essay on river pollution

Essay on River Pollution

Students are often asked to write an essay on River Pollution in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on River Pollution

Introduction.

River pollution is a major environmental issue. It happens when harmful substances like chemicals, waste materials, or pollutants, are dumped into rivers.

Causes of River Pollution

The main causes are industrial waste, sewage, agricultural runoff, and littering. These pollutants can harm aquatic life and disrupt ecosystems.

Effects of River Pollution

Pollution affects all aspects of the river and its ecosystem. It harms animals, plants, and humans who depend on clean water.

Prevention of River Pollution

We can prevent river pollution by reducing waste, recycling, and treating sewage. Laws can also be enacted to protect our rivers.

Also check:

• Paragraph on River Pollution

250 Words Essay on River Pollution

River pollution has become a critical global issue, posing severe threats to ecosystems and human health. It is the contamination of rivers with harmful substances, often due to human activities, which disrupts the natural balance and biodiversity.

The primary cause of river pollution is industrialization. Industries often discharge untreated waste into rivers, leading to the accumulation of harmful chemicals. Similarly, agriculture contributes to river pollution through the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, which eventually leach into rivers.

River pollution affects both aquatic life and humans. The toxic substances can cause diseases and death among aquatic organisms, leading to a decline in biodiversity. For humans, polluted river water can cause severe health issues, including waterborne diseases and poisoning.

Preventing River Pollution

Preventing river pollution requires a multi-faceted approach. Strict regulations must be enforced to ensure industries treat their waste before disposal. Sustainable farming practices can also reduce the amount of agricultural runoff entering rivers.

In conclusion, river pollution is a grave issue that needs urgent attention. By understanding its causes and effects, we can take the necessary steps to prevent it and protect our rivers for future generations.

500 Words Essay on River Pollution

Rivers, the lifeblood of our planet, have been a vital part of human civilization since time immemorial. They provide water for drinking, irrigation, and transportation, and also support biodiversity. However, in recent years, river pollution has emerged as a grave concern. This essay delves into the causes, impacts, and potential solutions to river pollution.

River pollution is primarily caused by human activities. Industrialization is a significant culprit, with factories often discharging toxic waste directly into rivers. These wastes contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals, which not only contaminate the water but also harm aquatic life.

Another major cause is urbanization. Rapid, unplanned urban development leads to improper waste management, resulting in municipal waste, including non-biodegradable plastics, finding their way into rivers. Additionally, agricultural practices contribute to river pollution. Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides seeps into rivers through runoff, causing nutrient pollution.

Impacts of River Pollution

The impacts of river pollution are multifaceted and devastating. Aquatic life is the most affected, with many species becoming extinct due to toxic pollutants. The loss of biodiversity disrupts the ecological balance, leading to unforeseen consequences.

For humans, polluted rivers pose serious health risks. Consuming contaminated water can lead to diseases like cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis. Furthermore, it impacts livelihoods dependent on rivers, such as fishing and tourism.

Lastly, polluted rivers can lead to eutrophication, a phenomenon where excessive nutrients cause a dense growth of plant life, leading to oxygen depletion in the water. This can result in ‘dead zones’, where no aquatic life can survive.

Solutions to River Pollution

Addressing river pollution requires a multi-pronged approach. At the forefront should be stricter regulations and enforcement for industrial waste disposal. Industries should be encouraged to adopt cleaner production methods and invest in effective waste treatment before disposal.

Urban planning needs to focus on efficient waste management systems to prevent municipal waste from reaching rivers. Public awareness campaigns can play a crucial role in reducing littering and promoting recycling.

In agriculture, promoting organic farming and efficient irrigation systems can significantly reduce the amount of pollutants reaching rivers.

Lastly, regular monitoring and cleanup of rivers are essential. Governments, NGOs, and communities should collaborate in these efforts to restore the health of our rivers.

River pollution is a pressing issue that threatens our environment, health, and livelihoods. While the problem is complex, it is not insurmountable. By combining regulatory measures, technological innovation, public awareness, and community participation, we can combat river pollution. The health of our rivers is a reflection of our relationship with nature, and it is high time we took decisive action to protect these vital ecosystems.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Radioactive Pollution
• Essay on Prevention of Water Pollution
• Essay on Pollution Our Greatest Enemy

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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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!

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River Water Pollution and Solutions

By Emma Cheriegate, Staff Researcher & Writer at Save the Water™ | November 27, 2021

Water’s nickname is the “ universal solvent ” due to its capacity to dissolve more material than any other liquid on our planet. This ability makes water easily polluted, which poses a significant risk to our ecosystems and our drinking water. In the United States alone, almost half of our rivers and streams are not safe enough for swimming, fishing, or drinking . But you can learn about river pollution and help with solutions. 

We get most of our water from rivers . As worldwide populations increase, so does pollution. Primary water pollution sources are farming, industrial factories, and towns/cities.

From the Nile in Africa to the Amazon in South America, rivers worldwide face these same pollution issues. So how is each community responding, and what can we learn from one another? To understand this, we must first look at the similarities and differences in causes of river water pollution.

What Causes River Pollution?

Riverine pollution refers to the pollution of river water from human activity.  Rivers naturally transport organic and inorganic pollutants. Some examples of river pollution causes include:

• Nutrients (such as phosphorus and nitrate)
• Chemicals (such as heavy metals)
• Groundwater pollutants (from pesticide use in agriculture)
• Oil spills or wastewater seeping into the ground

Each region experiences one or more of these forms of pollution. In Brazil , the main contributors to Amazon River pollution are mining, deforestation, and dam construction. The United States’ Ohio River receives high levels of nitrate concentration from steel factories. The world’s longest river, the Nile River, stretches 4,132 miles , and its basin affects 11 different countries, including Ethiopia. The Nile’s largest threats are contamination from human waste and new dam construction in Ethiopia. 

Increased water pollution starts geopolitical conflicts . Rivers often pass through multiple boundary lines that separate counties, states, and countries. These regions often have contrasting laws and regulations on water pollution, which makes a collective solution difficult. This difficulty can also allow one group to contribute more pollution to water that flows down into another group’s region. 

Furthermore, a state or country such as Ethiopia might decide to construct a dam , preventing water from reaching another area such as Egypt. This causes resource disparity, as some regions will naturally receive more water than others. In sum, many communities suffer both environmental and economic consequences of water pollution.

Diverse Solutions to River Pollution

Many people are trying to stop river pollution. People dump trash and plastic into the Nile River . To counteract this, activist groups conduct clean-ups and training to raise awareness and decrease plastic use. Also, the activists galvanize corporations to construct boats to clean up. The United Nations supports one of these initiatives. 

People are also pushing back to protect the Amazon River. Similar to the people dependent on the Nile, groups advocate for sustainable management and accountability for the Amazon River. In 2018, the World Wide Fund for Nature published a comprehensive report to tackle the pollution caused by mining . The publication makes recommendations to governments, buyers, and gold and mercury retailers for better, safer practices.

In contrast, the United States emphasizes legislation. These environmental regulations aim to control and limit the amount of toxic river pollution. In addition to regulatory action, some researchers suggest wetland restoration to reduce excess nutrients such as nitrate and phosphorus. 

How You Can Help Reduce River Pollution

Solving river pollution can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, you can help :

• Dispose of hazardous materials safely by contacting your county’s waste management department in the United States, as they usually accept some hazardous waste.
• Don’t pour cleaners, paints, or grease down your drain.
• Stop using fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals pollute rivers.
• Attend clean-ups. Organizations often plan clean-up events, so find one near you!
• Donate to Save the Water TM .
• Don’t flush pills down the drain.

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What is water pollution?

What are the causes of water pollution, categories of water pollution, what are the effects of water pollution, what can you do to prevent 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.

This widespread problem of water pollution is jeopardizing our health. Unsafe water kills more people each year than war and all other forms of violence combined. Meanwhile, our drinkable water sources are finite: Less than 1 percent of the earth’s freshwater is actually accessible to us. Without action, the challenges will only increase by 2050, when global demand for freshwater is expected to be one-third greater than it is now.

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.

Here are some of the major sources of water pollution worldwide:

Agricultural

Toxic green algae in Copco Reservoir, northern California

Aurora Photos/Alamy

Not only is the agricultural sector the biggest consumer of global freshwater resources, with farming and livestock production using about 70 percent of the earth’s surface water supplies , but it’s also a serious water polluter. Around the world, agriculture is the leading cause of water degradation. In the United States, agricultural pollution is the top source of contamination in rivers and streams, the second-biggest source in wetlands, and the third main source in lakes. It’s also a major contributor of contamination to estuaries and groundwater. Every time it rains, fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste from farms and livestock operations wash nutrients and pathogens—such bacteria and viruses—into our waterways. Nutrient pollution , caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water or air, is the number-one threat to water quality worldwide and can cause algal blooms , a toxic soup of blue-green algae that can be harmful to people and wildlife.

