Controlling water pollution
Since water plays such a vital role in life on earth, good quality water is a precious resource. Often water quality is more important than water quantity. The quality of the water affects the use we make of it, but the reverse is also true. Once we have used the water, we affect its quality.
This circular process indicates that the traditional habit of discharging untreated sewage and chemical wastes directly into rivers, lakes, estuaries of oceans for eventual "assimilation" into the environment is no longer acceptable – either technically of morally.
The explosion in human population and industrial activities, and the rate at which new chemicals and products are being developed and used pose a global environmental threat. The natural decay processes in water bodies can no longer cope with these loads.
The approach to controlling pollution depends on:
- the type of pollutant
is it degradable? persistent?
is it metal? pesticide? dioxen? PCB?
- the source
does it come from an industrial pipe?
a farmer's field? the atmosphere?
- the effects
is it harming fish? birds? plants? humans?
Measures taken to protect water quality include:
|
Water Pollution Menu
Previous
