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Water Pollution Essay

Water Pollution and How it Harms the Environment

Global pollution is a problem. Pollution can spread to remote areas where no one lives, despite the fact that urban areas are typically more polluted than the countryside. Air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution are the three main categories of pollution. Some contaminated water has a terrible smell, a muddy appearance, and floating trash. Some contaminated water appears clean, but it contains dangerous substances that you can't see or smell.

Together, developed and developing nations must fight to conserve the environment for present and future generations. Today, we dig deep into the subject of Water Pollution. This article can be an introduction to water pollution for kids as we will read many things such as the causes of water pollution further in the article.

What is Water Pollution?

Water contamination occurs when pollutants pollute water sources and make the water unfit for use in drinking, cooking, cleaning, swimming, and other activities. Chemicals, garbage, bacteria, and parasites are examples of pollutants. Water is eventually damaged by all types of pollution. Lakes and oceans become contaminated by air pollution. Land contamination may contaminate an underground stream, a river, and ultimately the ocean. As a result, trash thrown on an empty lot can eventually contaminate a water source.

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Water Pollution

The water cycle, called the hydrological cycle, involves the following steps:

Evaporation- Because of the sun's heat, the water bodies such as oceans, lakes, seas etc., get heated up, and water evaporates in the air, forming water vapours.

Transpiration- Like evaporation, the plants and trees also lose water from them which goes to the atmosphere. This process is called transpiration.

Condensation- As the water evaporates, it starts to become cool because of the cold atmosphere in the air and because of this cooling down of water leads to the formation of clouds.

Precipitation- Because of the high movements of the wings, the clouds start to collide and then fall back to the earth’s surface in the form of rain. Sometimes they also fall back in the form of snow, hail, sleet etc., depending upon the temperature.

Runoff or Infiltration- After precipitation, the water either flows to the water bodies called runoff or is absorbed into the soil, called infiltration.

Causes of Water Pollution

There are many reasons for water pollution. Some of the reasons are directly affected by water pollution and some indirectly. Many factories and industries are dumping contaminated water, chemicals, and heavy metals into major waterways as a result of direct water pollution.

One more reason for water pollution is the use of modern techniques in farms. Farmers apply nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium in the form of chemical fertilizers, manure, and sludge. It causes farms to discharge large quantities of agrochemicals, organic matter, and saline drainage into water bodies. It indirectly affects water pollution.

Pollutants can be of various types such as organic, inorganic, radioactive etc. Water pollutants are discharged either from one point from pipes, channels etc., which are called point sources or from various other sources. They can be agricultural areas, industries etc., called dispersed sources.

Some of the major forms of water pollutants are as follows:

Sewage- Domestic sewage from homes contains various forms of pathogens that threaten the human body. Sewage treatment reduces the risk of pathogens, but this risk is not eliminated.

Domestic sewage majorly contains nitrates and phosphates, and excess of these substances allows the algae to grow on the surface of water bodies. Due to this, the clean water bodies become nutrient-rich water body and then slowly, the oxygen level of water bodies reduces. This is called eutrophication or cultural eutrophication (if this step rapidly takes place by the activities of humans). This leads to the early death of water bodies.

Toxins- The industrial or factory wastes that are not disposed of properly and contain chemicals such as mercury and lead are disposed of in the water bodies making the bodies toxic, radioactive, explosive and cancerous.

Sediments- Sediments are the result of soil erosion that is formed in the water bodies. These sediments imbalances the water bodies ecologically. They also interfere in the reproductive cycle of various aquatic animals living in the water.

Thermal pollution- Water bodies get polluted because of heat, and excess heat reduces the oxygen level of the water bodies. Some of the species of fish cannot live in such water bodies with very low oxygen levels. The disposal of cold waters from the power plants leads to increased thermal pollution in the water bodies.

Petroleum oil pollution- The runoff of oil into the water bodies, either accidentally as happened in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, or intentionally, leads to an increase in water pollution.

As water is an important element of human health, polluted water directly affects the human body. Water pollution causes various diseases like typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, cancer, etc. Water pollution damages the plants and aquatic animals present in the river by reducing the oxygen content from the water. Polluted water washes the essential nutrients which plants need out of the soil and also leaves large amounts of aluminium in the soil, which can be harmful to plants.

Wastewater and sewage are a by-product of daily life and thus produced by each household through various activities like using soap, toilets, and detergents. Such sewage contains chemicals and bacteria which are harmful to human life and environmental health. Water pollution also leads to an imbalance in our ecosystem. Lastly, it also affects the food chain as the toxins in the water bodies are consumed by aquatic animals like fish, crabs etc., and then humans consume those animals forming turmoil.

Sometimes our tradition also becomes a cause for water pollution. Some people throw the statues of deities, flowers, pots, and ashes in rivers.

There are various standards to define water quality standards. Water meant for swimming may not be clean enough for drinking, or water meant for bathing may not be good for cooking. Therefore, there are different water standards for defined:

Stream standards- Standards that define streams, lakes, oceans or seas based on their maximum use.

Effluent standards- Define the specific standards for the level of contaminants or effluents allowed during the final discharge of those into the water bodies.

Drinking water standards- Define the level of contamination allowed in water that will be supplied for drinking or cooking in the domestic areas.

Different countries regulate their water quality standards through different acts and amendments.

While many of the solutions for water pollution need to be applied on a broader macro-level for that individual, companies, and communities can have a significant and responsible impact on the water quality. Companies, factories have to dispose of leftover chemicals and containers properly as per the product instructions. Farmers also have to reduce the use of nitrates and phosphates from fertilizers, pesticides, and contamination of groundwater.

The Swachh Bharat Mission of the government had led to reduced groundwater contamination. Under the Namami Ganga program, the government has initiated several major projects to clean Ganga. Along with all these steps, conservation of water is the very basic and important step towards water conservation and should be followed globally, treatment of sewage before their disposal in the water bodies and using environment-friendly products that do not form toxins when dissolved in water. These are some small steps that have to be taken into consideration by every human being.

As we all know, “Water is life’s matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.” We have to save water. We must keep the water clean. If everyone will follow their responsibility against water to protect it from getting polluted then it will be easy to get clean and healthy drinking water. Clean water is a must for us and our kids' present, future, and healthy environment.

We cannot just live with contaminated waters filled with toxins and no oxygen. We cannot see our wildlife being destroyed and therefore, immediate steps have to be taken by groups of people to first clean the already contaminated water bodies and then keep a check on all the surrounding water bodies. Small steps by every individual can make a huge difference in controlling water pollution.

Water Pollution Prevention

Conserve Water

Our first priority should be to conserve water. Water wasting could be a big problem for the entire world, but we are just now becoming aware of it.

Sewage Treatment

Cleaning up waste materials before disposing of them in waterways reduces pollution on a large scale. By lowering its dangerous elements, this wastewater will be used in other sectors or in agriculture.

Usage of Eco-Friendly Materials

We will reduce the amount of pollution produced by choosing soluble products that do not alter to become pollutants.

Water contamination is the discharge of pollutants into the water body, where they dissolve, are suspended, are deposited on the bottom, and collect to the point where they hinder the aquatic ecosystem's ability to function. Water contamination is brought on by toxic compounds that easily dissolve and combine with it and come from factories, municipalities, and farms.

Healthy ecosystems depend on a complex network of organisms, including animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi, all of which interact with one another either directly or indirectly. In this article, we read about water pollution, its causes and prevention. With this, we have come to the end of our article, in case of any other doubts, feel free to ask in the comments.

FAQs on Water Pollution Essay

1. What are the effects of water pollution?

Water pollution has a great impact on human health. Water pollution kills. It's been recorded that in 2015 nearly 1.8 million people died because of water pollution. People with low income are exposed to contaminated water coming out from the industries. Presence of disease causing pathogens in drinking water are the major cause of illness which includes cholera, giardia, and typhoid. Water pollution not only affects human health but also our environment by causing algal bloom in a lake or marine environment. Water pollution also causes eutrophication which suffocates plants and animals and thus causes dead zones. Chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater contaminate waterways and harm aquatic life.

2. What are the causes of Water pollution?

Water being a universal solvent is vulnerable to pollution as it dissolves more substances than any other liquid on earth. Therefore, water is easily polluted. Toxic substances from farms, towns, and factories readily dissolve into water and mix with it, resulting in water pollution. Agricultural pollution is one of the major causes of contamination in rivers and streams. The use of excessive fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste from farms and livestock operations lets the rain wash the nutrients and pathogens—such as bacteria and viruses—into our waterways. The other major cause of water pollution is used water, termed as wastewater which comes from our sinks, showers, toilets and from commercial, industrial, and agricultural activities. It's been reported that the world's 80% wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused. Oil spills and radioactive waste also cause water pollution to a great extent.

3. How to prevent water pollution?

It is important to keep our water bodies clean so we can take the following preventive measures to prevent from water pollution:

Chemicals like bleach, paint, paint thinner, ammonia, and many chemicals are becoming a serious problem. Dumping toxic chemicals down the drain or flushing them down the toilet can cause water pollution. Thus, proper disposal is important. Also, household chemicals need to be recycled.

Avoid buying products that contain persistent and dangerous chemicals. Buying non-toxic cleaners and biodegradable cleaners and pesticides cut down on water pollution.

Prevent from pouring fats or greasy substances down the drain as it might clog the drain resulting in the dumping of waste into yards or basement which can contaminate the local water bodies.

4. What is the role of medical institutions in polluting the water?

Pharmaceutical pollution affects aquatic life and thus there is a need to take preventive measures. Consumers are responsible for winding up pharmaceutical and personal care products in lakes, rivers, and streams. There's a lot of unused and expired medication that can potentially get into the water if not disposed of properly.

5. What are the major kinds of pollution?

The three main types of pollution are air pollution, water pollution or soil pollution. Some artificial pollution is also there, such as noise pollution. Factors leading to such pollution include:

Air Pollution: Industrial emissions, fires, traffic and transportation, burning of chemical waste, etc.

Water Pollution: No proper sewage disposal, pesticides in farms leaking into water bodies, industrial waste dumped into water bodies, etc.

Soil Pollution: Oil spills, acid rains, irresponsible disposal of trash, chemical waste, etc.

Noise Pollution: Honking of horns, construction activities, loud parties, etc.

102 Water Pollution Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Water pollution essays are an excellent way to demonstrate your awareness of the topic and your position on the solutions to the issue. To help you ease the writing process, we prepared some tips, essay topics, and research questions about water pollution.

🌎 Air and Water pollution: Essay Writing Tips

🏆 best water pollution essay topics & examples, 📌 remarkable air and water pollution research topics, 👍 good research topics about water pollution, ❓ research questions about water pollution.

Water’s ready availability in many locations makes it an easy choice for a variety of purposes, from cleaning to manufacturing to nuclear reactor cooling. However, many companies will then dump water, now mixed with waste, back into rivers or lakes without adequate cleaning, leading to significant environmental pollution.

However, there are other types of harm, such as noise pollution, which are less obvious but also dangerous to sea life. It is critical that you understand what you should and should not do during your writing process.

The stance that big manufacturing industries are the sole culprits of the damage done to the world’s rivers and oceans is a popular one. However, do not neglect the effects of other water pollution essay topics such as microorganisms.