Sewage and wastewater

Used water is wastewater. It comes from our sinks, showers, and toilets (think sewage) and from commercial, industrial, and agricultural activities (think metals, solvents, and toxic sludge). The term also includes stormwater runoff , which occurs when rainfall carries road salts, oil, grease, chemicals, and debris from impermeable surfaces into our waterways

More than 80 percent of the world’s wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused, according to the United Nations; in some least-developed countries, the figure tops 95 percent. In the United States, wastewater treatment facilities process about 34 billion gallons of wastewater per day . These facilities reduce the amount of pollutants such as pathogens, phosphorus, and nitrogen in sewage, as well as heavy metals and toxic chemicals in industrial waste, before discharging the treated waters back into waterways. That’s when all goes well. But according to EPA estimates, our nation’s aging and easily overwhelmed sewage treatment systems also release more than 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater each year.

Oil pollution

Big spills may dominate headlines, but consumers account for the vast majority of oil pollution in our seas, including oil and gasoline that drips from millions of cars and trucks every day. Moreover, nearly half of the estimated 1 million tons of oil that makes its way into marine environments each year comes not from tanker spills but from land-based sources such as factories, farms, and cities. At sea, tanker spills account for about 10 percent of the oil in waters around the world, while regular operations of the shipping industry—through both legal and illegal discharges—contribute about one-third. Oil is also naturally released from under the ocean floor through fractures known as seeps.

Radioactive substances

Radioactive waste is any pollution that emits radiation beyond what is naturally released by the environment. It’s generated by uranium mining, nuclear power plants, and the production and testing of military weapons, as well as by universities and hospitals that use radioactive materials for research and medicine. Radioactive waste can persist in the environment for thousands of years, making disposal a major challenge. Consider the decommissioned Hanford nuclear weapons production site in Washington, where the cleanup of 56 million gallons of radioactive waste is expected to cost more than $100 billion and last through 2060. Accidentally released or improperly disposed of contaminants threaten groundwater, surface water, and marine resources.

To address pollution and protect water we need to understand where the pollution is coming from (point source or nonpoint source) and the type of water body its impacting (groundwater, surface water, or ocean water).

Where is the pollution coming from?

Point source pollution.

When contamination originates from a single source, it’s called point source pollution. Examples include wastewater (also called effluent) discharged legally or illegally by a manufacturer, oil refinery, or wastewater treatment facility, as well as contamination from leaking septic systems, chemical and oil spills, and illegal dumping. The EPA regulates point source pollution by establishing limits on what can be discharged by a facility directly into a body of water. While point source pollution originates from a specific place, it can affect miles of waterways and ocean.

Nonpoint source

Nonpoint source pollution is contamination derived from diffuse sources. These may include agricultural or stormwater runoff or debris blown into waterways from land. Nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of water pollution in U.S. waters, but it’s difficult to regulate, since there’s no single, identifiable culprit.

Transboundary

It goes without saying that water pollution can’t be contained by a line on a map. Transboundary pollution is the result of contaminated water from one country spilling into the waters of another. Contamination can result from a disaster—like an oil spill—or the slow, downriver creep of industrial, agricultural, or municipal discharge.

What type of water is being impacted?

Groundwater pollution.

When rain falls and seeps deep into the earth, filling the cracks, crevices, and porous spaces of an aquifer (basically an underground storehouse of water), it becomes groundwater—one of our least visible but most important natural resources. Nearly 40 percent of Americans rely on groundwater, pumped to the earth’s surface, for drinking water. For some folks in rural areas, it’s their only freshwater source. Groundwater gets polluted when contaminants—from pesticides and fertilizers to waste leached from landfills and septic systems—make their way into an aquifer, rendering it unsafe for human use. Ridding groundwater of contaminants can be difficult to impossible, as well as costly. Once polluted, an aquifer may be unusable for decades, or even thousands of years. Groundwater can also spread contamination far from the original polluting source as it seeps into streams, lakes, and oceans.

Surface water pollution

Covering about 70 percent of the earth, surface water is what fills our oceans, lakes, rivers, and all those other blue bits on the world map. Surface water from freshwater sources (that is, from sources other than the ocean) accounts for more than 60 percent of the water delivered to American homes. But a significant pool of that water is in peril. According to the most recent surveys on national water quality from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nearly half of our rivers and streams and more than one-third of our lakes are polluted and unfit for swimming, fishing, and drinking. Nutrient pollution, which includes nitrates and phosphates, is the leading type of contamination in these freshwater sources. While plants and animals need these nutrients to grow, they have become a major pollutant due to farm waste and fertilizer runoff. Municipal and industrial waste discharges contribute their fair share of toxins as well. There’s also all the random junk that industry and individuals dump directly into waterways.

Ocean water pollution

Eighty percent of ocean pollution (also called marine pollution) originates on land—whether along the coast or far inland. Contaminants such as chemicals, nutrients, and heavy metals are carried from farms, factories, and cities by streams and rivers into our bays and estuaries; from there they travel out to sea. Meanwhile, marine debris— particularly plastic —is blown in by the wind or washed in via storm drains and sewers. Our seas are also sometimes spoiled by oil spills and leaks—big and small—and are consistently soaking up carbon pollution from the air. The ocean absorbs as much as a quarter of man-made carbon emissions .

On human health

To put it bluntly: Water pollution kills. In fact, it caused 1.8 million deaths in 2015, according to a study published in The Lancet . Contaminated water can also make you ill. Every year, unsafe water sickens about 1 billion people. And low-income communities are disproportionately at risk because their homes are often closest to the most polluting industries.

Waterborne pathogens, in the form of disease-causing bacteria and viruses from human and animal waste, are a major cause of illness from contaminated drinking water . Diseases spread by unsafe water include cholera, giardia, and typhoid. Even in wealthy nations, accidental or illegal releases from sewage treatment facilities, as well as runoff from farms and urban areas, contribute harmful pathogens to waterways. Thousands of people across the United States are sickened every year by Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of pneumonia contracted from water sources like cooling towers and piped water), with cases cropping up from California’s Disneyland to Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

A woman using bottled water to wash her three-week-old son at their home in Flint, Michigan

Todd McInturf/The Detroit News/AP

Meanwhile, the plight of residents in Flint, Michigan —where cost-cutting measures and aging water infrastructure created a lead contamination crisis—offers a stark look at how dangerous chemical and other industrial pollutants in our water can be. The problem goes far beyond Flint and involves much more than lead, as a wide range of chemical pollutants—from heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury to pesticides and nitrate fertilizers —are getting into our water supplies. Once they’re ingested, these toxins can cause a host of health issues, from cancer to hormone disruption to altered brain function. Children and pregnant women are particularly at risk.

Even swimming can pose a risk. Every year, 3.5 million Americans contract health issues such as skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections, and hepatitis from sewage-laden coastal waters, according to EPA estimates.

On the environment

In order to thrive, healthy ecosystems rely on a complex web of animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi—all of which interact, directly or indirectly, with each other. Harm to any of these organisms can create a chain effect, imperiling entire aquatic environments.

When water pollution causes an algal bloom in a lake or marine environment, the proliferation of newly introduced nutrients stimulates plant and algae growth, which in turn reduces oxygen levels in the water. This dearth of oxygen, known as eutrophication , suffocates plants and animals and can create “dead zones,” where waters are essentially devoid of life. In certain cases, these harmful algal blooms can also produce neurotoxins that affect wildlife, from whales to sea turtles.

Chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater contaminate waterways as well. These contaminants are toxic to aquatic life—most often reducing an organism’s life span and ability to reproduce—and make their way up the food chain as predator eats prey. That’s how tuna and other big fish accumulate high quantities of toxins, such as mercury.

Marine ecosystems are also threatened by marine debris , which can strangle, suffocate, and starve animals. Much of this solid debris, such as plastic bags and soda cans, gets swept into sewers and storm drains and eventually out to sea, turning our oceans into trash soup and sometimes consolidating to form floating garbage patches. Discarded fishing gear and other types of debris are responsible for harming more than 200 different species of marine life.

Meanwhile, ocean acidification is making it tougher for shellfish and coral to survive. Though they absorb about a quarter of the carbon pollution created each year by burning fossil fuels, oceans are becoming more acidic. This process makes it harder for shellfish and other species to build shells and may impact the nervous systems of sharks, clownfish, and other marine life.

With your actions

We’re all accountable to some degree for today’s water pollution problem. Fortunately, there are some simple ways you can prevent water contamination or at least limit your contribution to it:

• Learn about the unique qualities of water where you live . Where does your water come from? Is the wastewater from your home treated? Where does stormwater flow to? Is your area in a drought? Start building a picture of the situation so you can discover where your actions will have the most impact—and see if your neighbors would be interested in joining in!
• Reduce your plastic consumption and reuse or recycle plastic when you can.
• Properly dispose of chemical cleaners, oils, and nonbiodegradable items to keep them from going down the drain.
• Maintain your car so it doesn’t leak oil, antifreeze, or coolant.
• If you have a yard, consider landscaping that reduces runoff and avoid applying pesticides and herbicides .
• Don’t flush your old medications! Dispose of them in the trash to prevent them from entering local waterways.
• Be mindful of anything you pour into storm sewers, since that waste often won’t be treated before being released into local waterways. If you notice a storm sewer blocked by litter, clean it up to keep that trash out of the water. (You’ll also help prevent troublesome street floods in a heavy storm.)
• If you have a pup, be sure to pick up its poop .

With your voice

One of the most effective ways to stand up for our waters is to speak out in support of the Clean Water Act, which has helped hold polluters accountable for five decades—despite attempts by destructive industries to gut its authority. But we also need regulations that keep pace with modern-day challenges, including microplastics, PFAS , pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants our wastewater treatment plants weren’t built to handle, not to mention polluted water that’s dumped untreated.

