susceptible to a threat normally fought off -- such interactions are suspect in both colony collapse disorder in bees and "white nose syndrome" in bats. Such interactions are a critical consideration when considering real-world situations, especially when you add climate change (which can be considered as adding heat, and potentially sediment, pollution to watersheds, as well as altering food webs) and extinctions of other organisms to the equation.

Water pollution in India

Water pollution has emerged as one of the gravest environmental threats in India. Its biggest sources are city sewage and industrial waste that are discharged untreated into the rivers. Despite the best efforts of the government, only about 10 per cent of the waste water that is generated in the cities is treated and the rest is discharged into the rivers.

The entry of toxic substances into water bodies like lakes, streams and rivers leads to deterioration in the quality of water and severely affects the aquatic ecosystems. Due to this, even the ground water gets contaminated. All these have a devastating effect on all living creatures that exist near the polluted water bodies. Urgent steps are needed to be taken by the Indian government on the water pollution management front and the flawed policies need to be amended in order to obtain concrete results.

Water pollution is a reality of human existence. Activities like agriculture and industrial production generate water pollution apart from the biological waste. In India, every year, approximately 50,000 million litres of wastewater, both industrial and domestic, is generated in urban areas. If the data of rural areas is also taken into account, the overall figure will be much higher. The materials that constitute industrial waste include highly harmful substances like salts, chemicals, grease, oils, paints, iron, cadmium, lead, arsenic, zinc, tin, etc. In some cases even radio-active materials are discharged into the rivers bodies by some companies, who for the sake of saving money on water treatment, throw all the norms to the winds.

All efforts by the government to put a check on wastewater management have failed as the treatment systems require high capital investment for installation and also high cost is incurred on operational maintenance. This is a sore point not only for the farmers but also for the factory owners as the high cost of treating industrial wastewater affects their bottom-line. The cost of establishing and running a wastewater treatment plant in a factory can be as high as 20 percent of the total expenditure. Hence we see a situation where, despite the presence of government norms, effluents continue to flow into the river bodies untreated.

On the other hand, the government of India is spending millions of rupees every year on water pollution control. According to rough estimates, Indian government has spent nearly 20,000 crore rupees till now on various schemes in India, like the Ganga Action Plan and Yamuna Action Plan, to control water pollution in rivers. But no positive results have been achieved as yet. The government should realise that all efforts to get the river-bodies free from water pollution will fail unless the process of untreated industrial and other wastewater getting into the water bodies is not stopped.

Hence the government should, instead of spending money on pollution control schemes, divert its resources to encourage wastewater treatment in agriculture and industrial sector. The money spent on pollution control should be spent on giving subsidies to the industries which generate wastewater and on strict monitoring of their adherence to the norms. Research should be promoted in areas like nanotechnology to find out ways and means to build cheaper wastewater management plants. Here also, the approach should be to re-use the treated water for agriculture instead of letting it go into the rivers and streams.

It should not be forgotten that only 0.3 per cent of total water available on this planet is fit for consumption for human beings, animals & plants. The remaining 99.7 per cent is present either as sea water or as glaciers on the mountains. Hence ignoring the issue of water pollution any longer would mean inviting a Third World War which would be fought for the control of water resources.

Water pollution in Nepal

Water pollution through natural processes is insignificant in Nepal. Domestic sewage and industrial effluents are the major contributors of water pollution. Haphazard urbanisation and inadequate sewerage facilities have accelerated the discharge of domestic liquid wastes without any treatment. Almost all the urban areas have no wastewater treatment facilities. The cumulative effects of wastewater discharge have a striking negative impact, particularly, in the rivers flowing through the Kathmandu Valley. The holy river Bagmati is biologically dead due to discharge of such domestic and industrial wasters, particularly in the stretch flowing through urban areas.

Biological contamination is generally noticed in the supplied drinking water as well. Frequent incidence of water-borne diseases indicates the deterioration of the drinking water quality in both urban and rural areas.

