What is Water Pollution?
Water pollution, in simple terms, is the contamination of water sources by certain substances, making the water unsafe to drink, cook, swim, clean, etc. Pollutants are the term for such substances that contaminate substances such as water, in this case. Pollutants include chemicals, trash, bacteria, and parasites. These pollutants can enter the water system through underground streams which travel to rivers and eventually the ocean. Air pollution can also affect the water when it interacts with water, as it settles on lakes and other bodies of water.
What causes Water Pollution?
Water pollution is caused by pollutants that enter the water from accidental spillages, improper care of water from sewage wastewater plants, and runoff from rainwater. Chemicals can also enter the water system when more chemicals are poured down the drain. Lead pipes are also a major cause of water pollution, as many homes and buildings still contain pipes made of lead, and lead is an extremely harmful chemical to the human body. This was infamously showcased in the Flint, Michigan water incident where the water system was composed of lead due to lead pipes, causing many harmful effects on the citizens in Flint. Polluting outdoor bodies of water can also pollute the water and destroy the ecosystem, further contaminating the water. In bigger cities, water pollution can be a result of city sewage.
What are the consequences of water pollution?
Water pollution severely depletes lakes and rivers of biodiversity, as it can harm aquatic life. Poorer villages rely on very few sources of water, which can be contained, introducing diseases to villages such as cholera. Cholera outbreaks can be caused by contained bodies of water. The contamination can also limit people from having access to clean water, causing deaths and the lack of the basic human necessity: water. In addition, the president of the World Bank, David Malpass stated that “Deteriorating water quality is stalling economic growth and exacerbating poverty in many countries”. It directly affects the economy because it can impact tourism, workers’ productivity, and the shift of focus toward dealing the water pollution. Disease and unsafe water can cause workers to become sick, which, in turn, affects the economy of the location, as there is a decrease in people working. In addition, water pollution can affect the GDP, as according to IBERDROLA, “When biological oxygen demand exceeds a certain threshold, the growth in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the regions within the associated water basins falls by a third.” With all of these consequences being present in situations when the water is polluted, a village or even a country can severely struggle. It is important that every citizen does their part to ensure that the water that they rely on does not become polluted or infested with harmful chemicals, as it can cause a butterfly effect of many other consequences than simply the lack of safe water. Water is a fundamental necessity in our lives, which is why it has so many adverse effects from the lack thereof.
What are some current government policies to prevent water policies?
Since 1972, the Clean Water Act was implemented as a way for setting up pollution control programs to ensure that wastewater contaminants are under the set standard limits. According to the EPA, the clean water act “made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained.” Additionally, the EPA established the EPA watershed academy to educate people on watershed protection, water contamination, and other important resources to ensure that the amendments under the clean water act are met.
How can we prevent water pollution?
Preventing water pollution can be very difficult because there are so many other causes of water pollution than just what is found on the ground. Air pollutants can also affect water pollution, so effectively reducing air pollution would reduce water pollution. However, what we can do to best prevent water pollution under our control includes a variety of things that can start with just one person. Picking up litter and throwing it away in the trash is one major solution. Trash can pollute water, causing contamination. Recycled products do not belong in the oceans, which further damages aquatic life nad biodiversity. Rivers and streams that are infested with trash can still carry dangerous chemicals and substances that can harm the water even after being filtered, which end up in our tap water. Another solution is to prevent the pouring of fat, oils, or any other chemicals down the drain. These chemicals end up back in the water system and can cause pollution. Farmers can minimize the usage of fertilizers and pesticides. These are very harmful chemicals that can end up in waterways because of water runoff or the chemicals simply falling into rivers. The most important thing to do if fertilizers and pesticides were to be used is to not dump them in storm sewers because they can end up in the river. Most waterways are connected, so pollution in one river can end up in the ocean. In villages that do not have access to safe water and must rely on only one source of water, it is much more difficult, but the best solution is to spread awareness and donate to organizations that serve to clean the water. The government can also implement a plan to find alternative sources of clean water to prevent the spread of water-borne illnesses.
Sources:
- https://www.iberdrola.com/sustainability/water-pollution#:~:text=Water%20pollution%20depletes%20aquatic%20ecosystems,Contamination%20of%20the%20food%20chain.
- https://raleighnc.gov/stormwater/6-ways-prevent-water-pollution
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ehep/82-2/#:~:text=Diseases%2C%20Medical%20Problems,such%20as%20cholera%20and%20diarrhea.
- https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act#:~:text=%22Clean%20Water%20Act%22%20became%20the,for%20pollutants%20in%20surface%20waters.
Well done, I like that you roped in the concept of water conservation, as water is a really valuable resource. I think you hit the nail on the head with making sure that you covered the categories found in the issue brief. Things like your harms, stakeholders, etc. were all covered. However, I am not sure exactly which jurisdiction you are going after because there is talk of both personal and governmental efforts. Make sure to look into that, as it can affect how you shape your issue brief. I do appreciate, however, that you did mention multiple ways that water conservation efforts could be boosted. I think you could combine all three of your civic issues posts into one policy if you like, but that falls down to your preference. Overall, you seem like you are in a good spot to start the issue brief.
I’m curious where you will take this for your issue brief–to me, a lot of your posts, while remaining in the same issue area, have differing harms and jurisdictions. Of course, with a solid policy, these issues can become non-problematic, but it will be an interesting needle to thread. It sounds like, in this post, at least, you’re considering proposing a capacity builder-type policy, with your notes that we can stop water pollution at an individual level. However, that all depends on where you take your jurisdiction, since I imagine that capacity builders become less effective the farther up the jurisdiction you go. Good luck!