Microbes can spread dangerous illnesses, making them a danger for both water inhabitants and the people who then use that water. Furthermore, they can eat up oxygen if left unchecked, starving fish and other water organisms and eventually making them die out.

Such situations usually result from agricultural practices, which can lead to powerful nutrients entering the water and enabling algae and other microorganisms to grow excessively. An overly lively environment can be as harmful as one where everything is threatened.

With that said, industrial manufacturers deserve much of the attention and blame they receive from various communities. Construction of dedicated waste-cleaning facilities is usually possible, but companies avoid doing so because the process will increase their costs.

You should advocate for green practices, but be mindful of the potential impact of a significant price increase on the global economy. Also, be sure to mention more exotic pollution variations in your types of water pollution essay.

Provide examples of noise pollution or suspended matter pollution to expand on the topic of the complexity of the harm humanity causes to the ecosphere.

You should show your understanding that there are many causes, and we should work on addressing all of them, a notion you should repeat in your water pollution essay conclusions.

However, you should try to avoid being sidetracked too much and focus on the titles of pollution and its immediate causes.

If you stretch far enough, you may connect the matter to topics such as the status of a woman in Islam. However, doing so contributes little to nothing to your point and deviates from the topic of ecology into social and religious studies.

Leave the search for connections to dedicated researchers and concentrate on discussing the major causes that are known nowadays. By doing this, you will be able to create an excellent and powerful work that will demonstrate your understanding of the topic.

Here are some tips for your writing:

Be sure to discuss the different types of pollution that is caused by the same source separately. Surface and groundwater pollution are different in their effects and deserve separate discussions.
Focus on the issues and not on solutions, as an essay does not provide enough space to discuss the latter in detail.
Be sure to discuss the effects of pollution on people and other land inhabitants as well as on water creatures.

Check IvyPanda to get more water pollution essay titles, paper ideas, and other useful samples!

Water Pollution: Causes, Effects and Possible Solutions This is why clean water is required in all the places to make sure the people and all the living creatures in the planet live a good and healthy life.
Air and Water Pollution in the Modern World The high number of vehicles in the city has greatly promoted air pollution in the area. Poor sewerage system, high pollution from industries and automobiles are among the major causes of air and water pollutions […]
Water Pollution: Causes, Effects, and Prevention Farmers should be encouraged to embrace this kind of farming which ensures that the manure used is biodegradable and do not end up accumulating in the water bodies once they are washed off by floods.
Water Pollution in the Philippines: Metropolitan Manila Area In this brief economic analysis of water pollution in Metro Manila, it is proposed to look at the industrial use of waters and the household use to understand the impact that the population growth and […]
Coca-Cola India and Water Pollution Issues The first difficulty that the representatives of the Coca-Cola Company happened to face due to their campaign in the territory of India was caused by the concerns of the local government.
Water Pollution in a Community: Mitigation Plan Though for the fact that planet earth is abundant with water and almost two-thirds of the planet is made up of water still it is viewed that in future years, a shortage of water may […]
Cashion Water Quality: Spatial Distribution of Water Pollution Incidents This essay discusses the quality of water as per the report of 2021 obtained from the municipality, the quality issue and the source of pollution, and how the pollution impacts human health and the environment […]
Water Pollution: OIL Spills Aspects The effects of the oil spill on a species of ducks called the Harlequin ducks were formulated and the author attempted to trace out the immediate and residual effects of the oil on the birds.
Water Pollution as a Crime Against the Environment In particular, water pollution is a widespread crime against the environment, even though it is a severe felony that can result in harm to many people and vast territories.
Importance of Mercury Water Pollution Problem Solutions The severity of the mercury contamination consequences depends on the age of the person exposed to the contamination, the way of contamination, the health condition, and many other factors.
Newark Water Crisis: Water Pollution Problem The main problem was rooted in the fact that lead levels in the drinking water were highly elevated, which is dangerous and detrimental to the population’s health.
Food Distribution and Water Pollution Therefore, food distribution is one of the central reasons for water pollution. According to Greenpeace, one of the ways to improve the ecology of the planet is by creating healthy food markets.
Water Pollution and Associated Health Risks The results of plenty of studies indicate the existence of the relation between the contamination of water by hazardous chemicals and the development of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, asthma, allergies, as well as reproductive […]
Lake Erie Water Pollution There are worries among the members of the community that the lake could be facing another episode of high toxicity, and they have called for the authorities to investigate the main causes of the pollution […]
Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan All players need to be trained in significant areas of business so as they can handle them with care and beware of the potential they have in causing damage.
Water Pollution in the US: Causes and Control Although water pollution can hardly be ceased entirely, the current rates of water pollution can be reduced by resorting to the sustainable principle of water use in both the industrial area and the realm of […]
Water Pollution and Management in the UAE The groundwater in UAE meets the needs of 51% of users in terms of quantity mainly for irrigation. Surface water is the source of groundwater and plays a major role in groundwater renewal.
Water Pollution and Its Challenges Water pollution refers to a situation where impurities find way into water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and ground water. This is a form of pollution where impurities enter water bodies through distinct sources such […]
Water Pollution Sources, Effects and Control Unfortunately, not all the users of water are responsible to ensure that proper disposal or treatment of the used water is done before the water is returned to the water bodies.
Water in Crisis: Public Health Concerns in Africa In the 21st century, the world faces a crisis of contaminated water, which is the result of industrialization and is a major problem in developing countries.
Air and Water Pollution Thus, it is classified as a primary pollutant because it is the most common pollutants in the environment. In the environment, the impact of carbon monoxide is felt overtime, since it leads to respiratory problems.
Causes of Water Pollution and the Present Environmental Solution Prolonged pollution of water has even caused some plants to grow in the water, which pose danger to the living entities that have their inhabitants in the water.
Water Pollution & Diseases (Undeveloped Nations) Restriction on movement and access to the affected area affects trade and the loss of human life and deteriorated health is a major blow on the economy and on the quality of human life.
Water and Water Pollution in Point of Economics’ View This research tries to explain the importance of water especially in an economist’s perspective by explaining the uses of water in various fields, pollution of water and the agents of pollution.
Environmental Justice Issues Affecting African Americans: Water Pollution Water pollution in the 1960s occurred due to poor sewage systems in the urban and rural areas. Unlike in the 1960s, there are reduced cases of water pollution today.
Water Pollution and Wind Energy Chemical pollution of water is one of the leading causes of death of aquatic life. It is thus evident that chemical pollution of water not only has negative effects on health, but it also substantially […]
Air and Water Pollution in Los Angeles One of the major problems facing major cities and towns in the world is pollution; wastes from firms and households are the major causes of pollution.
Water Pollution Causes and Climate Impacts The biggest percentage of sewage waste consists of water, treating the wastes for recycling would help in maintaining a constant supply of water.
Water Pollution Origins and Ways of Resolving The evidence provided by environmental agencies indicates that industrial agriculture is one of the factors that significantly contribute to the deterioration of water quality.
Mud Lick Creek Project – Fresh Water Pollution This potential source of pollutants poses significant risks to the quality of water at the creek in terms altering the temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and the turbidity of the water.
Water Pollution in the Jamaican Society
Water Pollution and Abstraction and Economic Instruments
Water Pollution and Individual Effects of Water Pollution
Understanding What Causes Water Pollution
An Analysis of Water Pollution as a Global Plague That Affects the People, Animals and Plants
Water Pollution Through Urban and Rural Land Use and Freshwater Allocation in New Zealand
Water Pollution: Globalization, One of the Causes and Part of the Solution
Voluntary Incentives for Reducing Agricultural Nonpoint Source Water Pollution
The Impact of Water Pollution on Public Health in Flint, Michigan
Understanding Water Pollution and Its Causes
The Promises and Pitfalls of Devolution: Water Pollution Policies in the American States
We Must Fight Against Water Pollution
Transaction Costs and Agricultural Nonpoint-Source Water Pollution Control Policies
Water Pollution and Drinking Water Quality
Water Pollution: An Insight into the Greatest Environmental Risk
US Water Pollution Regulation over the Past Half Century: Burning Waters to Crystal Springs
Environmental Impact and Health Risks of Water Pollution to a Child
Water Pollution Environment Effects Chemicals
The Negative Effects of Water Pollution on Fish Numbers in America
The Problem of Oil Spills and Water Pollution in Alaska
Water Pollution in the United State: The Causes and Effects
California Water Pollution Act Clean Laws
The Need to Immediately Stop Water Pollution in the United States
Water Pollution, Causes, Effects and Prevention
The Water Pollution Prevention in Oceanic Areas
Water Pollution and the Biggest Environmental Issues Today
Fresh Water Pollution Assignment
Water pollution in Southeast Asia and China
Water Pollution Caused by Industrial Equipment
The Impacts of Water Pollution on Economic Development in Sudan
The Importance of Recycling to Prevent Water Pollution
Water Pollution and Its Effects on The Environment
The Sources, Environmental Impact, and Control of Water Pollution
Water Quality and Contamination of Water Pollution
Water Pollution and the World’s Worst Forms of Pollution
The Problem of Water Pollution and the Solutions
Comparing Contrast Legislative Approach Controlling Water Pollution Industrial
An Analysis of the Water Pollution and it’s Effects on the Environment
Water Pollution and The Natural Environment
The Importance of Clean Drinking Water Pollution
Water Pollution and Arsenic Pollution
The Issue of Water Pollution in the Drinking Water in Brisbane
What Are the Causes and Effects of Water Pollution?
What Is the Effect of Water Pollution on Humanity?
How Can Leaders Tackle with Water Pollution in China?
What Is the Drinking Water Pollution Control Act?
What Was the Social Water Pollution?
How Non-Point Is Water Pollution Controlled in Agriculture?
What Is Canada’s Water Pollution Dilemma?
Water Pollution: Why Is There Trash in the Ocean?
What Are the Problems Associated with Water Pollution?
What Is the Connection Between Air and Water Pollution?
How Water Pollution Effects Marine Life?
What Are the Leading Factors of Water Pollution Around the World?
Why Is Water Pollution an Important Issue Environmental Sciences?
What Are the Factors That Causes Water Pollution and Its Effects on the World Today?
What Are There Inorganic Chemicals Cause Water Pollution?
How Does Drinking Water Pollution Impact the World Environmental Sciences?
Is There a Connection Between Drinking Water Quality and Water Pollution?
How to Deal with the Big Problem of Deforestation and Water Pollution in Brazil and the Colombian Amazon?
Why Is China’s Water Pollution Challenge?
What Is the Ground Water Pollution Assignment?
How to Deal the Big Problem of Water Pollution in the World?
How to Reduce Air and Water Pollution?
What Is the Harmonizing Model with Transfer Tax on Water Pollution Across Regional Boundaries in China’s Lake Basin?
Are the Causes and Effects of Water Pollution Determined in Lake Huron?
Can Water Pollution Policy Be Efficient?
What Are the Kinds of Water Pollution Environmental Sciences?
What Causes Water Pollution and Its Effects?
What Effect Does Water Pollution Have on KZN Citizens?
How Is Water Pollution Managed in Viet Nam’s Craft Villages?
What Should You Know About Water Pollution?
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Essay on Water Pollution: Samples in 200, 500 Words

Updated on
Mar 23, 2024

Essay on Water Pollution: Water pollution occurs when human activities introduce toxic substances into freshwater ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater, leading to the degradation of water quality. The combination of harmful chemicals with water has a negative impact on these ecosystems.