Tell the federal government, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and your local elected officials that you support water protections and investments in infrastructure, like wastewater treatment, lead-pipe removal programs, and stormwater-abating green infrastructure. Also, learn how you and those around you can get involved in the policymaking process . Our public waterways serve every one of us. We should all have a say in how they’re protected.

This story was originally published on May 14, 2018, and has been updated with new information and links.

This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can’t resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can’t republish our material wholesale or automatically—you need to select stories individually; you can’t republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when you’ve used one of our stories.

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• Open access
• Published: 27 April 2021

Urbanization: an increasing source of multiple pollutants to rivers in the 21st century

• Maryna Strokal   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8063-7743 1 ,
• Zhaohai Bai   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7685-5441 2 ,
• Wietse Franssen 1 ,
• Nynke Hofstra 1 ,
• Albert A. Koelmans 3 ,
• Fulco Ludwig 1 ,
• Lin Ma   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1761-0158 2 ,
• Peter van Puijenbroek   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6370-2411 4 ,
• J. Emiel Spanier 1 ,
• Lucie C. Vermeulen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8403-2442 5 ,
• Michelle T. H. van Vliet   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2597-8422 6 ,
• Jikke van Wijnen 7 &
• Carolien Kroeze 1  

npj Urban Sustainability volume  1 , Article number:  24 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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Most of the global population will live in urban areas in the 21st century. We study impacts of urbanization on future river pollution taking a multi-pollutant approach. We quantify combined point-source inputs of nutrients, microplastics, a chemical (triclosan) and a pathogen ( Cryptosporidium ) to 10,226 rivers in 2010, 2050 and 2100, and show how pollutants are related. Our scenarios consider socio-economic developments and varying rates of urbanization and wastewater treatment. Today, river pollution in Europe, South-East Asia and North America is severe. In the future, around 80% of the global population is projected to live in sub-basins with multi-pollutant problems in our high urbanization scenarios. In Africa, future river pollution is projected to be 11–18 times higher than in 2010, making it difficult to meet Sustainable Development Goals. Avoiding future pollution is technically possible with advanced wastewater treatment in many regions. In Africa, however, clean water availability is projected to remain challenging. Our multi-pollutant approach could support effective water pollution assessment in urban areas.

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Introduction

Urban areas currently accommodate more than half of the global population 1 and generate over two-thirds of the world gross domestic products (GDP) 2 , 3 . In 2050, more than two-thirds of the global population will live in cities 1 , 4 , 5 . Rapid urbanization creates opportunities for economic developments 6 , but may also increase the use of freshwater resources 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 . This will increase competition for water between cities and agriculture 4 . More urban waste is likely to result in contamination of water with multiple pollutants such as nutrients 10 and pathogens 11 , 12 from human excretion, plastics 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , and chemicals 19 , 20 from personal care products. River pollution poses a threat to the availability of clean water in large parts of the world 7 , 21 , challenging the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG, clean water for all) and 11 (sustainable cities). Recent studies on impacts of rapid urbanization on water stress or water scarcity worldwide exist 4 , but often ignore water quality 7 .

Previous global studies likely underestimate the impact of urbanization on water pollution because of their strong focus on single pollutants 10 , 16 , 20 , 22 , 23 , 24 (Fig. 1 ). Urbanization (e.g., sewer connections in cities) is, however, often a common, point source of multiple pollutants in rivers, contributing to multiple impacts. Examples are eutrophication problems caused by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in many world regions 25 , 26 , and diarrhea caused by pathogens (e.g., Cryptosporidium ) especially in developing countries 11 , 27 . A multi-pollutant approach is, thus, urgently needed to account for interactions between drivers of urbanization (e.g., population, economy) and pressures such as emissions of different pollutants 21 . This can help to identify effective solutions accounting for synergies and trade-offs in pollution control. Furthermore, reducing multiple pollutants in rivers from urban-related sources might be easier (e.g., improved wastewater treatment) than from diffuse sources such as agricultural runoff (e.g., delay effects of reduction options due to accumulation of substances in soils). This may have a positive effect on the overall water quality status depending on diffuse sources.

The figure shows a difference between single-pollutant approaches (most existing studies) and a multi-pollutant approach (this study) to assess the impacts of the rapid urbanization on future global river quality. We take N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus), pathogens and plastics as examples. Advances of the multi-pollutant approach are discussed in the main text.

In this paper, we study the impacts of urbanization on river pollution in the 21st century, taking a multi-pollutant perspective. We define multi-pollutant problems as increasing levels of more than one pollutant to rivers in future decades. We analyze, simultaneously, the following groups of pollutants: nutrients (N and P), pathogens (such as Cryptosporidium ), microplastics and chemicals (such as triclosan). These pollutants are selected because of their increasing pollution in many rivers worldwide 18 , 20 , 23 , 28 , 29 , 30 . Yet, these pollutants have common urban sources such as sewer systems (worldwide) and open defecation. We quantify point-source inputs of the pollutants to 10,226 rivers for 2010, 2050 and 2100 associated with urbanization: sewer systems and open defecation. For this, we use a global model of Strokal et al. 31 that takes the sub-basin scale modelling approach of Strokal et al. 32 for nutrients and integrates modelling approaches for other pollutants 18 , 20 , 23 (Supplementary Tables 1 , 2 and 3 ). We develop this model further for multiple-pollutants and future analyses based on evaluated, modelling approaches (see the “Methods” section).

To assess the impacts of urbanization, we develop five scenarios with different levels of urbanization and wastewater treatment rates (Fig. 2 ). The storylines are interpretations of the five Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs) 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 (Supplementary Tables 4 , 5 and 6 ). These SSPs are five pathways with different levels of socio-economic challenges for mitigation and adaptation 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 . SSP1 is a Green Road pathway with low socio-economic challenges (e.g., low population growth), but with high economic and urbanization development. It is largely oriented towards achieving sustainable goals (see Supplementary Tables 4 , 5 and 6 ). SSP2 is a middle of the road pathway with medium challenges to mitigation and adaptation. Future trends will not be very different from historical trends. SSP3 is a Rocky Road pathway with high challenges to mitigation and adaptation. It is a world with difficulties to control the population growth and has low economic and urbanization development (see Supplementary Tables 4 , 5 and 6 ). SSP4 is a Road Divided pathway with high challenges to mitigation and low to adaptation. It has a large gap between urban and rural development with the high urbanization rates especially in urban areas. SSP5 is a taking the highway pathway with high challenges to mitigate, but low challenges to adapt. It is a word with priorities towards economy (see Supplementary Tables 4 , 5 and 6 ).

Low, moderate and high urbanization is defined here as the increasing number of urban people and total people with sewer connections (see a and b panels and Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). The number of people opens defecating directly to water is assumed to decrease with sewer connection. Higher sewer connections imply that more wastewater treatment plants will be constructed to maintain the increasing volumes of the waste (see the “Methods” section). Low, moderate and high wastewater treatment levels refer here to a shirt (low, moderate, high) towards a next treatment type: e.g., from primary to secondary to tertiary ( a , b , Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). This implies the low, moderate and high ambitions to improve wastewater treatment ( b ). Future years are 2050 and 2100. Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 give quantitative interpretations of the storylines for our multi-pollutant model (see also the “Methods” section). GDP is the gross domestic product. Sources for the technologies are in the main text and in Supplementary Table 3 .

Our five scenarios incorporate socio-economic pathways of SSPs, but with quantitative interpretations of aspects related to urbanization and wastewater treatment (see the “Methods” section). Our scenarios aim to show the impact of urbanization on multiple pollutants in rivers. Thus, the names of our five scenarios correspond to the different levels of urbanization and wastewater treatment: from low urbanization and low wastewater treatment rates towards high urbanization and high wastewater treatment rates. This results in the following scenarios: low urbanization and low wastewater treatment rates (Low urb –Low wwt , based on SSP3), moderate urbanization and moderate wastewater treatment rates (Mod urb –Mod wwt , based on SSP2), high urbanization and low wastewater treatment rates (High urb –Low wwt , based on SSP4), high urbanization and moderate wastewater treatment rates (High urb –Mod wwt , based on SSP5), and high urbanization and high wastewater treatment rates (High urb –High wwt , based on SSP1) (Fig. 2 ). The five scenarios consider interactions between global change (socio-economic pathways), urbanization, sanitation and wastewater treatment.

Low, moderate and high urbanization reflect different levels of increases in urban population, and, indirectly, people with sewer connections between 2010 and future years (see the “Methods” section). As a net effect, the number of people practicing open defecation (direct inputs of human waste to rivers) may decrease. Increasing sewer connections assume higher capacities of treatment plants to manage increasing volumes of the wastewater. Low, moderate and high rates of wastewater treatment are defined based on a shift towards a next treatment type: e.g., from primary (technologies with <10% removal rates 10 , 18 , 20 , low) to secondary (50% removal rates 10 , 18 , 20 , 37 , moderate) or to tertiary (>75% removal rates 10 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , high, see the “Methods” section). The differences between the Low urb –Low wwt, and High urb –Low wwt scenarios indicate the impact of urbanization in terms of increasing numbers of people with sewer connections with low ambitions to improve the wastewater treatment under different socio-economic developments. The Mod urb –Mod wwt scenario could be considered business as usual. The differences between the High urb –Low wwt , High urb –Mod wwt and High urb –High wwt scenarios indicate the impact of improving the wastewater treatment in highly urbanized areas. Details are given in the “Methods” section on qualitative and quantitative descriptions of the five urbanization scenarios.