Although the contribution of the manufacturing industries to the gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to be around 10 per cent, most of them discharge the effluents and solid wastes without any treatment. According to the latest Census (1996//97) of industries, the number of establishments and persons engaged in all VDCs were about 1,594 and 92,344 as against 1,963 and 1,04,364 in all Municipalities. Compared to the previous 1991/92 Census, carpet and rugs, garments, bricks, distilleries and printing establishments have decreased in numbers during 1996/97 Census.

With a concentration of 56.76 per cent of total manufacturing establishments, the Central Development Region (CDR) is found to be the most busy region in manufacturing activities. The region shares 70.54 per cent of the total employees, and 73.04 per cent of total wages and salaries. It has also shared 76.04 per cent of the total value added with 66.84 per cent of input and 70.5 per cent of the total output.

In contrast to the CDR, the Far-Western Development Region (FWDR) shares only 3.74 per cent of the total number of manufacturing establishments.

Localised industrial pollution is also on the rise. Wastewater is directly discharged on to the terrestrial and aquatic systems without any treatment. The wastewater generally contains a high load of oxygen demanding wastes, disease causing agents, synthetic organic compounds, plant nutrients, inorganic chemical and minerals, and sediments (Devkota and Neupane, 1994). Total industrial wastes have been estimated at 0.076 million tons of TSP, 8.557 million cubic meter of wastewater, 5.7 thousand tons of BOD, 9.6 thousand tons of TSS and 22 thousand tons of solid wastes. Industrial TSP release in the Kathmandu Valley exceeds the total load discharged in all other development regions. A recent sample survey of 36 industries throughout the Kingdom revealed that the population equivalent (PE) of industrial effluent ranges from 416 to 9,540 (Devkota, 1997; Table 2.8.3). It is generally accepted that local human PE is about 50 gram per day.

Water pollution in China

About one third of the industrial waste water and more than 90 percent of household sewage in China is released into rivers and lakes without being treated. Nearly 80 percent of China's cities (278 of them) have no sewage treatment facilities and few have plans to build any and underground water supplies in 90 percent of the cites are contaminated.
Water shortages and water pollution in China are such a problem that the World Bank warns of “catastrophic consequences for future generations.” Half of China’s population lacks safe drinking water. Nearly two thirds of China’s rural population—more than 500 million people—use water contaminated by human and industrial waste.

By one estimate one sixth of China’s population is threatened by seriously polluted water. One study found that eight of 10 Chinese coastal cities discharge excessive amounts of sewage and pollutants into the sea, often near coastal resorts and sea farming areas. Most of China’s rural areas have no system in place to treat waste water.

Water pollution—caused primarily by industrial waste, chemical fertilizers and raw sewage— accounts for half of the $69 billion that the Chinese economy loses to pollution every year. About 11.7 million pounds of organic pollutants are emitted into Chinese waters very day, compared to 5.5 in the United States, 3.4 in Japan, 2.3 in Germany, 3.2 in India, and 0.6 in South Africa.

Water consumed by people in China contains dangerous levels of arsenic, fluorine and sulfates. An estimated 980 million of China’s 1.3 billion people drink water every day that is partly polluted. More than 600 million Chinese drink water contaminated with human or animal wastes and 20 million people drink well water contaminated with high levels of radiation. A large number of arsenic-tainted water have been discovered. China’s high rates of liver, stomach and esophageal cancer have been linked to water pollution.

In many cases factories fouling critical water sources are making goods consumed by people in the U.S. and Europe. Problems created by China’s water pollution are not just confined to China either. Water pollution and garbage produced in China floats down its rivers to the sea and is carried by prevailing winds and currents to Japan and South Korea.

Water pollution and shortages are a more serious problem in northern China than southern China. The percentage of water considered unfit for human consumption is 45 percent in northern China, compared to 10 percent in southern China. Some 80 percent of the rivers in the northern province of Shanxi have been rated “unfit for human contact.”