Various human actions, particularly those affecting land, water, and underwater surfaces, contribute to this pollution, disrupting the natural supply of clean water and posing a significant danger to all forms of life, including humans.

Table of Contents

1 What is Water Pollution?
2.1 Contaminants
2.2 Solution
3.1 Reasons for Water Pollution
3.2 Methods of Water Pollution Management
3.3 Real-Life Encounter

What is Water Pollution?

When many pollutants such as garbage, chemicals, bacteria, household waste, industrial waste, etc get mixed in the water resources and make the water unfit for cooking, drinking, cleaning, etc. it is known as water pollution. Water pollution damages the quality of water. lakes, water streams, rivers, etc may become polluted and eventually they will pollute the oceans. All this will directly or indirectly affect the lives of us humans and the animals deteriorating our health.

Essay on Water Pollution in 200 Words

Water is plentiful on Earth, present both above and beneath its surface. A variety of water bodies, such as rivers, ponds, seas, and oceans, can be found on the planet’s surface. Despite Earth’s ability to naturally replenish its water, we are gradually depleting and mishandling this abundant resource.

Although water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface and land constitutes the remaining 29%, the rapid expansion of water pollution is impacting both marine life and humans.

Contaminants

Water pollution stems significantly from city sewage and industrial waste discharge. Indirect sources of water pollution include contaminants that reach water supplies via soil, groundwater systems, and precipitation.

Chemical pollutants pose a greater challenge in terms of removal compared to visible impurities, which can be filtered out through physical cleaning. The addition of chemicals alters water’s properties, rendering it unsafe and potentially lethal for consumption.

Solution

Prioritizing water infrastructure enhancement is vital for sustainable water management, with a focus on water efficiency and conservation.

Furthermore, rainwater harvesting and reuse serve as effective strategies to curb water pollution. Reclaimed wastewater and collected rainwater alleviate stress on groundwater and other natural water sources.

Groundwater recharge, which transfers water from surface sources to groundwater, is a well-known approach to mitigate water scarcity. These measures collectively contribute to safeguarding the planet’s water resources for present and future generations.

Here is a list of Major Landforms of the Earth !

Essay on Water Pollution in 500 Words

The term “water pollution” is employed when human or natural factors lead to contamination of bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. Responsible management is now imperative to address this significant environmental concern. The primary sources of water contamination are human-related activities like urbanization, industrialization, deforestation, improper waste disposal, and the establishment of landfills.

Reasons for Water Pollution

The availability of freshwater on our planet is limited, and pollution only increases this scarcity. Every year, a substantial amount of fresh water is lost due to industrial and various other types of pollution. Pollutants encompass visible waste items of varying sizes as well as intangible, hazardous, and lethal compounds.

Numerous factories are situated in proximity to water bodies, utilizing freshwater to transport their waste. This industrial waste carries inherent toxicity, jeopardizing the well-being of both plant and animal life. Individuals living close to polluted water sources frequently suffer from skin problems, respiratory ailments, and occasionally even life-threatening health conditions.

Water contamination is also intensified by urban waste and sewage, adding to the problem. Each household generates considerable waste annually, including plastic, chemicals, wood, and other materials. Inadequate waste disposal methods result in this refusal to infiltrate aquatic ecosystems like rivers, lakes, and streams, leading to pollution.

Methods of Water Pollution Management

Raising awareness about the causes and consequences of water pollution is crucial in significantly reducing its prevalence. Encouraging community or organizational clean-up initiatives on a weekly or monthly basis plays a pivotal role.

To eradicate water contamination completely, stringent legislation needs to be formulated and diligently enforced. Rigorous oversight would promote accountability, potentially deterring individuals and groups from polluting. Each individual should recognize the impact of their daily actions and take steps to contribute to a better world for generations to come.

Real-Life Encounter

My affection for my town has always been heightened by its abundant lakes, rivers, and forests. During one of my walks alongside the river that flowed through my village, I was struck by the unusual hues swirling within the water. The once-familiar crystal-clear blue had been replaced by a murky brown shade, accompanied by a potent, unpleasant odour. Intrigued, I decided to investigate further, descending to the riverbank for a closer look at the source of the peculiar colours and smells. Upon closer inspection, I observed peculiar foam bubbles floating on the water’s surface.

Suddenly, a commotion behind me caught my attention, and I turned to witness a group of people hastening toward the river. Their frantic shouts and vigorous gestures conveyed their panic, prompting me to realize that a grave situation was unfolding. As the group reached the river, they were confronted with the distressing sight of numerous lifeless fish floating on the water’s surface.

Following a comprehensive investigation, it was revealed that a local factory had been releasing toxic chemicals into the river, resulting in extensive pollution and the devastation of the ecosystem. This investigation left me stunned and disheartened, acknowledging the significant effort required to restore the river to its own form.

Aditi Gupta

A bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communication graduate, I am an enthusiastic writer. I love to write about impactful content which can help others. I love to binge watch and listen to music during my free time.

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Writing Essay On Water Pollution

Academic writing

Essay paper writing

Everyone knows the phrase “water is life.” A human cannot survive without water for more than three days. Before the development of civilization, the cycle of water in the biosphere was balanced. But with the development of civilization, the natural cycle was violated. As a result of the irrigation of crops, evaporation from soil has increased. The rivers of the southern regions have become shallower. The pollution of the oceans and the appearance of an oil film on their surface have reduced the amount of water evaporated from the ocean. All this worsened the water supply in the biosphere. Droughts became more frequent, and centers for ecological disasters appeared.

The relevance of your water pollution research paper or essay should be substantiated by the fact that previously inexhaustible resource are becoming exhausted, and humans are to blame. Today, in many parts of the world, there is not enough water suitable for drinking, industrial production, and irrigation. In this article, we will tell you why this topic is important to talk about and share the best writing secrets.

Water pollution essay topics

Ways to reduce water pollution essay
Water pollution solutions essay
Essay on water pollution in China
How to prevent water pollution essay
Air and water pollution essay
Persuasive essay about water pollution and why we should start making changes today
People could be a lot healthier if not for water pollution argumentative essay
Effects of water pollution essay
Pesticide water pollution essay
Problems of water pollution essay
Essay on diseases caused by water pollution
Water pollution cause and effect essay
Essay about water pollution killing animal and plant species
Essay on pollutions by toxic waste dumping

Useful tips for writing of a water pollution essay or research paper

Follow these tips to create an A+ paper:

Choose a narrow topic. It can be something specific that causes the pollution, its effect, history, or ways to cope with it. Pick something that is both suitable for your class and interesting for you.
Make an outline. Having a good writing plan is a real key to success. To write an essay or a paragraph on water pollution without losing track of thoughts and make sure you have included all the factual information that you gathered, you have to create a list of sections you want your paper to consist of. Also, it is best if you add bullets under the name of each section with brief explanations of what you want to cover.
Use only recent and credible water pollution essay resources. The problem of water pollution gets more and more threatening each day, and the information available on the topic gets updated often. Therefore, it would make much more sense to read recent articles and books during your research, and avoid all sources as well as those that do not seem trustworthy.
Create a water pollution essay title after you wrote the paper. When you have just started writing, you cannot be sure that all the arguments you have on your mind will end up in the final version of the text. Therefore, coming up with a title after you are done writing will be better. If you can express the main idea of your work in 4-6 words, it will be great. However, you shouldn’t opt for a shorter but boring headline if you have an attention-grabbing, interesting, but lengthier option.
Reread the text several times. Do not forget to carefully check the paper for punctuation, lexical, stylistic, and other mistakes.
Check the samples. Find and read water pollution essay examples or research paper excerpts written by other people. This will give you a better understanding of how the work can be outlined, how information can be presented, and what transitions might be used to move from one idea to the other.
Stick to the rubric provided by the professor. Read the document very carefully and adhere to all the requirements. Check what parts of the rubric you professor is putting the most emphasis in and pay special attention to it.

Water pollution essay outline

Introduction. First, create a hook for a water pollution essay. It might be an interesting fact, relevant quote, or even a provocative question. Then, provide the readers with some basic information on the topic that will help them understand the purpose of your paper or the background of the issue. Finish the intro with a thesis statement, where you present the arguments that are going to be discussed in the body paragraphs.
Essay body.

Start each paragraph by introducing one of the arguments outlined in the thesis statement. In the next few sentences, provide factual information that helps to explain the issue you are putting forward. After that, analyze the factual data and present your opinion if your professor allows it. Finish with a transitional sentence to move to the next point.

Water pollution essay conclusion.
In conclusion, you must return to the statement made in the water pollution essay introduction and emphasize that your arguments confirm the central idea. Do not add new information and write briefly – 4-5 sentences will be enough. It is also important to finish your essay with a powerful clincher sentence, which gives your readers some food for thought.

Water pollution research paper topics

Research paper on sources of water pollution
Measures to stop water pollution
Major effects of water pollution
Lack of potable water in African countries
Will we have potable water in 50 years?
Importance of drinking water
How the pollution of water affects all plants and organisms?
What are the main water pollutants?
Fluoride levels in drinking water

Outline for water pollution research paper

Abstract (ask your professor if you need one)
Water pollution research paper introduction
Methodology
Literature review
Appendices (optional)

Why water pollution is so dangerous?

The presence of various chemicals in water leads to the death of the aquatic animals and plants as well as a variety of mutations in different species.
Water pollution significantly affects humans, leading to diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhus, gastroenteritis, and hepatitis. The presence of fluorine and phenol in water leads to kidney and liver diseases. The presence of lead, benzo(a)pyrene, or chromium in water leads to the development of cancer and other diseases.
Freshwater reservoirs that serve different purposes become polluted and turn into trash heaps that can no longer be used.
In addition to the continuous pollution of water bodies, environmental disasters often occur due to industrial accidents.
Lack of access to potable water can lead to the death of entire continents.

Water pollution facts for an essay or research paper

The tissues of living organisms are 70% water.
3.4 million people die every year due to the use of polluted water.
More than 700 million people in China are forced to consume polluted water.
Residents of African and Asian countries walk approximately 6 km to the nearest source of drinking water.
An ordinary toilet flushes 6 liters of clean potable water in one flush.
Only 1% of the world’s water supply is potable.
During the Middle Ages, beer was consumed more often than water due to the fact that the presence of alcohol in the drink made it safer.
According to UNESCO, the cleanest water is found in Finland.
There is a lot of water on Earth. But 97% is the saltwater of the oceans and seas, and only 3% is freshwater. Three-quarters of this 3% is almost inaccessible to living organisms since this water is “conserved” in glaciers of mountains and polar zones.
The oceans are polluted with oil. Leaks of crude oil occur regularly, but scientists do not consider this problem to be catastrophic. Tanker accidents are worse than leaks. In this situation, a huge area of oil gets into the ocean, leading to the suffocation of marine life and birds. In the dead zones of an oil spill, the composition of the water changes, and it can no longer be used by people.