River pollution today

River pollution in Europe, South-East Asia and North America is already severe today. For these regions, we calculate high inputs of N (>50 kg km −2  year −1 ), P (>30 kg km −2  year −1 ), triclosan (>10 g km −2  year −1 ), microplastics (>5 kg km −2  year −1 ) and Cryptosporidium (>100 × 10 17 oocysts km −2 year −1 ) to many rivers in 2010 (Fig. 3 ). These regions experience severe water pollution problems 9 , 16 , 21 , 25 , 45 , contributing to negative impacts 21 such as eutrophication 45 and waterborne diseases (South-East Asian countries). For African sub-basins, pollution levels are not as high as in those regions (Fig. 3 ). However, some impacts of polluted water on children’s health are already indicated 21 . Globally, 9.5 Tg of N, 1.6 Tg of P, 0.45 Tg of microplastics, 0.72 kton of triclosan and 1.6 × 10 17 oocysts of Cryptosporidium entered rivers in 2010 (Fig. 4 , Supplementary Table 7 ). More than half of these inputs are to rivers in South-East Asia. Most of the pollutants in rivers are from sewer systems (see details in Supplementary Figs. from 1 to 29 ). Exceptions are some sub-basins in Africa and South-East Asia where open defecation contributes to over 20% of N, P and Cryptosporidium to their rivers. Existing assessments 9 , 10 , 13 , 20 , 23 reveal similar global estimates, but with diverse spatial scales. Our consistent spatial and temporal scales increase the robustness of our comparisons between multiple pollutants worldwide (e.g., Fig. 4 ).

Units are kg km −2 of sub-basin area year −1 for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and microplastics (MP), g km −2 of sub-basin area year −1 for triclosan (TCS) and 10 17 oocysts km −2 of sub-basin area year −1 for Cryptosporidium . Source: the global multi-pollutant model (model description is provided in the “Methods” section, and in Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 , model inputs are in Supplementary Figs. 1 – 14 ). Model uncertainties are discussed in the “Methods” section.

a – e Future trends for individual pollutants. Pies show the shares of the surface areas by region as % of the global surface area. Spatially explicit results are shown in Fig. 3 for 2010 and Fig. 5 for the future. The description of the scenarios is in Fig. 2 , in the “Methods” section and Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 . Source: the global multi-pollutant model (model description is provided in the “Methods” section, and in Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 , model inputs are in Supplementary Figs. 1 – 14 ). Model uncertainties are discussed in the “Methods” section.

High pollution levels result from the net effect of population densities, sewer connection rates (Supplementary Figs. 1 , 2 and 3 ), production of pollutants in human waste (Supplementary Figs. 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 and 8 for individual pollutants) and wastewater treatment efficiencies (Supplementary Figs. 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 and 13 for individual pollutants) in countries (Supplementary Figs. 14 and 15 ). For South-East Asia, high pollution levels are driven by high population densities (Supplementary Figs. 3 and 16 ). This region accommodates approximately half of the global population (3 billion people, Supplementary Fig. 1 ) on 12% of the global surface area (Fig. 4 ). For comparison, sub-basins of Europe (excluding Russia) and North America accommodate around 10% of the global population (0.8 billion people, Supplementary Fig. 1 ) on 20% of the global surface area (Fig. 4 ). Approximately 20% of the total population in 2010 was connected to sewer systems (Supplementary Fig. 1 ) with relatively low wastewater treatment efficiencies (removal levels <50% for most pollutants, Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ). For Europe and North America, the high pollution levels per km 2 of sub-basins are driven by high connection rates to sewer systems especially in urban areas. Here, over two-thirds of the population live in urban areas and are largely connected to sewer systems with removal efficiencies above 50% for the studied pollutants (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ). Supplementary Fig. 17 shows the results of the sensitivity analysis indicating the importance of wastewater treatment and human development in river pollution (see the “Discussion” section).

Future river pollution globally

In the future, ~80% of the global population is projected to live in sub-basins with multi-pollutant problems (Figs. 5 and 6 ). These sub-basins cover over half of the global surface area (Fig. 6 ) for which inputs of more than one pollutant will increase at least 30% (Fig. 5 ) between 2010 and 2050 or 2100. This is for all scenarios, except for High urb –High wwt . In the scenario assuming low urbanization and low wastewater treatment (Low urb –Low wwt ), global inputs of most pollutants will less than double between 2010 and 2050 (Fig. 4 ). In this scenario, the population growth is high, and almost doubles between 2010 and 2100 (Supplementary Fig. 3 ). Approximately one-third of the total population globally will be connected to sewer systems. This number is much lower than in the other scenarios in 2100 (Supplementary Fig. 3 ). As a net effect of the low sewer connection (Supplementary Fig. 3 ) and low wastewater treatment (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ), future inputs of pollutants to rivers from sewage are lower in the Low urb –Low wwt scenario than in the others (Fig. 3 ). However, as a trade-off, more nutrients and Cryptosporidium are projected to enter rivers from open defecation, mainly in developing countries (see Supplementary Figs. 14 and 15 ) compared to the other scenarios.

Maps show changes in inputs of pollutants to rivers during the periods of 2010–2050, 2010–2100 and 2050–2100 according to the five scenarios. We classify sub-basins based on the number of pollutants for which the increases are higher or lower than 30% (Note: 30% is arbitrary; see Supplementary Figs. 18 and 20 for results based on 10 and 50% thresholds). The pollutants include Cryptosporidium , microplastic, triclosan, nitrogen and phosphorus. More information is available in Supplementary Figs. 18 – 29 . The description of the five scenarios is in Fig. 2 , in the “Methods” section and Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 . Results for 2010 are in Fig. 3 . Source: the global multi-pollutant model (model description is provided in the “Methods” section, and in Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 , model inputs are in Supplementary Figs. 1 – 14 ). Model uncertainties are discussed in the “Methods” section.

Sub-basins are classified based on the number of pollutants for which the increases are higher or lower than 30% during the periods of 2010–2050, 2010–2100 and 2050–2100 according to the five scenarios. Graphs show the number of sub-basins ( a ), sub-basin areas ( b ), total population ( c ) and urban population ( d ) for the sub-basins with the increases of higher or lower than 30% (Note: 30% is arbitrary; see Supplementary Figs. 19 and 21 for results based on 10% and 50% thresholds). More information is available in Supplementary Figs. 18 – 29 . See Fig. 5 for the changes in inputs of pollutants during the periods of 2010–2050, 2010–2100 and 2050–2100. The description of the scenarios is in Fig. 2 , in the “Methods” section and Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 . Results for 2010 are in Fig. 3 . Source: the global multi-pollutant model (model description is provided in the “Methods” section, and in Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 , model inputs are in Supplementary Figs. 1 – 14 ). Model uncertainties are discussed in the “Methods” section.

The future inputs of most pollutants to rivers are projected to be higher in the scenarios with moderate (Mod urb –Mod wwt ) and high urbanization (High urb –Low wwt , High urb –Mod wwt , Fig. 4 ). The population grows not as fast as in the Low urb –Low wwt scenario, but the rate of urbanization is much higher, especially in the High urb –Low wwt and High urb –Mod wwt scenarios (Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). As a result, over two-thirds of the global population is projected to be connected to sewer systems in 2100 (Supplementary Fig. 3 ). Wastewater treatment efficiency is slightly improved (Mod urb –Mod wwt , High urb –Mod wwt ) depending on the economic development (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ). As a net effect, the High urb –Low wwt and High urb –Mod wwt scenarios project, generally, higher inputs of most pollutants to rivers than the Low urb –Low wwt and Mod urb –Mod wwt scenarios (Fig. 4 ).

Pollutants differ in their future trends. For example, High urb –Low wwt projects the highest inputs of Cryptosporidium , microplastics and triclosan globally in 2100 compared to the other pollutants and scenarios (Fig. 4 ). For N and P, High urb -Low wwt and High urb -Mod wwt project somewhat similar amounts globally (Fig. 4 ). All these differences between pollutants and scenarios are a net effect of three important factors: socio-economic development (e.g., population, GDP), urbanization rates (population connected to sewer systems) and treatment efficiencies. For example, higher GDP results generally in higher N and P excretion rates per capita because of changes towards protein-rich diets 31 , 46 (Supplementary Figs. 4 – 5 ). Developed countries (Human Developing Index, HDI > 0.785) have generally lower infection rates, leading to less per capita excretion of Cryptosporidium 23 (Supplementary Fig. 8 ), but may lead to higher production of microplastics from car tyres 31 (Supplementary Fig. 7 ) as a result of industrialization. All these interactions are considered together with different trends in the population growth (Supplementary Fig. 3 ), urbanization rates (Supplementary Figs. 1 and 2 ) and treatment levels (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ) among scenarios and regions.