A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center before the 2008 Olympics found that 68 percent of the Chinese interviewed said they were concerned about water pollution.

Harmful effects of water pollution due to plastic bags and solution of that problem

Every once in a while the government here passes out an order banning shop keepers from providing plastic bags to customers for carrying their purchases, with little lasting effect. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well as consumers because they are cheap, strong, lightweight, functional, as well as a hygienic means of carrying food as well as other goods. Even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, they are responsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up the precious resources of the earth.

About a hundred billion plastic bags are used each year in the US alone. And then, when one considers the huge economies and populations of India, China, Europe, and other parts of the world, the numbers can be staggering. The problem is further exacerbated by the developed countries shipping off their plastic waste to developing countries like India.

Here are some of the harmful effects of plastic bags:
Plastic bags litter the landscape. Once they are used, most plastic bags go into landfill, or rubbish tips. Each year more and more plastic bags are ending up littering the environment. Once they become litter, plastic bags find their way into our waterways, parks, beaches, and streets. And, if they are burned, they infuse the air with toxic fumes.

Plastic bags kill animals. About 100,000 animals such as dolphins, turtles whales, penguins are killed every year due to plastic bags. Many animals ingest plastic bags, mistaking them for food, and therefore die. And worse, the ingested plastic bag remains intact even after the death and decomposition of the animal. Thus, it lies around in the landscape where another victim may ingest it.

Plastic bags are non-biodegradable. And one of the worst environmental effects of plastic bags is that they are non-biodegradable. The decomposition of plastic bags takes about 1000 years.

Petroleum is required to produce plastic bags. As it is, petroleum products are diminishing and getting more expensive by the day, since we have been using this non-renewable resource increasingly. Petroleum is vital for our modern way of life. It is necessary for our energy requirements – for our factories, transport, heating, lighting, and so on. Without viable alternative sources of energy yet on the horizon, if the supply of petroleum were to be turned off, it would lead to practically the whole world grinding to a halt. Surely, this precious resource should not be wasted on producing plastic bags, should it?

So, What Can be Done about the Use of Plastic Bags?
Single-use plastic bags have become such a ubiquitous way of life that it seems as if we simply cannot do without them. However, if we have the will, we can start reducing their use in small ways.
•A tote bag can make a good substitute for holding the shopping. You can keep the bag with the cahier, and then put your purchases into it instead of the usual plastic bag.
•Recycling the plastic bags you already have is another good idea. These can come into use for various purposes, like holding your garbage, instead of purchasing new ones.
While governments may be working out ways to lessen the impact of plastic bags on the environment, however, each of us should shoulder some of the responsibility for this problem, which ultimately harms us.

Factors affecting water pollution

Water Quality is affected by numerous factors that depend on your water source among other considerations. Here are a few insights into what you need to know.

Microbial contamination is a major factor that affects water quality. Microbial contaminants are the different types of bacteria, parasites and cysts. Your water should be tested regularly to detect the presence of these contaminants which can cause flu-like symptoms or worse upon ingestion.

The cysts have been known to be resistant to most of the public and private purification methods. They are best removed with filtration which ensures water quality. Cysts are factors that affect water and because of the danger they present to the health of individual Those most at risk are the elderly, those with low immunity due to illness and children.

Mineral and metal contamination also affects quality, as it is a major contaminant that is especially harmful to everyone's health. Reverse osmosis reduces the content of lead and most minerals. An additional ion exchange step will remove the lead and copper and balance the mineral content.

A major concern with factors affecting water quality is chemical contamination which can cause a variety of diseases. These are usually removed through carbon filtration though it is not an absolute purification method as chlorine will require additional filtering media.

Another factor affecting water quality is taste and odor of water. It is necessary to make sure your filter also removes any bad odors and taste from the drinking water so as to make it better