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Water Pollution - List of Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Water pollution poses a dire threat to ecosystems, human health, and economies. Essays could explore the myriad sources of water pollution, such as industrial discharges, agricultural runoff, and improper waste disposal. The discourse might extend to the examination of the impacts of water pollution on aquatic life, human health, and the broader environment. Discussions could also delve into the various measures and technologies available to prevent and mitigate water pollution, such as wastewater treatment, pollution control regulations, and community-led initiatives. Furthermore, essays might focus on case studies showcasing the challenges and successes in addressing water pollution in different regions. The interlinkages between water pollution and broader environmental issues like climate change, along with the examination of international efforts to promote clean water and sanitation, could provide a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and potential solutions surrounding water pollution. A substantial compilation of free essay instances related to Water Pollution you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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Essay About Water Pollution Water is basic to life requirements and more than 70% of the earth’s surface is cover by water. W.H.Auden said that “thousands have lived without love, not one without water”. Water is one of our most valuable and important resources because all living organisms require water to survive their life. The human body consists of more than 50% of water, so it proves that humans can survive without food but cannot survive if without water. Fish and other living organisms need water which forms lakes, rivers and oceans as their shelter. Water pollution caused by when humans started discarding sewage and toxic chemical into the ocean, effluents from industries, manufacturing and agro-based industries, dumping, oil pollution, acid rain and so on. Sewage that causes water pollution is one of the most important problem in the earth today. Rivers contaminated by sewerage contain high levels of organic pollutants, and they become breeding grounds for harmful bacteria and viruses that may cause fish and other aquatic organisms impossible to survive and become extinct. Sewage also causes many diseases such as cholera and typhoid that will detrimental to humans. For a few more times, water has been infected with sewage and human cannot enjoy clean water. Recently, the Amazon rainforest had some of the highest deforestations in the world, which has hugely affected the access to and quality of water. This causes the area of the earth to lose a lot of freshwater due to this problem. This is heartbreaking and terrifying to think that the Amazon is the largest rainforest on the planet which creates 20% of the earth’s oxygen, basically is the “lungs of the world”. People are literally destroying the miracle of home and waste a lot of water to put out the fire. Through deforestation, trees are being removed, naturally, there is a loss of support on the soil and leads to more loss of soil. Thereby causing higher rates of soil erosion that seeps into the nearby lakes, affecting the water quality of the lake. It also makes it impossible for sea creatures to survive because of the lack of clean water and the collapsed soil that fills the river’s space, the creatures cannot multiply. In Malaysia, the environmental problem that becoming more serious from time to time is water pollution. This pollution occurs when pollutants are not treated properly to remove harmful compounds are discharged into water bodies. So it is very important to prevent polluting of water bodies and remove existing contaminants or reducing the concentration of these contaminants and use it as desired. Dealing with water pollution is something that everyone including the government and local people need to get involved with. The ways of treating polluted water are industrial wastewater treatment which the raw sewage is needed to be treated carefully and correctly in a water treatment plant before it can be released into the environment. Therefore, all manufacturing industries should assure they have a well-designed treatment facility that can prevent water pollution. Besides, we should never throw rubbish away anyhow. If the rubbish bin is none around, we can take the rubbish home and put it in the rubbish bin. These include places like beaches, riverside and water bodies. We must use water wisely and do not keep the water pipe running when not in use. It can significantly prevent water shortages and reduce the amount of dirty water that needs treatment plants. Anti-pollution laws and regulations must be applied to everyone because it always played an important role to ensure water pollution are kept to the minimum. Anti-pollution laws can as well establish measures that put restrictions for water pollution. These laws are usually directed to industries, hospitals, schools and market areas on how to dispose of, treat and manage sewage.

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Essay on Water Pollution for Students and Children

500+ words essay on water pollution.

Water is the most important resource for survival on a planet. It is the essence of life on our planet – Earth. Yet if you ever see a river or lake around your city, it would be evident to you that we are facing a very serious problem of Water pollution. Let us educate ourselves about water and water pollution . Two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by water , seventy-six perfect of your body is made up of water.

Water and Water Cycle

As you already know water is everywhere and all around. However, we have a fixed amount of water on earth. It just changes its states and goes through a cyclic order, known as the Water Cycle. The water cycle is a natural process that is continuous in nature. It is the pattern in which the water from oceans, seas, lakes, etc gets evaporated and turns to vapor. After which it goes through the process of condensation, and finally precipitation when it falls back to earth as rain or snow.

What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (like oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, aquifers, and groundwater) usually caused due to human activities. Water pollution is any change, minor or major in the physical, chemical or biological properties of water that eventually leads to a detrimental consequence of any living organism . Drinking water, called Potable Water, is considered safe enough for human and animal consumption.

Sources of Water Pollution

Domestic Waste
Industrial effluents
Insecticides and pesticides
Detergents and Fertilizers

Some of the water pollutions are caused by direct Sources, such as factories, waste management facilities, refineries, etc, that directly releases waste and dangerous by-products into the nearest water source without treating them. Indirect sources include pollutants that infuse in the water bodies via groundwater or soil or via the atmosphere through acidic rain.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Effects of Pollution of Water

The effects of Water Pollution are:

Diseases: In humans, drinking or consuming polluted water in any way has many disastrous effects on our health. It causes typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and various other diseases.

Eradication of Ecosystem: Ecosystem is extremely dynamic and responds to even small changes in the environment. Increasing water pollution can cause an entire ecosystem to collapse if left unchecked.

Eutrophication: Chemicals accumulation and infusion in a water body, encourages the growth of algae. The algae form a layer on top of the pond or lake. Bacteria feed on this algae and this event decreases the amount of oxygen in the water body, severely affecting the aquatic life there

Effects of the food chain: Turmoil in food chain happens when the aquatic animals (fish, prawns, seahorse, etc) consume the toxins and pollutants in the water, and then the humans consume them.

Prevention of Water Pollution

The best way to prevent large-scale water pollution is to try and reduce its harmful effects. There are numerous small changes we can make to protect ourselves from a future where water is scarce.

Conserve Water: Conserving water should be our first aim. Water wastage is a major problem globally and we are only now waking up to the issue. Simple small changes made domestically will make a huge difference.

Treatment of sewage: Treating waste products before disposing of it in water bodies helps reduce water pollution on a large scale. Agriculture or other industries can reuse this wastewater by reducing its toxic contents.

Use of environment-friendly products: By using soluble products that do not go on to become pollutants, we can reduce the amount of water pollution caused by a household.

Life is ultimately about choices and so is water pollution. We cannot live with sewage-strewn beaches, contaminated rivers , and fish that are poisonous to drink and eat. To avoid these scenarios, we can work together to keep the environment clean so the water bodies, plants, animals, and people who depend on it remain healthy. We can take individual or teamed action to help reduce water pollution. As an example, by using environmentally friendly detergents, not pouring oil down the drains, reducing the usage of pesticides, and so on. We can take community action too to keep our rivers and seas cleaner. And we can take action as countries and continents to pass laws against water pollution. Working together, we can make water pollution less of a problem—and the world a better place.

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Photo of polluted stormwater draining into a creek from an overflow

Water pollution: an introduction

by Chris Woodford . Last updated: October 1, 2023.

O ver two thirds of Earth's surface is covered by water ; less than a third is taken up by land. As Earth's population continues to grow, people are putting ever-increasing pressure on the planet's water resources. In a sense, our oceans, rivers , and other inland waters are being "squeezed" by human activities—not so they take up less room, but so their quality is reduced. Poorer water quality means water pollution .

We know that pollution is a human problem because it is a relatively recent development in the planet's history: before the 19th century Industrial Revolution, people lived more in harmony with their immediate environment. As industrialization has spread around the globe, so the problem of pollution has spread with it. When Earth's population was much smaller, no one believed pollution would ever present a serious problem. It was once popularly believed that the oceans were far too big to pollute. Today, with around 7 billion people on the planet, it has become apparent that there are limits. Pollution is one of the signs that humans have exceeded those limits.

Photo: Stormwater pollution entering a river from a drain. Photo by Peter C Van Metre courtesy of US Geological Survey .

What is water pollution?

Water pollution can be defined in many ways. Usually, it means one or more substances have built up in water to such an extent that they cause problems for animals or people. Oceans, lakes, rivers, and other inland waters can naturally clean up a certain amount of pollution by dispersing it harmlessly. If you poured a cup of black ink into a river, the ink would quickly disappear into the river's much larger volume of clean water. The ink would still be there in the river, but in such a low concentration that you would not be able to see it. At such low levels, the chemicals in the ink probably would not present any real problem. However, if you poured gallons of ink into a river every few seconds through a pipe, the river would quickly turn black. The chemicals in the ink could very quickly have an effect on the quality of the water. This, in turn, could affect the health of all the plants, animals, and humans whose lives depend on the river.

Photo: Pollution means adding substances to the environment that don't belong there—like the air pollution from this smokestack. Pollution is not always as obvious as this, however.

Thus, water pollution is all about quantities : how much of a polluting substance is released and how big a volume of water it is released into. A small quantity of a toxic chemical may have little impact if it is spilled into the ocean from a ship. But the same amount of the same chemical can have a much bigger impact pumped into a lake or river, where there is less clean water to disperse it.

"The introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the marine environment (including estuaries) resulting in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources, hazards to human health, hindrance to marine activities, including fishing, impairment of quality for use of sea water and reduction of amenities." [1]

What are the main types of water pollution?

When we think of Earth's water resources, we think of huge oceans, lakes, and rivers. Water resources like these are called surface waters . The most obvious type of water pollution affects surface waters. For example, a spill from an oil tanker creates an oil slick that can affect a vast area of the ocean.

Photo: Detergent pollution entering a river—an example of surface water pollution. Photo courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife Service Photo Library.

Not all of Earth's water sits on its surface, however. A great deal of water is held in underground rock structures known as aquifers, which we cannot see and seldom think about. Water stored underground in aquifers is known as groundwater . Aquifers feed our rivers and supply much of our drinking water. They too can become polluted, for example, when weed killers used in people's gardens drain into the ground. Groundwater pollution is much less obvious than surface-water pollution, but is no less of a problem. In 1996, a study in Iowa in the United States found that over half the state's groundwater wells were contaminated with weed killers. You might think things would have improved since then, but, two decades on, all that's really changed is the name of the chemicals we're using. Today, numerous scientific studies are still finding weed killers in groundwater in worrying quantities: a 2012 study discovered glyphosate in 41 percent of 140 groundwater samples from Catalonia, Spain; scientific opinion differs on whether this is safe or not. [2]

Surface waters and groundwater are the two types of water resources that pollution affects. There are also two different ways in which pollution can occur. If pollution comes from a single location, such as a discharge pipe attached to a factory, it is known as point-source pollution . Other examples of point source pollution include an oil spill from a tanker, a discharge from a smoke stack (factory chimney), or someone pouring oil from their car down a drain. A great deal of water pollution happens not from one single source but from many different scattered sources. This is called nonpoint-source pollution .

When point-source pollution enters the environment, the place most affected is usually the area immediately around the source. For example, when a tanker accident occurs, the oil slick is concentrated around the tanker itself and, in the right ocean conditions, the pollution disperses the further away from the tanker you go. This is less likely to happen with nonpoint source pollution which, by definition, enters the environment from many different places at once.

Sometimes pollution that enters the environment in one place has an effect hundreds or even thousands of miles away. This is known as transboundary pollution . One example is the way radioactive waste travels through the oceans from nuclear reprocessing plants in England and France to nearby countries such as Ireland and Norway.