Future river pollution in Africa

Future river pollution is projected to be 11–18 times higher than in 2010 in the scenario with high urbanization and low wastewater improvements (High urb –Low wwt ). This range is for increasing inputs of the five pollutants by at least 30% during the period of 2010–2100 (Fig. 5 ). Africa may become a major contributor to river pollution in the world (Fig. 4 ). For example, by 2100, up to half of the global inputs of multiple pollutants are projected in Africa in High urb –Low wwt (Fig. 4 ). For comparison: in 2010 the contribution of African rivers to the global river pollution was <5% (Fig. 4 ). All scenarios project increasing river pollution in the future for Africa (Figs. 5 and 6 ). This is largely associated with the projected population growth and assumed wastewater treatment. The African population is projected to more than double in many sub-basins during 2010–2100 in all scenarios (Supplementary Fig. 3 ). Many people will live in urban areas (High urb –Low wwt and High urb –Mod wwt , Supplementary Figs. 1 – 3 ). More people will inevitably generate more waste, and this may not be treated effectively enough (e.g., High urb –Low wwt ). This all explains the large future increases in river pollution in Africa (Fig. 5 ). In the low urbanization scenario (Low urb –Low wwt ), less people will live in urban areas, and a lower percentage of people will be connected to sewer systems. Thus, open defecation may continue in Low urb –Low wwt especially by 2050. This is an important source of nutrients and Cryptosporidium to African rivers in this scenario. Supplementary Figs. 18 , 19 , 20 and 21 show results for increasing inputs of the five pollutants by at least 10% and 50% during the period of 2010–2100. Supplementary Figs. 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 show future trends in river pollution by individual pollutants. Supplementary Figs. 27 , 28 and 29 show scenarios and sub-basins where open defecation is an important source of P, N and Cryptosporidium in rivers.

Future river pollution in Asia

Future river pollution is projected to be 2–3 times higher than in 2010 in the scenario with high urbanization and low wastewater improvements (High urb –Low wwt ). This range is for at least 30% increases in inputs of the five pollutants for the period 2010–2100 (Fig. 5 ). Exceptions are rivers in sub-basins of China (Fig. 5 ). These rivers are projected to be cleaner in 2100 than in 2050, but inputs of the pollutants may still be higher in 2100 than in 2010 in the urbanized scenarios with the low (High urb –Low wwt and Low urb –Low wwt ) and moderate (Mod urb –Mod wwt and High urb –Mod wwt ) wastewater treatment improvements (Fig. 5 ). The Chinese population is projected to decrease in the future in all scenarios (Supplementary Fig. 3 ). However, with the rapid urbanization (Supplementary Figs. 1 – 2 ), the wastewater treatment (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ) may not keep up with the pollution loads. This explains higher river pollution levels. This is different for some other Asian countries such as India and Pakistan. By 2050, the total population of India and Pakistan will have increased (Supplementary Fig. 3 ). By 2100, the total population will have decreased or increased depending on the socio-economic development in the scenarios (Supplementary Fig. 3 , Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 for the scenario description). However, the wastewater treatment is poorer or absent compared to the Chinese sub-basins (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ), resulting in more pollutants in rivers (Fig. 5 , Supplementary Figs. 18 – 21 ).

Future river pollution in Europe and North America

Many rivers in Europe and North America may be cleaner in the future. European rivers (Western, Northern and Southern) may get cleaner in the future because of high removal efficiencies to treat wastewater (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ). However, in the High urb –Mod wwt scenario, high wastewater treatment efficiencies (>50% for all pollutants) may not be enough to reduce future pollution to the level below 2010. For American rivers, future trends differ largely between South and North in the scenarios with the low (Low urb –Low wwt ) and high (High urb –Low wwt ) urbanization trends. In the Low urb –Low wwt scenario, lower increases (<30%) in inputs of pollutants are projected for many Northern rivers whereas higher increases (>30%) for most Southern rivers (Fig. 5 , Supplementary Figs. 18 – 21 ). This difference can be explained by the higher population growth (Supplementary Figs. 1 – 3 ) and less efficient wastewater treatment (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ) in South America compared to North America. In the High urb –Low wwt scenario, higher increases in river pollution are projected for South America by 2050, but lower by 2100. This is associated with the decreased population (Supplementary Fig. 3 ) and with the increased efficiencies of wastewater treatment between 2050 and 2100 (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ). Rivers in Australia may be more polluted in the future (Fig. 5 ). Exceptions are the Low urb –Low wwt and High urb –Low wwt scenarios with less pollution in 2100 than in 2050. This is largely associated with the decreasing population during 2050–2100 (Supplementary Figs. 1 – 13 , 18 – 21 ).

Reducing future river pollution

Advanced wastewater treatment can reduce future river pollution in many world regions, but not in Africa (High urb –High wwt ). In High urb –High wwt, all developed countries (HDI > 0.785) will shift completely towards tertiary treatment with enough capacities and high efficiencies to remove pollutants from the wastewater (>75% for all pollutants, Supplementary Figs. 1 – 14 ). Examples of such technologies are annomox 47 for N, calcium precipitation for P 48 , disinfection by Ultraviolet radiation for Cryptosporidium 42 , reverse osmosis for nutrients 41 and microplastics 49 . Developing countries (HDI < 0.785) will also shift towards tertiary technologies, but in combination with secondary technologies 10 , 46 (Supplementary Figs. 1 – 14 ). Open defecation will stop by 2100. Thus, High urb –High wwt shows the technical potential of advanced technologies with enough treatment capacities to reduce future pollution from highly urbanized areas.

It will be difficult to reduce future river pollution in Africa to the level of 2010, even with advanced technologies (High urb –High wwt , Fig. 5 ). Inputs of most pollutants to many African rivers are projected to increase by at least 30% during 2010–2100 in High urb –High wwt (Fig. 5 ). The main reason is an increase in the total population, which is much higher (>doubling) than in other world regions (Supplementary Fig. 3 ). As a result, implementing advanced technologies in 2100 may help to reduce inputs of most pollutants to the level of 2050, but not to the level of 2010. For many other world’s rivers, advanced technologies with enough treatment capacities are projected to lower future inputs of pollutants in High urb –High wwt (Fig. 5 , Supplementary Fig. 20 ). This may have a positive impact on the overall pollution status depending also on the contribution of diffuse sources from agriculture. However, for some rivers in Asia (e.g. India, Pakistan), inputs of most pollutants from point sources will still increase by 2050, but may be lower by 2100 in High urb –High wwt (Fig. 5 ). Some rivers in North America, Middle Asia and Australia are projected to have higher inputs of pollutants in 2100 than in 2050, but lower than in 2010 (Fig. 5 , Supplementary Fig. 20 ). These trends are the net effect of the population growth, urbanization and wastewater treatment in High urb –High wwt (Figs. 2 , 5 and 6 ).

Scenario analyses are widely used to explore possible futures 1 , 34 , 36 , 50 , 51 , 52 . Our five scenarios are a combination of possible trends in urbanization, socio-economic development (existing SSPs 1 , 36 , 53 ) and our assumptions on sanitation, wastewater treatment capacities and removal efficiencies of pollutants. Our assumptions may, however, seem ambitious (Supplementary Tables 5 and 6 ). For example, we assume the full implementation of advanced technologies with enough treatment capacities in High urb –High wwt for all developed countries. We did this to show the effects of sustainable practices in urban areas on increasing the availability of clean water for people and nature. This assumption, however, might be ambitious to achieve. In our scenarios, we reflect a relation between urbanization (e.g., more urban people) and sewer connections (see High urb –Low wwt, High urb –Med wwt ) with sustainable urbanization practices (see High urb –High wwt ). This relation may, however, not emerge everywhere in the world. On the other hand, we explore possible futures; we do not state how likely or desirable these futures are. Our scenarios aim to identify impacts of future urbanization (e.g., differences between Low urb –Low wwt and High urb –Low wwt ) and the technical potentials of proven wastewater treatment technologies to reduce future river pollution from point sources (e.g., differences between High urb –Low wwt and High urb –High wwt ). Our insights may contribute to the formulation of sustainable urbanization practices where wastewater treatment is effective enough to reduce pollutants in the urban waste (e.g., SDG11) and thus to increase the availability of clean water in the future (e.g., SDG6).

Our global multi-pollutant model quantifies, simultaneously, five pollutants in rivers with consistent datasets in space and time. However, uncertainties exist. The model is developed based on existing, evaluated models for pollutants 11 , 18 , 20 , 23 , 29 , 32 (e.g., comparisons with observed concentrations and sensitivity analyses). We further evaluate our combined model using five approaches 54 (see the “Methods” section). First, we compare our model outputs with existing studies (see the “Methods” section, Supplementary Table 7 ), showing a good agreement for the five pollutants. Second, we compare the spatial pattern of pollution problems with existing models 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 16 , 55 , 56 , indicating the river pollution in densely populated and highly urbanized areas (Figs. 3 – 5 , Supplementary Tables 7 and 8 ). However, existing studies did not focus on a simultaneous reduction of the five pollutants from urbanized activities in the 21st century, which is a multi-pollutant perspective of our study. Third, we performed a sensitivity analysis for pollution hotspots. We define multi-pollutant hotspots as places with >30% increases in two or more pollutants between 2010 and future years (Fig. 5 ). This is an elegant way to combine the five pollutants. We realize that the 30% threshold is arbitrary. The results should, therefore, be interpreted as warning signals of future river pollution. In the sensitivity analysis, we changed the 30% threshold to 10% (Supplementary Figs. 18 – 19 ) and 50% (Supplementary Figs. 20 – 21 ). The results confirm the robustness of our main messages about future multi-pollutant hotspots. Fourth, we performed a sensitivity analysis for all important model inputs underlying the calculations (Supplementary Tables 9 , 10 , 11 and 12 , Supplementary Fig. 17 ). In total, 25 model inputs are changed with ±10%, resulting in 50 model runs for 10,226 sub-basins and five pollutants. The results show that the model is not very sensitive to changes in most model inputs. For most sub-basins, the model outputs are relatively sensitive to changes in <5 model inputs. These inputs are related to HDI, wastewater treatment types and removal efficiencies. The 10% changes in these inputs, resulted in up to 5% change in model output for sub-basins covering over two-thirds of the global surface area (see details in the “Methods” section for all sub-basins). Fifth, we compare model inputs with independent datasets (Supplementary Table 8 , Supplementary Figs. 15 and 16 ). All this gives trust in the model performance (see the “Methods” section).

