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Water Pollution
Columbia Encyclopedia defines water
pollution as a "contamination of water resources by harmful wastes"1
Encarta Encyclopedia added that, "plants and animals require water that is moderately pure,
and they cannot survive if their water is loaded with toxic chemicals or
harmful microorganisms. If severe, water pollution can kill large numbers
of fish, birds, and other animals, in some cases killing all members of a
species in an affected area. Pollution makes streams, lakes, and coastal
waters unpleasant to look at, to smell, and to swim in. Fish and shellfish
harvested from polluted waters may be unsafe to eat. People who ingest
polluted water can become ill, and, with prolonged exposure, may develop
cancers or bear children with birth defects."2
Further discussion of water
pollution from:
Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Environment
"Sustainable development requires suitable supplies of clean water for
drinking and cleaning. The main worldwide use of water (70-80%) is for
irrigation schemes which provide water to allow crops to be grown in dry
areas. A great deal of water is lost in these schemes through evaporation,
and so countries which are downstream often have very little water to use,
which can lead to disputes. Other uses of inland water include
hydroelectric power schemes and recreational activities.
Groundwater used for freshwater drinking supplies can be easily
over-exploited. When this happens it can become contaminated with salt
water which makes it unsuitable for use. Water available in rivers and
lakes is sometimes polluted, making it harmful to plants, animals and
people. The cost of providing treatment works is usually much cheaper than
the cost of dealing with disease and illness. Agenda 21 encourages
investment in water treatment as a more sustainable option, especially in
the developing world where up to 80% of all diseases and a third of deaths
are caused by drinking contaminated water.
Proper sanitation requires a good quality water supply. A lot of
pollution in water comes from human waste. The rapid growth in the
populations of towns and cities in the developing world is putting
pressure on governments to set up sustainable sanitation schemes to cope
with large numbers of people.
The United Nations claims that the sustainable use of the
worlds water
resources will be achieved through co-operation between countries which
share a source of water, efficient water use, and a reduction in pollution
and contamination."3
Water
Pollution References:
1
Columbia Encyclopedia,
Sixth Edition, Copyright (c) 2003.
2 Encarta Encyclopedia
- © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
3
© Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Environment
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