How do we know when water is polluted?

Some forms of water pollution are very obvious: everyone has seen TV news footage of oil slicks filmed from helicopters flying overhead. Water pollution is usually less obvious and much harder to detect than this. But how can we measure water pollution when we cannot see it? How do we even know it's there?

There are two main ways of measuring the quality of water. One is to take samples of the water and measure the concentrations of different chemicals that it contains. If the chemicals are dangerous or the concentrations are too great, we can regard the water as polluted. Measurements like this are known as chemical indicators of water quality. Another way to measure water quality involves examining the fish, insects, and other invertebrates that the water will support. If many different types of creatures can live in a river, the quality is likely to be very good; if the river supports no fish life at all, the quality is obviously much poorer. Measurements like this are called biological indicators of water quality.

What are the causes of water pollution?

Most water pollution doesn't begin in the water itself. Take the oceans: around 80 percent of ocean pollution enters our seas from the land. [16] Virtually any human activity can have an effect on the quality of our water environment. When farmers fertilize the fields, the chemicals they use are gradually washed by rain into the groundwater or surface waters nearby. Sometimes the causes of water pollution are quite surprising. Chemicals released by smokestacks (chimneys) can enter the atmosphere and then fall back to earth as rain, entering seas, rivers, and lakes and causing water pollution. That's called atmospheric deposition . Water pollution has many different causes and this is one of the reasons why it is such a difficult problem to solve.

With billions of people on the planet, disposing of sewage waste is a major problem. According to 2017 figures from the World Health Organization, some 2 billion people (about a quarter of the world's population) don't have access to safe drinking water or the most basic sanitation, 3.4 billion (60 people of the population) lack "safely managed" sanitation (unshared, with waste properly treated). Although there have been great improvements in securing access to clean water, relatively little, genuine progress has been made on improving global sanitation in the last decade. [20] Sewage disposal affects people's immediate environments and leads to water-related illnesses such as diarrhea that kills 525,000 children under five each year. [3] (Back in 2002, the World Health Organization estimated that water-related diseases could kill as many as 135 million people by 2020; in 2019, the WHO was still estimating the annual death toll from poor water and sanitation at over 800,000 people a year.) In developed countries, most people have flush toilets that take sewage waste quickly and hygienically away from their homes.

Yet the problem of sewage disposal does not end there. When you flush the toilet, the waste has to go somewhere and, even after it leaves the sewage treatment works, there is still waste to dispose of. Sometimes sewage waste is pumped untreated into the sea. Until the early 1990s, around 5 million tons of sewage was dumped by barge from New York City each year. [4] According to 2002 figures from the UK government's Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the sewers of Britain collect around 11 billion liters of waste water every day; there are still 31,000 sewage overflow pipes through which, in certain circumstances, such as heavy storms, raw sewage is pumped untreated into the sea. [5] The New River that crosses the border from Mexico into California once carried with it 20–25 million gallons (76–95 million liters) of raw sewage each day; a new waste water plant on the US-Mexico border, completed in 2007, substantially solved that problem. [6] Unfortunately, even in some of the richest nations, the practice of dumping sewage into the sea continues. In early 2012, it was reported that the tiny island of Guernsey (between Britain and France) has decided to continue dumping 16,000 tons of raw sewage into the sea each day.

In theory, sewage is a completely natural substance that should be broken down harmlessly in the environment: 90 percent of sewage is water. [7] In practice, sewage contains all kinds of other chemicals, from the pharmaceutical drugs people take to the paper , plastic , and other wastes they flush down their toilets. When people are sick with viruses, the sewage they produce carries those viruses into the environment. It is possible to catch illnesses such as hepatitis, typhoid, and cholera from river and sea water.

Photo: Nutrients make crops grow, but cause pollution when they seep into rivers and other watercourses. Photo courtesy of US Department of Agriculture (Flickr) .

Suitably treated and used in moderate quantities, sewage can be a fertilizer: it returns important nutrients to the environment, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which plants and animals need for growth. The trouble is, sewage is often released in much greater quantities than the natural environment can cope with. Chemical fertilizers used by farmers also add nutrients to the soil, which drain into rivers and seas and add to the fertilizing effect of the sewage. Together, sewage and fertilizers can cause a massive increase in the growth of algae or plankton that overwhelms huge areas of oceans, lakes, or rivers. This is known as a harmful algal bloom (also known as an HAB or red tide, because it can turn the water red). It is harmful because it removes oxygen from the water that kills other forms of life, leading to what is known as a dead zone . The Gulf of Mexico has one of the world's most spectacular dead zones. Each summer, according to studies by the NOAA , it typically grows to an area of around 5500–6500 square miles (14,000–16,800 square kilometers), which is about the same size as the state of Connecticut. [21]

Waste water

A few statistics illustrate the scale of the problem that waste water (chemicals washed down drains and discharged from factories) can cause. Around half of all ocean pollution is caused by sewage and waste water. Each year, the world generates perhaps 5–10 billion tons of industrial waste, much of which is pumped untreated into rivers, oceans, and other waterways. [8] In the United States alone, around 400,000 factories take clean water from rivers, and many pump polluted waters back in their place. However, there have been major improvements in waste water treatment recently. Since 1970, in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has invested about $70 billion in improving water treatment plants that, as of 2021, serve around 90 percent of the US population (compared to just 69 percent in 1972). However, another $271 billion is still needed to update and upgrade the system. [15]

Factories are point sources of water pollution, but quite a lot of water is polluted by ordinary people from nonpoint sources; this is how ordinary water becomes waste water in the first place. Virtually everyone pours chemicals of one sort or another down their drains or toilets. Even detergents used in washing machines and dishwashers eventually end up in our rivers and oceans. So do the pesticides we use on our gardens. A lot of toxic pollution also enters waste water from highway runoff . Highways are typically covered with a cocktail of toxic chemicals—everything from spilled fuel and brake fluids to bits of worn tires (themselves made from chemical additives) and exhaust emissions. When it rains, these chemicals wash into drains and rivers. It is not unusual for heavy summer rainstorms to wash toxic chemicals into rivers in such concentrations that they kill large numbers of fish overnight. It has been estimated that, in one year, the highway runoff from a single large city leaks as much oil into our water environment as a typical tanker spill. Some highway runoff runs away into drains; others can pollute groundwater or accumulate in the land next to a road, making it increasingly toxic as the years go by.

Chemical waste

Detergents are relatively mild substances. At the opposite end of the spectrum are highly toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) . They were once widely used to manufacture electronic circuit boards , but their harmful effects have now been recognized and their use is highly restricted in many countries. Nevertheless, an estimated half million tons of PCBs were discharged into the environment during the 20th century. [9] In a classic example of transboundary pollution, traces of PCBs have even been found in birds and fish in the Arctic. They were carried there through the oceans, thousands of miles from where they originally entered the environment. Although PCBs are widely banned, their effects will be felt for many decades because they last a long time in the environment without breaking down.

Another kind of toxic pollution comes from heavy metals , such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. Lead was once commonly used in gasoline (petrol), though its use is now restricted in some countries. Mercury and cadmium are still used in batteries (though some brands now use other metals instead). Until recently, a highly toxic chemical called tributyltin (TBT) was used in paints to protect boats from the ravaging effects of the oceans. Ironically, however, TBT was gradually recognized as a pollutant: boats painted with it were doing as much damage to the oceans as the oceans were doing to the boats.

The best known example of heavy metal pollution in the oceans took place in 1938 when a Japanese factory discharged a significant amount of mercury metal into Minamata Bay, contaminating the fish stocks there. It took a decade for the problem to come to light. By that time, many local people had eaten the fish and around 2000 were poisoned. Hundreds of people were left dead or disabled. [10]

Radioactive waste

People view radioactive waste with great alarm—and for good reason. At high enough concentrations it can kill; in lower concentrations it can cause cancers and other illnesses. The biggest sources of radioactive pollution in Europe are two factories that reprocess waste fuel from nuclear power plants : Sellafield on the north-west coast of Britain and Cap La Hague on the north coast of France. Both discharge radioactive waste water into the sea, which ocean currents then carry around the world. Countries such as Norway, which lie downstream from Britain, receive significant doses of radioactive pollution from Sellafield. [19] The Norwegian government has repeatedly complained that Sellafield has increased radiation levels along its coast by 6–10 times. Both the Irish and Norwegian governments continue to press for the plant's closure. [11]

Oil pollution

Photo: Oil-tanker spills are the most spectacular forms of pollution and the ones that catch public attention, but only a fraction of all water pollution happens this way. Photo by Lamar Gore courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife Service Photo Library and US National Archive .

When we think of ocean pollution, huge black oil slicks often spring to mind, yet these spectacular accidents represent only a tiny fraction of all the pollution entering our oceans. Even considering oil by itself, tanker spills are not as significant as they might seem: only 12 percent of the oil that enters the oceans comes from tanker accidents; over 70 percent of oil pollution at sea comes from routine shipping and from the oil people pour down drains on land. [12] However, what makes tanker spills so destructive is the sheer quantity of oil they release at once — in other words, the concentration of oil they produce in one very localized part of the marine environment. The biggest oil spill in recent years (and the biggest ever spill in US waters) occurred when the tanker Exxon Valdez broke up in Prince William Sound in Alaska in 1989. Around 12 million gallons (44 million liters) of oil were released into the pristine wilderness—enough to fill your living room 800 times over! Estimates of the marine animals killed in the spill vary from approximately 1000 sea otters and 34,000 birds to as many as 2800 sea otters and 250,000 sea birds. Several billion salmon and herring eggs are also believed to have been destroyed. [13]

If you've ever taken part in a community beach clean, you'll know that plastic is far and away the most common substance that washes up with the waves. There are three reasons for this: plastic is one of the most common materials, used for making virtually every kind of manufactured object from clothing to automobile parts; plastic is light and floats easily so it can travel enormous distances across the oceans; most plastics are not biodegradable (they do not break down naturally in the environment), which means that things like plastic bottle tops can survive in the marine environment for a long time. (A plastic bottle can survive an estimated 450 years in the ocean and plastic fishing line can last up to 600 years.)