Our results are future oriented. We focus on trends in future hotspots of multi-pollutant problems in the world. We believe that not all model uncertainties affect our main messages about trends. We also realize that our results are relatively sensitive to the assumptions on future HDI and wastewater treatment (see Approach 4 in the “Methods” section and sensitivity analysis). For HDI, we assumed an increase of 0, 10 and 20% between 2010 and 2050 and further increase by 2100 depending on scenario (Supplementary Tables 5 – 6 ). For wastewater treatment rates, we assumed a shift towards a next treatment type between 2010 and future years (e.g., 0–50% shift depending on scenario). To increase trust in our assumptions for future trends, we compared our model inputs with other independent studies. We did this for our five scenarios (Supplementary Table 8 , Supplementary Fig. 15 ). For example, future trends in our HDI between 2010 and future years are strongly in line with an independent study 57 ( R 2 above 0.88, see Supplementary Fig. 15 ). Crespo Cuaresma and Lutz 57 took into account differences in human development and their socio-economic wealth in projecting future HDI. Our wastewater treatment types in 2050 are also well compared with an independent study 10 (Supplementary Table 8 ).

Another potential source of uncertainties relates to the local variation in pollution levels. For example, sewage overflows may happen under heavy rain events, causing local peaks in water pollution. Such events are time dependent and may also contribute to global pollution levels 58 . We do not account for such local events in our model. We, however, believe that such omissions of events do not affect our messages for the multi-pollutants worldwide. This is because we explore future trends in the multi-pollutant hotspots worldwide that are influenced by global change, urbanization and wastewater treatment. Local analyses should, however, account for the impact of local events on local water quality (e.g., cities).

Our study aims to analyze the impact of the socio-economic drivers (e.g., GDP) and urbanization on future inputs of pollutants to rivers from point sources worldwide. However, we do not consider the transport of pollutants to rivers from agricultural fields, nor the impact of climate change on future river pollution. Next steps could be to further develop our global multi-pollutant model by calculating inputs of pollutants from agricultural fields and associated river export of pollutants. This will allow to explicitly combine the impact of both climate change and of socio-economic developments.

A multi-pollutant approach supports the search for effective solutions. A multi-pollutant approach might be more effective in reducing river pollution than a single-pollutant approach (Fig. 1 ). For example, reducing one pollutant may reduce (synergies) or increase (trade-offs) another pollutant. Our study serves as an illustrative example for the five pollutants. For example, increasing sewer connections may increase inputs of the five pollutants to rivers, but decrease inputs of N, P and Cryptosporidium from open defecation (Low urb –Low wwt ; trade-off). Higher economic developments may lead to less excreted Cryptosporidium per capita because of lower infection risks in developed countries 11 , 23 (Supplementary Fig. 8 ), but may generate more N and P in human excreta (Supplementary Figs. 4 – 5 ) as a result of protein-rich food consumption 10 , 46 (trade-off). Synergies also exist. For example, increasing sewer connections with advanced technologies and sufficient wastewater treatment capacities is projected to decrease the inputs of all five pollutants to many rivers in the future (High urb –High wwt ). This is also associated with synergies in treatment technologies to remove multiple pollutants. Some technologies are developed to target specific pollutants (e.g., N 47 , P 48 , Cryptosporidium 42 ). This implies that implementing technologies for one pollutant may not strongly influence another pollutant. However, technologies exist to treat more than one pollutant (e.g., 10 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 42 , 59 ). For example, secondary treatment with removal efficiencies of around 40–50% (assumed in Mod urb –Mod wwt and High urb –Mod wwt ) converts organic N into inorganic and gas, removing N from the waste 10 . They can also facilitate the biodegradation of triclosan 59 . Microplastics can host microorganisms (e.g., Cryptosporidium ) and serve as vectors for chemicals 15 , 49 , 60 . As a result, biofilms and flocs can form in, for example, activated sludge ponds and then settle down 49 . Triclosan can sorb to large particles and also settle down with other pollutants 38 , 39 , 59 . Advanced technologies (assumed in High urb –High wwt ) such as efficient ultrafiltration methods can reduce Cryptosporidium 42 and microplastics 49 , and reverse osmosis can recover nutrients 41 and reduce microplastics 49 . Nature-based solutions such as stabilization ponds and constructed wetlands are largely effective to reduce Cryptosporidium 42 and nutrients 61 . Accounting for synergies and trade-offs is essential to identify effective solutions for multiple pollutants. This can support the achievement of SDG11 for sustainable cities and SDG6 for clean water.

Our results can support policy assessment of water pollution in urban areas, and form the basis for actionable and region-specific solutions. We identify hotspots of urban-related river pollution and show possible effects of future urbanization on river quality under global change. This could help to prioritize short-term actions to avoid river pollution in the 21st century. Improving wastewater treatment is important to avoid multi-pollutant problems in an urbanized world (Fig. 5 , differences between High urb –High wwt and High urb –Low wwt ). Our sensitivity analysis indicates where improved wastewater treatment could have a larger impact (Supplementary Fig. 17 ). Our model indicates that water pollution is related to human development (expressed as human development index). This is important to realize when reducing Cryptosporidium and microplastics. Some countries in the world already introduced policies such as a ban of detergents and triclosan in products. Combing such policies with improved wastewater treatment may contribute to synergetic solutions for achieving SDGs and reducing river pollution from urban waste. For Africa, improving wastewater treatment may not be enough. Controlling the African population growth to reduce waste production in the future may be needed in urban and water policy assessments.

Our study quantifies future trends in inputs of five pollutants to rivers for five scenarios. We argue that a multi-pollutant perspective is needed in quantitative analyses of future trends in global change, urbanization, sanitation and wastewater treatment. We analyzed multiple pollutants simultaneously in a consistent way. We did this for 10,226 sub-basins for 2010, 2050 and 2100. Our insights are in how future trends differ between pollutants, sub-basins and how hotspots of multi-pollutant problems change in the 21st century. Our study provides an example of multi-pollutant problems from urban point sources. We show that future inputs of pollutants are projected to increase with increasing urbanization. We also show that it is technically possible to avoid these increases with advanced proven technologies to treat wastewater, except in Africa. In Africa, clean water availability is projected to remain a challenge because of the fast increasing population. This will consequently challenge the achievement of SDGs 6 and 11 in Africa. Our model may serve as an example for multi-pollutant modelling of diffuse sources such as agricultural runoff and other pollutants, such as pesticides 62 , antibiotics 24 and antimicrobial resistance. Another opportunity is to analyze the economic (e.g., costs), societal, institutional and political feasibilities of future pollution reduction options. This is important to identify region-specific solutions. Our long-term projections can help to increase the awareness of society and decision makers about pollution hotspots in the 21st century. This can facilitate short-term actions in different regions to avoid pollution in the future and contribute to achieve SDGs 6 and 11.

Model description and inputs

We used a model of Strokal et al. 31 that takes the sub-basin scale modelling approach of Strokal et al. 32 for nutrients and integrates modelling approaches for other pollutants 18 , 20 , 23 . We developed it further for future analyses of point-source inputs of pollutants to rivers (Supplementary Table 1 ). Our model quantifies inputs of five pollutants to 10,226 rivers: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), microplastics, triclosan and Cryptosporidium for 2010, 2050 and 2100. The model of Strokal et al. 31 was developed for 2010 taking the sub-basin modelling approach of Strokal, et al. 32 for N 29 , 32 , P 29 , 32 and integrating the existing modelling approaches for microplastics 18 , triclsan 20 and Cryptosporidium 23 . We developed the model for the years 2050 and 2100 based on the urbanization storylines of the SSPs and our assumptions. Our multi-pollutant model quantifies simultaneously annual inputs of the five pollutants to rivers at the sub-basin scale using the consistent spatial and temporal dataset for model inputs for 2010, 2050 and 2100. The model quantifies inputs of the five pollutants from sewer systems and open defecation. These are the point sources of the pollutants in rivers. Sewer systems discharge five pollutants to rivers. Open defecation is a point source of N, P and Cryptosporidium in our model. Model evaluation is presented below after the scenario descriptions.

