Essay on Water Pollution

Audience and Purpose

Water pollution is a matter that impacts many lives within the population, and there is an urgent need to put the practice under control. Contamination of water can attract diseases within a population, which derails the general well-being of the society as it leads to diseases. The target audience of the project includes all stakeholders who have the goodwill to maintain sustainable population health. Water is essential, and any level of miscalculations can lead to shortages. Stakeholders include companies, people, the government, NGOs, environmental activists, and any other party that has an interest in the environment. The purpose of the research is to establish possible ways that water pollution can be reduced to promote proper sanitation. It is vital to promote practices that ensure that water pollution is reduced in a bid to conserve the environment.

Introduction

The contamination of water bodies as a result of human activities is on the rise in the recent past. There is a need to implement strategic policies aimed at reducing water pollution globally. A population that dwells on water sources that are contaminated is at more risk of contracting diseases. Equally, organisms that depend on water bodies for survival are endangered with high levels of water pollution (Kneese, 2015). As such, research that focuses on a possible way to reduce water pollution can help avert the impact of the phenomenon. The research aims to answer the question, “how can water pollution be controlled?” to answer the question, the study identifies three strategic approaches that can reduce water pollution.

Body

The first strategic approach to the reduction of water pollution is reducing and avoiding the release of contaminated liquid substances and other solid waste down the drain. For instance, liquid substances such as cooking oil contaminate water and can affect organisms in the water bodies (Zhu, Lei, Zheng, Liang & Quan, 2018). Fat and grease melts and flows down the drain to cause severe problems for organisms that depend on the water for survival when consumed, water with liquids such as cooking oil can cause serious health conditions in a population. As such, water pollution can result from the release of liquids down the drain or solid substances that are harmful and contaminate water. Chemicals that are used for water treatment such as chlorine result in water pollution to some extent. This is because when the substances are used excessively, they are harmful to other organisms that are dependent on the water bodies. Detergents used for purposes such as the washing of clothes also cause water pollution. There is a need to avoid releasing such elements to water bodies to ensure that water sustainability is achieved. Manufacturing industries that release heavy metals such as lead to water bodies significantly increase the possibility of health problems within a population. Therefore, there is a need to implement policies that promote practices that reduce the release of contaminated substances such as oil to water bodies.

Reducing the use of agrochemicals in farms can help reduce the high levels of pollution in water bodies. Agrochemicals include substances that are used by farmers for farming, such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides (Kyei & Hassan, 2018). Runoff and infiltration of chemicals involved lead to water contamination that can kill or affect the health of organisms. Fertilizers that are essential for the growth of farm crops cause water pollution and can affect productivity. As such, there is a need to reduce use of agrochemicals with a view of controlling the high levels of water pollution. Excessive application of chemicals in the firm can lead to water contamination, which is a threat to living organisms in the environment. Notably, it is difficult to avoid the use of such chemicals as they play a crucial role in promoting food security in the world. As such, the most important thing is to reduce the use of agrochemicals in the farm. Also, the chemicals applied in the farms should be standardized to avoid any further effect on living organisms. An example of an approach that can reduce the use of such chemicals is the application of organic manure in the farms. The use of organic manure reduces the chances of polluting water through fertilizers, which is infiltrated to the soil to join underground water (Kyei & Hassan, 2018). Insecticides also increase water pollution when applied in the farms. Stakeholders need to implement strategies that can reduce the use of agrochemicals in a bid to ensure a reduction in water pollution.

Proper sewerage treatment and sanitation management contribute significantly to a reduction in the level of water pollution. Sewerage is the most common contributor to water pollution as much wastewater is released into water bodies (Mininni, Blanch, Lucena & Berselli, 2015). Sewage water should be treated before being released to water bodies to avoid contaminating the water. For instance, waste from suburbs of cities is released to water bodies, risking the lives of organisms within the water bodies. To reduce water pollution as a result of sewerage, all stakeholders have to take responsibility and ensure the matter is put under control. Taking charge means ensuring that wastewater is treated before releasing it to water bodies. Equally, water pollution can be avoided by reducing the dumping of solid products to the drain such substances can dissolve in the water forming acidic compounds that can be harmful to organisms. As such, ensuring that sewage is treated before releasing it to water bodies reduces pollution. Proper sanitation ensures that water used for drinking and cooking is safe to avoid the increased spread of diseases related to sanitation (Cieślik, Namieśnik & Konieczka, 2015). As such, ensuring the treatment of wastewater and sewerage before directing it to water bodies proves to help reduce pollution as a significant problem in the 21^st century. To promote practices that lead to reduced pollution, legal authorities should implement hefty fines for defiant companies as a way of discouraging the act.

Conclusion

Water pollution is the release of substances to water bodies, which result in contamination of water there is a need to address the issue and ensure that water pollution has been put under control. For instance, avoiding the release of contaminated liquids to water bodies can reduce unnecessary pollution. Equally, chemicals applied in the farms contribute to pollution to a large extent. Reducing the use of agrochemicals in farms can help reduce water pollution. Examples of farm chemicals that result in contamination of water include pesticides, fungicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, among others. Sewage plays a significant part in contaminating water bodies, especially those near cities with large populations. To reduce water pollution, sewerage companies should ensure that they treat the wastewater before directing it into other bodies. Legislation from authorities can shape the matter and ensure that those found guilty of water pollution pay for their deeds. Water pollution should be avoided to foster sustainability within the environment.

References

Cieślik, B. M., Namieśnik, J., & Konieczka, P. (2015). Review of sewage sludge management: standards, regulations and analytical methods. Journal of Cleaner Production, 90, 1-15.

Kneese, A. V. (2015). Water pollution: economics aspects and research needs. Routledge.

Kyei, C., & Hassan, R. (2018). The economy-wide implications of a tax policy to reduce water pollution: a case of the Olifants river basin, South Africa.

Mekonnen, M. M., & Hoekstra, A. Y. (2018). Global anthropogenic phosphorus loads to freshwater and associated grey water footprints and water pollution levels: A high‐resolution global study. Water resources research, 54(1), 345-358.

Mininni, G., Blanch, A. R., Lucena, F., & Berselli, S. (2015). EU policy on sewage sludge utilization and perspectives on new approaches of sludge management. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22(10), 7361-7374.

Zhu, J., Lei, X., Zheng, H., Liang, J., & Quan, J. (2018). Risk analysis and emergency countermeasures for oil pollution in main channel of South to North Water Transfer Project. In MATEC Web of Conferences (Vol. 246, p. 02020). EDP Sciences.