While plastics are not toxic in quite the same way as poisonous chemicals, they nevertheless present a major hazard to seabirds, fish, and other marine creatures. For example, plastic fishing lines and other debris can strangle or choke fish. (This is sometimes called ghost fishing .) About half of all the world's seabird species are known to have eaten plastic residues. In one study of 450 shearwaters in the North Pacific, over 80 percent of the birds were found to contain plastic residues in their stomachs. In the early 1990s, marine scientist Tim Benton collected debris from a 2km (1.5 mile) length of beach in the remote Pitcairn islands in the South Pacific. His study recorded approximately a thousand pieces of garbage including 268 pieces of plastic, 71 plastic bottles, and two dolls heads. [14]

Alien species

Most people's idea of water pollution involves things like sewage, toxic metals, or oil slicks, but pollution can be biological as well as chemical. In some parts of the world, alien species are a major problem. Alien species (sometimes known as invasive species ) are animals or plants from one region that have been introduced into a different ecosystem where they do not belong. Outside their normal environment, they have no natural predators, so they rapidly run wild, crowding out the usual animals or plants that thrive there. Common examples of alien species include zebra mussels in the Great Lakes of the USA, which were carried there from Europe by ballast water (waste water flushed from ships ). The Mediterranean Sea has been invaded by a kind of alien algae called Caulerpa taxifolia . In the Black Sea, an alien jellyfish called Mnemiopsis leidyi reduced fish stocks by 90 percent after arriving in ballast water. In San Francisco Bay, Asian clams called Potamocorbula amurensis, also introduced by ballast water, have dramatically altered the ecosystem. In 1999, Cornell University's David Pimentel estimated that alien invaders like this cost the US economy $123 billion a year; in 2014, the European Commission put the cost to Europe at €12 billion a year and "growing all the time. [18]

Other forms of pollution

These are the most common forms of pollution—but by no means the only ones. Heat or thermal pollution from factories and power plants also causes problems in rivers. By raising the temperature, it reduces the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water, thus also reducing the level of aquatic life that the river can support. Another type of pollution involves the disruption of sediments (fine-grained powders) that flow from rivers into the sea. Dams built for hydroelectric power or water reservoirs can reduce the sediment flow. This reduces the formation of beaches, increases coastal erosion (the natural destruction of cliffs by the sea), and reduces the flow of nutrients from rivers into seas (potentially reducing coastal fish stocks). Increased sediments can also present a problem. During construction work, soil, rock, and other fine powders sometimes enters nearby rivers in large quantities, causing it to become turbid (muddy or silted). The extra sediment can block the gills of fish, effectively suffocating them. Construction firms often now take precautions to prevent this kind of pollution from happening.

What are the effects of water pollution?

Some people believe pollution is an inescapable result of human activity: they argue that if we want to have factories, cities, ships, cars, oil, and coastal resorts, some degree of pollution is almost certain to result. In other words, pollution is a necessary evil that people must put up with if they want to make progress. Fortunately, not everyone agrees with this view. One reason people have woken up to the problem of pollution is that it brings costs of its own that undermine any economic benefits that come about by polluting.

Take oil spills, for example. They can happen if tankers are too poorly built to survive accidents at sea. But the economic benefit of compromising on tanker quality brings an economic cost when an oil spill occurs. The oil can wash up on nearby beaches, devastate the ecosystem, and severely affect tourism. The main problem is that the people who bear the cost of the spill (typically a small coastal community) are not the people who caused the problem in the first place (the people who operate the tanker). Yet, arguably, everyone who puts gasoline (petrol) into their car—or uses almost any kind of petroleum-fueled transport—contributes to the problem in some way. So oil spills are a problem for everyone, not just people who live by the coast and tanker operates.

Sewage is another good example of how pollution can affect us all. Sewage discharged into coastal waters can wash up on beaches and cause a health hazard. People who bathe or surf in the water can fall ill if they swallow polluted water—yet sewage can have other harmful effects too: it can poison shellfish (such as cockles and mussels) that grow near the shore. People who eat poisoned shellfish risk suffering from an acute—and sometimes fatal—illness called paralytic shellfish poisoning. Shellfish is no longer caught along many shores because it is simply too polluted with sewage or toxic chemical wastes that have discharged from the land nearby.

Pollution matters because it harms the environment on which people depend. The environment is not something distant and separate from our lives. It's not a pretty shoreline hundreds of miles from our homes or a wilderness landscape that we see only on TV. The environment is everything that surrounds us that gives us life and health. Destroying the environment ultimately reduces the quality of our own lives—and that, most selfishly, is why pollution should matter to all of us.

How can we stop water pollution?

There is no easy way to solve water pollution; if there were, it wouldn't be so much of a problem. Broadly speaking, there are three different things that can help to tackle the problem—education, laws, and economics—and they work together as a team.

Making people aware of the problem is the first step to solving it. In the early 1990s, when surfers in Britain grew tired of catching illnesses from water polluted with sewage, they formed a group called Surfers Against Sewage to force governments and water companies to clean up their act. People who've grown tired of walking the world's polluted beaches often band together to organize community beach-cleaning sessions. Anglers who no longer catch so many fish have campaigned for tougher penalties against factories that pour pollution into our rivers. Greater public awareness can make a positive difference.

One of the biggest problems with water pollution is its transboundary nature. Many rivers cross countries, while seas span whole continents. Pollution discharged by factories in one country with poor environmental standards can cause problems in neighboring nations, even when they have tougher laws and higher standards. Environmental laws can make it tougher for people to pollute, but to be really effective they have to operate across national and international borders. This is why we have international laws governing the oceans, such as the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (signed by over 120 nations), the 1972 London (Dumping) Convention , the 1978 MARPOL International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships , and the 1998 OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic . The European Union has water-protection laws (known as directives) that apply to all of its member states. They include the 1976 Bathing Water Directive (updated 2006), which seeks to ensure the quality of the waters that people use for recreation. Most countries also have their own water pollution laws. In the United States, for example, there is the 1972 Clean Water Act and the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act .

Most environmental experts agree that the best way to tackle pollution is through something called the polluter pays principle . This means that whoever causes pollution should have to pay to clean it up, one way or another. Polluter pays can operate in all kinds of ways. It could mean that tanker owners should have to take out insurance that covers the cost of oil spill cleanups, for example. It could also mean that shoppers should have to pay for their plastic grocery bags, as is now common in Ireland, to encourage recycling and minimize waste. Or it could mean that factories that use rivers must have their water inlet pipes downstream of their effluent outflow pipes, so if they cause pollution they themselves are the first people to suffer. Ultimately, the polluter pays principle is designed to deter people from polluting by making it less expensive for them to behave in an environmentally responsible way.

Our clean future

Life is ultimately about choices—and so is pollution. We can live with sewage-strewn beaches, dead rivers, and fish that are too poisonous to eat. Or we can work together to keep the environment clean so the plants, animals, and people who depend on it remain healthy. We can take individual action to help reduce water pollution, for example, by using environmentally friendly detergents , not pouring oil down drains, reducing pesticides, and so on. We can take community action too, by helping out on beach cleans or litter picks to keep our rivers and seas that little bit cleaner. And we can take action as countries and continents to pass laws that will make pollution harder and the world less polluted. Working together, we can make pollution less of a problem—and the world a better place.

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Earth Matters by Lynn Dicks et al. Dorling Kindersley, 2008: A more general guide to problems Earth faces, with each major biome explored separately. In case you're interested, I contributed the polar regions chapter. The book is mostly a simple read and probably suitable for 7–10 (and maybe 9–12).

Selected news articles

Water pollution videos, notes and references.

This article was originally written for the UK Rivers Network and first published on their website in April 2006. It is revised and updated every year.

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What Causes Water Pollution and How Do We Solve it?

Water pollution is putting our health at risk. Unsafe water kills more people each year than war and all other forms of violence combined. Meanwhile, less than 1% of the Earth’s freshwater is actually accessible to us and it’s in our best interest to protect what we have, especially considering that by 2050, global demand for freshwater is expected to be one-third greater than it is now. Here are six causes of water pollution, as well as what we can do to reduce it.

Water is uniquely vulnerable to pollution because it’s able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on Earth. Toxic substances from farms, towns, and factories readily dissolve into and mix with it, which causes water pollution as a result.

6 Most Common Causes of Water Pollution

1. sewage and wastewater .

According to the UN , more than 80% of the world’s wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused; in some least-developed countries, this figure tops 95%. Harmful chemicals and bacteria can be found in sewage and wastewater even after it’s been treated. Households release sewage and wastewater, which makes its way to the ocean, mixing with freshwater and affecting the water quality and marine life. Also, the bacteria and pathogens found in wastewater breed disease, and cause health-related issues in humans and animals.

2. Oil Spills

Large oil spills and leaks are some of most significant causes of water pollution. These are often caused by oil drilling operations in the ocean, but nearly half of the estimated 1 million tons of oil that makes its way into marine environments each year come not from oil tankers, but from land-based sources like factories, farms and cities. In England and Wales, there are about 3,000 pollution incidents involving oil and fuel each year. Oil makes drinking water unsafe and a substantial amount of oil released into oceans or become river water pollution, will destroy marine life and the ecosystems that support them. What’s more, oil reduces the oxygen supply within the water environment. Oil is also naturally released from under the ocean floor through fractures known as seeps.

You Might Also Like: How Do Oil Spills Affect the Environment?

3. Industrial Waste

Industrial waste is one of the biggest sources of water contamination. Many industrial sites produce waste in the form of toxic chemicals and pollutants, and some don’t have proper waste management systems in place. Sometimes, industrial waste is dumped into nearby freshwater systems. The toxic chemicals leached from this waste can make the water unsafe for human consumption, and they can also cause the temperature in freshwater systems to change, making them dangerous for marine life. Finally, industrial waste can cause “ dead zones ,” which are areas of water that contain so little oxygen that marine life cannot survive in them.

sources of water pollution, oil spill, gulf of mexico

4. Agricultural Runoff

To protect crops from pests, farmers use pesticides, however when these substances seep into the groundwater, they can harm animals, plants and humans. Additionally, when it rains, the chemicals mix with rainwater, which flows into waterways and creates further pollution. Other agricultural processes such as uncontrolled spreading of slurries and manures, tillage and ploughing the land can also cause water pollution.

5. Marine Dumping and Plastic Pollution in the Sea

Most items collected and dumped into oceans by many countries can take anywhere from two to 200 years to decompose completely! Other sources of waste at sea include plastic and other materials blown or washed from land. Currently, about 11 million metric tons of plastic make their way into the oceans each year. Research has found that should this rate of pollution continues, the amount of ocean plastics will grow to 29 million metric tons per year by 2040. The damage to wildlife habitats and to life on land is incalculable.

You Might Also Like: 8 Shocking Plastic Pollution Statistics to Know About

6. Radioactive Waste

Radioactive waste can persist in the environment for thousands of years , making disposal a major challenge and one of the most harmful water contaminants. Radioactive waste released from facilities that create nuclear energy can be extremely harmful to the environment and must be disposed of properly; uranium, the element used in the creation of nuclear energy, is a highly toxic chemical. Accidents occur at these facilities from time to time, and toxic waste is released into the environment.

In April 2021, Japan discharged contaminated water containing radioactive materials from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. Though the Japanese government claims potential health risks and damage to marine life to be minimal as the waste water have been treated, close monitoring is required to ensue there are no environment effects from the water pollution.

You Might Also Like: The Nuclear Waste Disposal Dilemma

How Can You Reduce Water Pollution?

Reduce your plastic consumption and reuse or recycle plastic when you can.
Properly dispose of chemical cleaners, oils and non-biodegradable items.
Use phosphate-free detergents – phosphates lead to algae blooms and kill fish and other aquatic animals by reducing the oxygen in the water.
Dispose of medical waste properly.
Eat more organic food, which is produced without the use of pesticides.
Cut down on your meat consumption – raising animals for meat takes lots of water for the grains and other feed they need. Furthermore, the antibiotics and solid waste are both likely to end up in groundwater and rivers.

You Might Also Like: Flood Water Contamination Threatens Communities Living Near Chemical Facilities – Can Private Law Protect Them?

Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact

10 Companies Called Out For Greenwashing

10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics

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Writing an Essay on Water: Outline, Topics, & Samples

The picture provides introductory information about an essay on water.

Environmental problems will stay a burning issue for a long time!

Well, they already are. Global warming is getting worse, the ozone layer is becoming thinner, and water worldwide – more polluted.