Inputs of the pollutants to rivers from open defecation are quantified as a function of the population that is open defecating and the excretion or consumption rates of pollutants per person per year (Supplementary Tables 1 and 2 ). Inputs of pollutants from sewer systems are quantified as a function of the population that is connected to sewer systems, the excretion or consumption rates of pollutants per person per year and removal efficiencies of pollutants during treatment. We quantified inputs of the pollutants at 0.5° grid and then aggregate the results to 10,226 river sub-basins (Supplementary Table 1 ). Model inputs for 2010 are directly from Strokal, et al. 31 . Model inputs for 2050 and 2100 are based on the SSPs with different trends in urbanization and wastewater treatment (see scenario descriptions below).

Below, we explain how model inputs were derived (Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 ). Population for 2010, 2050 and 2100 are aggregated to 0.5° grid from the global, 0.125 degree cell database of Jones and O’Neill 53 . The number of people with sewer connections and open defecation are quantified at 0.5° grid using the population map of 0.5° grid and the fraction of people with sewer connections or open defecation. For 2010, the fraction of urban and rural people with sewer systems and open defecation were available by country from the Joint Monitoring Program (see details in Strokal et al. 31 and Hofstra and Vermeulen 11 ). We assigned the national values to grids of 0.5° grid. Then, we multiplied the number of people per grid (aggregated from Jones and O’Neill 53 ) with the fraction of people connected to sewer systems or open defecating (based on Hofstra and Vermeulen 11 ). For 2050 and 2100, we made assumptions for the fractions of people connected to sewer systems and with open defecation. These assumptions were based on storylines of SSPs for economy, population and urbanization (Fig. 2 , Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). Our assumptions differ among urban and rural people, and among developing and developed countries (see scenario descriptions below).

Excretion or consumption rates of pollutants were largely derived based on existing, evaluated approaches and sources. Excretion rates of N and P in human waste per person are quantified as a function of GDP (gross domestic product) at purchasing power parity, following the approach of Van Drecht et al. 46 , but adjusted to the unit of 2005 (see details in Strokal et al. 31 , Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 ). For 2010, 2050 and 2100, GDP at 0.5° grid was derived from the global SSP database with the projections from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA, 63 ). P in detergents was from Van Drecht et al. 46 for the world regions (Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 ).

Excretion rates of Cryptosporidium were quantified based on the infection rate in developed (5%) and developing (10%) countries and the excretion rate per ill person (10 9 oocysts) according to Hofstra et al. 23 . For 2010, developed and developing countries were defined based on the Human Development Index (HDI), following the approach of Hofstra et al. 23 : HDI > 0.785 (developed) and HDI < 0.785 (developing). For 2050 and 2100, we made assumptions for HDI for countries depending on SSP storylines for the economy, population growth and urbanization (see scenario descriptions below and Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ).

Consumption rates of microplastics per person per year were derived directly from Siegfried et al. 18 , but with some modifications (details are in Strokal et al. 31 ). Microplastics in sewer systems result from car tyres, PCPs (personal care products), household dusts and laundry. For PCPs, dust and laundry, consumption rates are 0.071, 0.08 and 0.12 kg of microplastics per person per year according to Siegfried, et al. 18 . We assumed that these values do not change over time. For tyres, this is different. Strokal et al. 31 assumed that developed countries will contribute more microplastics to sewage from car tyres as a side-effect of economic and infrastructural developments. Thus, we assigned 0.18 kg of microplastics from tyres per person for developed countries (HDI > 0.785) and 0.018 kg of microplastics from tyres per person for developing countries (HDI < 0.785) according to Strokal et al. 31 . We assumed changes in HDI by country in the future based on the SSPs storylines (see scenario descriptions below and Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 ).

Consumption rates of triclosan per person in the world were directly taken van Wijnen et al. 20 (0.5 kg per person per year for 2010). We assumed that the consumption rate will not change largely in the future and thus will remain as in 2010.

Removal efficiencies of pollutants during treatment were derived based on the existing studies. For N, P and Cryptosporidium , removal efficiencies were quantified by country using the national distribution of wastewater treatment types (primary, secondary, tertiary, no treatment) and their treatment efficiencies for pollutants, following the approaches of 11 , 23 , 46 (see Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 , Supplementary Figs. 1 – 14 ). The quantified national removal efficiencies were then assigned to corresponding grids of 0.5°. For 2010, national distributions of wastewater treatment types were derived from Hofstra and Vermeulen 11 with a few corrections for countries with missing data (details are in Strokal et al. 31 ). For 2050 and 2100, we assumed changes (low, moderate, high) in the distribution of the treatment types depending on the storylines of SSPs (see scenario descriptions below). These changes imply a shift towards a next treatment type: e.g., from primary to secondary to tertiary (Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 ). Removal efficiencies of pollutants for different treatment types were taken directly from literature (see Supplementary Table 3 ) and do not vary among years.

For triclosan and microplastics, removal efficiencies were quantified based on the approaches of van Wijnen et al. 20 and Siegfried et al. 18 (details are in Strokal et al. 31 ). We used the known removal rate of phosphorus to assume the removal of triclosan and microplastics. For our assumptions, we used data about the removal of triclosan and microplastics from literature 39 , 59 , 64 , 65 , 66 . Based on these data, we related average phosphorus removal in a watershed to triclosan removal. We formulated three classes of triclosan removal (0, 60 or 90%) and related these to known phosphorus removal in each sub-basin (details are in van Wijnen et al. 20 ). A similar approach was carried out for microplastics. We formulated four microplastics removal classes based on literature and related those to the known average phosphorus removal in each sub-basin 18 , 30 . These classes represent an average microplastics removal in each sub-basin. Microplastic removal depends on the size and density of the microplastics. Therefore, the removal at each individual WWTP will be dependent on these and other characteristics. In our study, on a global scale, we chose to assume average removal for each sub-basin.

Scenario description

Storylines of the five scenarios are summarized in Fig. 2 , Supplementary Tables 1 – 6 and Supplementary Figs. 1 – 14 . Our five scenarios are with low urbanization and low wastewater treatment rates (Low urb –Low wwt ), moderate urbanization and moderate wastewater treatment rates (Mod urb –Mod wwt ), high urbanization and low wastewater treatment rates (High urb –Low wwt ), high urbanization and moderate wastewater treatment rates (High urb –Mod wwt ), and high urbanization and high wastewater treatment rates (High urb –High wwt ) (Fig. 2 ). These scenarios follow future trends in the socio-economic development based on the existing SSPs 1 , 63 , combined with our assumptions for population with sewer connections, open defecation and for wastewater treatment capacities and technologies (Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). Below, we describe each scenario. Quantitative interpretations of the scenario assumptions are presented in Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 for 2050 and 2100, and inputs are given in Supplementary Figs. 1 – 14 .

The Low urb -Low wwt scenario is based on SSP3 projections for the socio-economic development (Fig. 2 , Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). The scenario assumes a fragmented world with difficulties to control population growth. In this world, It is projected a low economic development with low urbanization rates and high population growth. For example, a global population of approximately 12 billion people is projected for 2100, of which 58% will be urban (Supplementary Figs. 1 – 3 ). Low economic developments will not allow to develop technologies largely. For 2050, HDI is assumed to stay as in 2010 and increase by 10% between 2050 and 2100 on a county level (Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). The society will not focus on reducing or avoiding future river pollution. As a result, the fraction of the population with sewer connections (around one-third of the global population) and the treatment efficiencies of wastewater (e.g., 14–18% globally depending on pollutant) will remain in 2050 as in 2010 (Supplementary Figs. 3 , 9 – 13 ). The same holds for the wastewater treatment capacities. However, by 2100 more people may be connected to sewer systems (above one-third of the global population). This will result in higher capacities of the wastewater treatment plants with slightly improved treatment technologies (e.g., 21–24% of removal efficiencies globally depending on pollutant). However, future wastewater treatment efficiencies vary largely among world countries: e.g., 0–96% in 2100 depending on region and pollutant. In general, higher wastewater treatment efficiencies are projected for Europe, North America and Australia (Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ),

The Mod urb -Mod wwt scenario is based on SSP2 projections of the middle of the road for the socio-economic development (Fig. 2 , Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). The scenario assumes a moderate economic development, moderate urbanization rates and moderate population growth compared to the other scenarios. For example, 9 billion people are projected globally for 2100 and 80% will be urban (Supplementary Figs. 1 – 3 ). From 2010, HDI is assumed to increase by 10% by 2050 and further increase by 10% by 2100 on a county level (Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). Technological development follows the business as usual trends. As a result, more people will be connected to sewer systems than today (45% in 2050 and 68% in 2100 globally, Supplementary Fig. 3 ). A number of wastewater treatment plants will be constructed to maintain the increasing volume of the wastewater from connected population to sewer systems. The amount of waste that is collected will be treated with slightly improved wastewater treatment. For example, on average, 33–42% of removal efficiencies globally are projected for 2100. This range is for the five pollutants. The removal efficiencies vary largely among regions (0–97% depending on region and pollutant, Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ). The number of people connected to sewer systems will be larger for urban (over two-thirds) than for rural (less than one-third) population. Some people may still experience open defecation in 2050. By 2100, all people who opened defecated in 2050 will become connected to sewer systems.