In this article, we are considering one of the most sensitive subjects. We discuss water pollution and shortage.

You will have a clear idea of how and what to write in your water pollution essay. Also, we’ll provide you with a set of great topics and essay examples for inspiration. Get down to reading now and get the highest score!

👣 Essay on Water Writing Guide
💧 5 Water Essay Prompts
🌊 130 Water Essay Topics
📝 2 Water Essay Samples

👣 Essay on Water: Writing Guide

We all know very well that it’s crucial to save water. But how to elaborate on this thought in a water essay most properly?

In this section, we are analyzing the structure of your future essay step-by-step. Having a plan will make the process very simple, we promise!

Essay on Water – Step 1: Choose the Topic

The water pollution subject is pretty broad, although it’s only a part of an environmental topic. You have a vast field for creativity.

For instance, you can write about the environment, nature, and natural resources. It’s easy to find something unexplored there. A much more challenging task is to come up with an authentic topic .

Here are the tips on formulating a good topic for an essay on water pollution:

Avoid trite mainstream.
Put your topic in the form of a question.
Conduct a mini-research to make sure there is relatable information on your case.
Estimate its relevance.
Add some specifying context.

Now, look at these two examples of water essay topics.

✘ How not to do:

There was more water in the medieval period because people rarely washed.

✓ How to do:

How did the use of water change over time, and what is the water crisis we face today?

Essay on Water – Step 2: Research

With any written assignment, you are supposed to state an opinion or draw solid arguments. To accomplish it, you are going to need some foundation.

The fundamental constituent of a water essay (or any other paper) is relatable data. Choosing trustworthy sources with quality information makes you able to speak on your topic

At the same time, unreliable sources decrease your work level.

We don’t want it to happen!

So, here’re the examples of websites where you can find all the information you need:

Essay on Water – Step 3: Outline

Now, let’s make out how the water pollution research paper or essay should be structured.

An introduction with a catchy hook, a clearly defined problem, and background information. The first thing for you to consider is how to introduce your topic to the readers. It is crucial to attract readers’ attention from the very beginning.
A thesis statement is another part that should be included in your introduction. It’s a central idea of your essay: a brief but consistent claim of an issue. Check out our free thesis-maker to get an excellent thesis statement.
A literature review. You will especially need it if you’re working on a research paper. Make a small digest of what has already been written on your topic.
Solid arguments . Make sure they are valuable and go along with the thesis statement. Keep in mind that all arguments have to be backed up with reliable proof.
A conclusion is a final touch . It should address the problem in the introduction and cover it up logically.

Essay on Water – Step 4: Write

Alright, you have analyzed the sources and created a draft of your essay on water. Still don’t know what to start with?

When you define your topic and thesis statement, move on with writing arguments. As we have said, they are the pillars of your work. After it’s done, you can switch to the introduction and conclusion

Remember that each case is individual. The only universal piece of advice is: proofread everything you write at each stage. Make sure you follow the logical structure and don’t make critical mistakes.

💧 Water Essay Prompts

Realizing the vastness of the subject opens up a perspective of options. Let’s get straight to the point!

Below, you can see the topics that can be used in the essay on water.

The picture provides a list of the most perspective topics for a water essay.

Water Pollution Essay

Here we elaborate on themes you can touch upon in the water pollution research paper.

Highlight the global acuteness of the water pollution problem: draw the facts that prove that pollution is rapidly spreading.
Speak on the contaminants: what substances make water polluted?
Name some industrial factors contributing to water pollution. Check out the information about the most contaminating plants.
Mention the sewage issue: there’s a lot of information on how they impact water resources in some countries.
Tell about nutrients and what effects they have on the water. Show their connection to the eutrophication subject.
It also makes sense to discuss different kinds of water contamination, its effects on human health, and measures that are being taken to improve the critical situation.

Importance of Water Essay

Everything on Earth needs water to function: plants, human beings, mushrooms, insects, animals – for all of them, water is vital.
Speak on how the natural cycle is essential. For example, biological processes allow water to circulate in the world – without them, there wouldn’t be enough water for living.
Destroy a myth about the abundance of water in the world. Fresh drinking water is minimal.
Mention the connection of water with oxygen and weather conditions.

Water Cycle Essay

It’s good to introduce your readers to the essence of the water cycle. What is it? The water cycle means that water is circulating between the atmosphere and all the water reservoirs.
How does it happen? Define and explain the main constituents of the process: evaporation, transpiration, and sublimation . Water on Earth turns into gas when it gets heated by the sun. The next stage includes vaporization. This process is non-stopping.
Condensation is another part of the hydrologic cycle. It’s the phenomenon when vapor turns back into a liquid state.
Finally, reveal the essence of precipitation. Your readers want to know how rain occurs.

Water Scarcity Essay

Water scarcity is the shortage of drinking water available. The problem is enormous and brings damage to millions and millions of people globally.
Water stress can lead to such negative consequences as deterioration, droughts, and depletion. Plants and agriculture suffer badly from these factors.
Why does it happen? There are two significant reasons: intense water usage due to overpopulation and lack of sufficient freshwater reservoirs.
Tell about preventive measures that help stop or slow the process down. For example, introduce eco-friendly habits, search for new water resources, and build strategies to slow down global warming.

Mineral and Water Function Essay

Our health directly depends on what we consume. To support our well-being, we need to get enough high-quality fresh water and minerals.
The most vital minerals for our body are zinc, magnesium, iron, and calcium. They contribute to our teeth health, muscles and blood condition, and other factors.
The presence of nutrients in the water means a lot to the human body. Due to water contamination, we might lack the necessary minerals, which leads to various dysfunctions.
It is essential for water to be filtered appropriately to make it drinkable and healthy.

The picture depicts the percentage of freshwater and how much of it is available for living beings.

🌊 130 Topics for an Essay about Water

If you have any difficulties choosing an essay subject, we’ve prepared this set of topics. We guarantee they are relatable, acute, and fruitful to discuss!

Elaborate on the importance of the water cycle: How it affects life on the planet.
Water resources in the United Arab Emirates .
Magical 80%: What is the general meaning of water for the human body?
Soft drinks country market in Kenya: Marketing plan.
Classify the most water contaminating industries in the world.
Is bottled water better and safer than tap water?
How does the lack of minerals affect our body condition?
Aseptic packaging lines in the food and drink industry: Analysis.
Plain soap and water or antibacterial soap: Which is better?
Why in the 21st century is there still an issue of ill-curated sewage?
Wastewater treatment using membrane filtration .
Water is life: Compare the impact of the high and low-quality water.
Women involvement in water management .
Write a five-paragraph essay on water wars in Africa.
How to protect the Egypt Nile River from pollution ?
The water cycle: Reveal in detail how the precipitation occurs.
What is the connection between our health and water quality?
Describe the importance of nutrients contained in the water for the human body.
Jeddah floods and adaptation strategies in the City of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia .
What health dysfunctions can low-quality water cause?
Water distribution system in Virginia state .
The role of nutrition science and water in gastronomy.
Describe in detail the essence and process of the hydrological cycle.
Flooding due to urban development.
Speak on the interrelation between global warming and the water crisis?
Connection between asthma, respiratory disease, and climatic variables.
Describe measures that people can take to avoid water shortage.
Is switching off the tap while brushing teeth reasonable?
Canada and the future of water.
How can the authorities get information about the water crisis?
The water-energy-food nexus and problem mitigation .
Describe and analyze different kinds of water contamination.
Food security promotion: Energy, water, and food.
Use of natural products and mineral water for osteoarthritis treatment.
What methods of water purification do you know?
What would be the consequences if we ran out of water?
Tell about the most dangerous substances that poison water.
Victorian desalination project: Building and process .
What do such diseases like cholera have to do with the water crisis?
How nutrition and water drinking is related to fitness.
Methodologies in wastewater minimization .
Deterioration and depletion: Which problems are hidden under these terms?
In Arizona, collaboration averts water disaster .
Droughts issue: Why is it bad that desserts become larger?
Challenges faced by the Victorian Desalination water plant .
Why is water so vital for all living creatures?
What role does water play in maintaining human health?
Sweat analysis: A painless alternative to real-time vital signs.
Reveal how the instant growth of the population affects water quantity.
Victorian Desalination Project: Water management strategy in Australia .
Does it make sense to take a shower instead of a bath?
Can hot water freeze faster than cold water ?
Water wars: Speak on the problem different societies face to water shortage.
How important for people is the right to water?
How does agriculture suffer from water shortage?
Oil exploration effects on soil and underground water .
Why can’t we just obtain enough freshwater out of glaciers?
Recycling gray-water as a water conservation effort.
Speak on the problem of acid rain.
Analyze the problem of water in your home region.
What impact do pesticides have on freshwater quality?
The shortage of water and human population growth.
Do washing machines and dishwashers save or waste water?
Water-energy-food nexus in the Himalayan region .
Can rainwater be collected for usage?
Water distribution system in Maryland.
How to avoid the risk of cardiovascular diseases by consuming good quality water?
Solar ponds in sea water desalination: Feasibility study .
Describe the simplest methods of water conservation.
Water pollution is a problem we need to face.
Share your opinion on water conservation: Why is it essential?
Molybdenum in ground waters in carbonate aquifers .
Should the government start controlling the use of pesticides more?
Western Water Corporation’s management analysis.
Why do business owners fail to provide proper disposal facilities?
Soft-path water management study in Abu Dhabi .
Why is it so important to drink at least two liters of water daily?
Global warming and rapidly rising sea levels .
Tell about the composition and qualities of water.
Water resources: Their beneficial uses .
How is the importance of water presented in different cultures and art?
Ocean wave energy technologies .
Write about the different states of water: Liquid, ice, and vapor.
Climate change and its impact on freshwater .
Speak on the ways to conserve water outside.
Acid rain: Definition and causes .
What methods of water conservation work in agriculture?
Role of water in human health.
Water resources and water quality problems in Sabah .
Describe the essence and process of groundwater absorption.
Healthcare: Salmonella enteritidis.
How does humanity use water for electricity?
Oil-water-gas flows: An experimental system .
Has the hydrological cycle changed over the years, and why?
Water drinking patterns in eating disorders .
How do the cleanup technologies for water function?
Oil leaks as a massive factor in seawater pollution.
How is the drinking water produced and transported?
Comparison of water-soluble vitamin C levels in different vegetables .
A proverb in English says: “Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.” How can we interpret it?
Water shortage and contamination in South Florida .
What industries use water for their producing activities?
Acid rain: Effects and reduction .
Explore the phenomenon of floods: How does it happen?
The importance of water in hand hygiene and hand washing .
Are there any ways we can reuse water?
What are mineral water companies’ marketing strategies?
Why do children and women especially suffer from water issues?
Absorption of food and water in the digestive system.
Eutrophication: What is it, and why is it so bad?
Dubai electricity and water authority: Case study .
How do invasive species contribute to water shortage?
Water as a source of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in India.
What water protection programs exist now?
Water supply system: Maryland .
Describe the methods and models of water research.
Hepatitis A as a water-borne disease.
Why is the high concentration of nutrients disastrous?
Comparison of microbiological water quality standards for swimming beaches .
Can we catch diseases from water while swimming?
Can plastic use reduction contribute to saving water?
Sustainable water management: An example from Amsterdam, Netherlands .
What are the proper methods of disposing of waste?
Acid rain’s effect on plant growth .
How does water affect the climate and weather?
Water depletion causes overview .
Life on Mars: Analyze the information about water on Mars.
Poor sanitation in slum areas: Effects on water and health .
What are the regions that suffer from water scarcity most of all?
Water supply and the plumbing system in California .

📝 Water Essay Samples

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Are you sure that the water you consume every day is of decent quality? Water contamination is one of the most acute ecological problems. People just prefer not to discuss it much. But that doesn’t mean this issue will disappear one day. On the contrary, the situation is getting worse and needs immediate decisions. One thing is clear: water is vital for the whole planet. And we should never forget about it The list of reasons why water becomes polluted is vast. They include ill-curated sewage, pesticides, acid rain, industrial waste, and many others. Have you ever noticed people throwing litter on the streets or in rivers? Probably, you have. It happens all the time, which is one of the reasons we might run out of freshwater. There are also many other factors leading to low water quality. Industrial waste plays a starring role in this process. For many factories and plants, it’s “too expensive” to build qualitative disposal facilities. That’s why they barbarically use rivers and lakes to get rid of waste. Several massive catastrophes took place just this year. Oil leaks occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, and it was no good for the environment, indeed. Such cases should bring us to take measures. It’s clear that humanity very likely might face a severe water crisis globally. We need to invent methods of water purification and find new sources of water. But we also must try to protect the water we have from contamination.

How Can Failing to Conserve Water Contribute to Greater Water Contamination Essay

More than a billion people all over the world suffer from water shortages. Even more, they are risking their health by consuming low-quality water. Others just irresponsibly use tons of water in vain causing endless water waste. Such a state of things can lead to a fatal outcome for everything that lives on the planet. If we don’t learn to spare water, we won’t be able to exist at all. Humanity keeps exploiting water resources intensely. With overpopulation, the question of water scarcity became even more acute. Each year our current freshwater resources become dirtier due to contaminants of all kinds. There is water conserved in ice sheets and glaciers, but it’s not accessible yet. Water conservation is the sensible use of water. It includes various techniques that make this process possible. In times of growing water crisis, it’s vital to be aware of this concept and its methods. The decision to this problem is spreading awareness of the ways to save water. Such simple things as turning off faucets, taking showers instead of baths, using water sparingly can help. The government should control pesticides and oblige factory owners to construct advanced disposal facilities on a larger scale. There’s a proverb in Hindi saying that there are both lotuses and crocodiles in the water. One of humanity’s most significant challenges and goals is to make water free of “crocodiles”: waste, litter, pesticides, and other contaminants.

really need it urgently,thank you.

Effects of Water Pollution on Human Health

Introduction, causes of water pollution, how to mitigate water pollution, works cited.

Water pollution is a major global issue in both developing and developed countries. In 2020, over half of the U.S. lakes and rivers breached the environmental standards, and American drinking water comes from 4-28% of sources that infringe the health standards (Sharma et al. 5). Annually, over 16 million US citizens suffer gastrointestinal diseases due to drinking contaminated water. The U.S. government spends over $4.8 trillion, 0.8% of the total GDP, cleaning up surface water pollution and ensuring safe drinking water for all its citizens (Keiser and Shapiro 52). However, each US national spends an average of $60 annually on bottled water (Keiser and Shapiro 52). This study will evaluate the main causes of water pollution, the effects on humans health, and how to mitigate them.

One of the main causes of water pollution is sewage. Untreated or partially treated sewage disposal into water sources is the most common form of water contamination. Although there have been efforts to use more biological and technological methods to treat sewage, water pollution is still a prevalent issue. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the recommended sewage effluent should have biochemical oxygen demand of 20 p.p.m or lower and suspended solids of less than 30 p.p.m (Klein 112). However, most companies and other sewage sources cannot meet these thresholds. For instance, coal mining areas have been unable to meet these standards due to defects such as fractures in their pipes, tanks, or sewers, which cause mass water contamination.

The other cause of water contamination is discharge from trade wastes. People in a densely populated region are likely to excrete too much trade waste, and if not well disposed of, it may affect water sources such as rivers and lakes (Klein 114). In densely populated areas such as South East Michigan, some rivers famous for fishing, such as the Rogue River, are now dead and cannot support vegetable or animal life. If the water sources are not large enough to dilute the effluent during heavy storm overflow, all the waste transferred into the rivers or lakes may become a major pollutant.

Industries contribute significantly to water pollution. They discharge different pollutants into the environment either directly or indirectly. The manufacturiong industry, which ues too much chemical, is an essential contributor to water contaminaton (Mitiku 96). These activities lead to the generation of waste with varying organic and inorganic components, which are carcinogenic, toxic, and non-biodegradable. When this waste gets into the water sources, it contaminates them and makes the water unhealthy for human consumption and sometimes unable to support aquatic life.

While using manure and other agricultural products helps boost crop productivity, it still has detrimental effects on water sources. The application of manure and fertilizers pollute both surface and underground water (Mitiku 95). Most fertilizers nowadays are manufactured using high levels of metal content to boost the nutrients in the crops; however, this metal concentration is dangerous because it is often swept off into the nearest water sources or reserves. Other agricultural pollutants include highly toxic pesticides and the water runoff from farming fields into streams.

Oil spills are another factor leading to water pollution, especially in the oceans. When big spills hit the headlines, it is always an indication that massive water pollution has happened in the seas or oceans. In 2021, there were six tanker oil spills, with more than 700 metric tons of oil being spilled in the sea (Denchak). However, these are not the only type of oil pollution that occurs as tons of oil drip daily from millions of cars. This oil either spills into the ground or is carried by running water during rainy seasons into the rivers, lakes, or other water reservoirs, polluting the water. More than a million tons of oil in other marine environments comes from land-based sources such as factories, cities, and farms. Additionally, seeps from under the sea also release oil naturally, which shows that water pollution is not only from man-made forms.

Water pollution has been associated with various health problems such as Diarrhea, Cholera, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, and Dysentery. Various microbial chemicals can pollute water and make it unhealthy for human consumption. These may include pathogens, human care products and nitrates. 10% of the world’s population consumes food that is grown in contaminated areas (Mitiku 95). Poor people are more exposed to health problems that are related to water contamination.

Polluted water can lead to bacterial diseases. Drinking untreated water is the main cause of diarrhea. Headache, abdominal pain, nausea, and fever are diarrhea symptoms and are commonly spread by Campylobacter jejuni bacteria. Another bacterial disease caused by polluted water is Cholera. Cholera is caused by a bacteria called Vibrio Cholerae, which releases toxins in the digestive tract. According to the World Health Organization, there are 1.3 to 4 million cases of Cholera every year and up to 143,000 deaths related to the disease (Denchak). The Shigella bacteria cause shigellosis by damaging the intestinal lining. This shows that polluted water may have devastating health effects, especially in developing countries.

Polluted waste can as well lead to viral diseases. For instance, contaminated water can cause Hepatitis, a viral disease. Its main symptoms are discomfort, loss of appetite, fever, and fatigue, and if not treated for a long time, it can lead to death (Haseena et al. 17). There are vaccines for Hepatitis, and adopting good hygienic standards can eliminate the disease. Another viral disease is Encephalitis, caused by mosquito bites and contaminated water where they lay their eggs (Haseena et al. 17). Although the disease does not show any symptoms, it may cause paralysis or severe coma. Poliomyelitis is caused by a virus known as poliomyelitis, and although a vaccine is available, this disease is dangerous when it attacks a young child or disabled person.

Some parasitic diseases may originate from polluted water. For instance, cryptosporidiosis is a disease that affects people worldwide and is caused by a parasite known as cryptosporidium parvum. This disease causes diarrhea and is resistant to disinfection, making it a killer disease. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 4 million people are infected with diarrhea annually, while 2 million people die from diarrhea-related illnesses (Haseena et al. 18). This shows that diseases related to water pollution are prevalent healthcare problems, especially in developing countries.

One of the methods of avoiding water contamination is monitoring water distribution systems. Sometimes drinking water can be pumped from a safe environment with no bacteria detected in it, and it is infected when it reaches the consumer. This shows that the water distribution system is where the water gets contaminated in most cases. The water distribution systems should be flushed and disinfected after a specific time to remove the sediments and debris in the pipes (Klein 134). Additionally, conducting random laboratory analysis can help ascertain that the water for human consumption is safe.

Another method of treating water for human consumption is the herbal disinfection of water. This method is used mostly in rural areas where modern treatment of water is not affordable. For instance, alcoholic extract can be used by communities who use well water while those close to lakes can use aqueous (Klein 128). Neem ( Azadirachta indica ), tulsi ( Ocimum sanctum ), and amla are herbs that are used in treating microbial infections and they do not have any side effects; they can be used in the treatment of water.

Government policy can be used to reduce water pollution. For instance, US EPA has created various regulations which direct how companies and markets should dispose of their waste to avoid contaminating the water around them (Klein 127). According to the laws, water pollution should be treated from the source if feasible. The government should come up with more strict rules and enforcement agencies to ensure that factories do not pollute rivers. US EPA has regulated the amount of sediment that should be in company waste before it is disposed of and the chemical composition. However, they should be stricter in implementing the policies to ensure that the companies do not break them.

Denchak, Melissa. “Water Pollution: Everything You Need to Know.” NRDC , 2022.

Haseena, Mehtab, et al. “Water Pollution and Human Health.” Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation , vol. 01, no. 03, 2017, pp. 16–19.

Keiser, David A., and Joseph S. Shapiro. “US Water Pollution Regulation over the Past Half-Century: Burning Waters to Crystal Springs?” Journal of Economic Perspectives , vol. 33, no. 4, 2019, pp. 51–75.

Klein, Louis. “Causes and Effects: River Pollution.” Google Books , Revised, Elsevier, 2017, pp. 1–470.

Mitiku, Abambagade Abera. “(PDF) Water Pollution: Causes and Prevention.” ResearchGate , 2020.

Sharma, Rohit, et al. “Analysis of Water Pollution Using Different Physicochemical Parameters: A Study of Yamuna River.” Frontiers in Environmental Science , vol. 8, 2020, pp. 1–18.

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Water Pollution Essay Examples

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About Water Pollution

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms—contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment.

Some of the primary sources of water pollution are Radioactive Substances, Oil Pollution, domestic sewage, solid waste, toxic waste, sediment, thermal pollution, petroleum (oil) pollution, and Agricultural Pollution.

Water is uniquely vulnerable to pollution. Known as a “universal solvent,” water is able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on earth. It’s the reason we have Kool-Aid and brilliant blue waterfalls. It’s also why water is so easily polluted. Toxic substances from farms, towns, and factories readily dissolve into and mix with it, causing water pollution it can result in the degradation of aquatic ecosystems, spread of gastrointestinal diseases and parasitic infections, eutrophication, and ocean acidification.

The contaminated water is the main cause of various diseases such as cholera and typhus. The nuclear crisis created by the tsunami of 2011, unleashed 11 million liters of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean. Around 70% of industrial waste is dumped to water. 80% of the water pollution is caused due to domestic sewage. More than 6 billion pounds of garbage, mainly plastic end up in the oceans every year. 15 million children under the age of five years die every year from diseases caused by drinking contaminated water.

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