The High urb -Low wwt scenario is based on SSP4 projections for the socio-economic development (Fig. 2 , Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). The scenario assumes a large gap between urban and rural developments. The economic development is projected to be moderate compared to the other scenarios. HDI is projected to increase as in the Mod urb –Mod wwt scenario (Supplementary Tables 1 – 3 , Supplementary Fig. 14 ). The population is projected to increase in the future, but not largely: e.g., around 30% between 2010 and 2100 globally. By 2100, the global population is projected to reach 9.3 billion people (Supplementary Fig. 3a ). However, the urban population will develop faster than the rural. Urbanization will be high: e.g., 76% and 90% of the global population will be urban in 2050 and 2100, respectively. As a result, the connection rate of the population to sewer systems will increase in the future for urban areas. For example, 80% of urban and 11% of rural population globally is projected to be connected to sewer systems in 2100 (Supplementary Figs. 1 – 3 ). Wastewater treatment capacities will be enough to maintain the waste from sewer systems and treatment will be improved as in the Mod urb -Mod wwt scenario. For rural areas, the fraction of people connected to sewer systems in 2050 may remain the same as in the Low urb -Low wwt scenario and will be improved by 2100 (Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). By 2050, some rural people may still open defecate. By 2100, all rural people who opened defecated in 2050 will become connected to sewer systems with better treatment.

The High urb –Mod wwt scenario is based on SSP5 projections for the socio-economic development (Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 , Fig. 2 ). The scenario assumes a high economic development with high urbanization and low population growth (Fig. 2 , Supplementary Table 4 ). For example, the total population globally is projected to increase by less than 10% between 2010 and 2100, reaching 7.4 billion people in 2100 (Supplementary Fig. 3a ). However, more than 90% of the global population will be urban in 2100. From 2010, HDI is assumed to increase by 20% by 2050 and further increase by 20% by 2100. The technological development is relatively high compared to the Mod urb -Mod wwt scenario. This will lead to a higher population with sewer connections. More than half of the global population will be connected to sewer systems in 2050. For 2100, this number is over two-thirds of the global population (Supplementary Figs. 1 – 3 ). The capacities of the wastewater treatment plants will be enough to manage the amount of waste from sewer systems. However, people will invest less in improving wastewater treatment. People will focus more on the economy rather than on reducing river pollution. As a result, wastewater treatment may follow the business as usual trends. For example, on average, 34–44% of the wastewater treatment efficiencies are projected globally for 2100. However, these efficiencies vary largely among regions (0–97% depending on area and pollutant, Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ). Furthermore, some people may still open defecate in nearby water systems in the future. By 2100, all people who opened defecated in 2050 will become connected to sewer systems.

The High urb –High wwt scenario is based on SSP1 projections for the socio-economic development (Fig. 2 , Supplementary Tables 4 – 6 ). The society will develop fast with high urbanization rates as comparable to the High urb –Mod wwt scenario. The global population is projected to reach 6.9 billion people in 2100 (Supplementary Fig. 3a ). The share of urban people globally is projected to be 77% in 2050 and 92% in 2100 (Supplementary Figs. 1 – 3 ). The share of the total connected people to sewer systems is projected to be 55% in 2050 and 82% in 2100. HDI is projected to increase in the same rate as in the High urb –Mod wwt scenario. However, in this world, a strong focus is on reducing or avoiding river pollution by using the best available advanced technologies in all areas. Technological development is high because of the high economic development. People will invest in improving technologies to treat wastewater with multiple pollutants. There will be opportunities to develop technologies for multiple pollutants and combine them with nature-based solutions. As a result, the wastewater treatment is assumed to be improved largely with high removal efficiencies (60–98% depending on year, area and pollutant, Supplementary Figs. 9 – 13 ).

Model evaluation

We evaluated the uncertainties in our model using four approaches following a building trust circle method 54 . This method has been applied in several water quality studies 32 , 67 , 68 . First, we compare model outputs with existing studies. Second, we compare the spatial pattern of the pollution problems with existing models for individual pollutants. Third, we perform a sensitivity analysis for pollution hotspots. Fourth, we perform a comprehensive sensitivity analysis for all important model inputs underlying the calculations. Fifth, we compare model inputs with independent datasets. Model validation against observed concentrations is, unfortunately, challenging. This is because our model does not quantify concentrations. Some of the existing global models calculate concentrations and were evaluated against observations (Supplementary Tables 7 – 8 ). Thus, we used those models to compare their results with ours for individual pollutants. Below, we elaborate on these five approaches. Details are in Supplementary Tables 7 – 12 and Supplementary Figs. 15 , 17 .

Approach 1: evaluating model outputs by comparing them with other models and studies for individual pollutants. This comparison is presented in Supplementary Table 7 . The results show that our model outputs for global inputs of nitrogen, phosphorus, microplastics, triclosan and Cryptosporidium are generally in line with other models and studies. For example, our model quantified 9.5 Tg of nitrogen to rivers from point sources in 2010. Other models quantified 6.4–10.4 Tg of nitrogen to rivers from points sources during 2000–2010 10 , 46 , 69 (Supplementary Table 7 ). For phosphorus, we quantified 1.6 Tg in 2010 whereas the other models quantified 1.0–1.5 Tg for the period of 2000–2010 10 , 46 , 69 . For 2050, we quantified 5.4–21.0 Tg of nitrogen and 0.6–3.5 Tg of phosphorus in 2050 (ranges for the five scenarios). van Puijenbroek et al. 10 quantified 13.5–17.9 Tg of nitrogen and 1.6–2.4 Tg of phosphorus in 2050 under the five SSPs. For Cryptosporidium , our model quantified 1.6 × 10 9 oocysts in 2010 which is 1.1–1.4 × 10 9 oocysts in another model in 2000–2010 11 , 23 (Supplementary Table 7 ). For 2050, our model quantified 0.4–2.9 × 10 9 oocysts (range for the five scenarios). For the Low urb -Low wwt scenario, this value is 2.44 × 10 9 oocysts, which is comparable with 2.28 × 10 9 oocysts from the other model 11 , 23 . To our knowledge, van Wijnen, et al. 20 is the only study quantifying triclosan export by rivers. Our estimates for Danube, Zhujiang and Ganges are comparable with estimates of van Wijnen et al. 20 (Supplementary Table 7 ). For microplastics, our model quantified 0.45 Tg entering rivers globally in 2010. Best 9 indicated loads of 0.41–4.00 Tg of plastics in 32 world’s rivers. This is higher than our estimate because Best 9 accounts for macro- and microplastics whereas we only consider microplastics. Avio et al. 13 indicated 0.27 Tg of plastics to oceans in some regions in the world. This is lower than our estimate because we quantify inputs of plastics to rivers and not to the oceans. The other reasons for the differences between our model and other studies are in data inputs and the spatial level of detail. We focus on sub-basin analyses with the consistent model inputs for multiple pollutants (Supplementary Table 7 , Supplementary Figs. 1 – 13 ).

Approach 2: evaluating model outputs by comparing the spatial variability in pollution hotspots with other studies. We reviewed the literature on pollution hotspots in the world for individual pollutants 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 16 , 55 , 56 , 70 . Our pollution hotspots for multiple pollutants are in line with the existing studies for individual pollutants. For example, most pollution often happens in densely populated and highly urbanized areas 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 16 , 55 , 56 . For example, Best 9 indicated over 80% of large transboundary rivers in the world with multiple pollutants. For many large cities in polluted regions, the demand for water already exceeds its availability. For example, water scarcity (ratio between the water demand and availability) has been already reported for cities in countries such as China (e.g., Shanghai, Beijing), India (e.g., Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad), Mexico, North America (e.g., Los Angeles) 70 . In the future, river pollution will further decrease the availability of clean water in many urban regions 4 , 7 , 8 , 71 . We show that it is technically possible to increase the availability of clean water with implementing advanced technologies (High urb _High wwt , Figs. 3 – 6 ). However, future analyses for multi-pollutant hotspots are lacking in the existing literature. A few global models performed future analysis for individual pollutants 10 , 11 , 18 , 20 where urbanization was taken into account by 2050. Their results indicate pollution hotspots where human activities are most intensive, which is in line with our study. However, studies exploring trends in multi-pollutant hotspots by 2100 do not exist. We explore trends in pollution hotspots for multi-pollutant problems covering the entire 21st century under the five scenarios with different socio-economic developments and levels of wastewater treatment.

Approach 3: evaluating model outputs for pollution hotspots by sensitivity analysis. In Fig. 5 , we showed multi-pollutant hotspots. These hotspots were defined as at least a 30% increase in inputs of more than one pollutant to rivers during 2010–2050, 2010–2100 and 2050–2100. This definition is modest and easier to understand and interpret. We checked if the pollution hotspots remain the same by changing a 30% increase to 10% (Supplementary Figs. 18 – 19 ) and 50% (Supplementary Fig. 20 – 21 ). Results of this sensitivity analysis indicate that our main messages stay the same: Africa will become a hotspot region with multiple pollutants in rivers in the 21st century and advanced technologies may help to reduce pollution in many rivers of the world.

Approach 4: evaluating model inputs by a sensitivity analysis. We performed a comprehensive sensitivity analysis for all important model inputs underlying the calculations. In total, there are 25 model input parameters included in this analysis. Every model input was changed by +10% and −10%. As a result, we did 50 runs of the model for the year 2010. We analyzed the results of the 50 runs for 10,226 sub-basins and five pollutants: Cryptosporidium , nitrogen, phosphorus, triclosan and microplastics. Details can be found in Supplementary Tables 9 – 12 and Supplementary Fig. 17 .

In general, increasing the model inputs (13 out of 25) that are responsible for excretion or consumption rates of pollutants in urban waste lead to more pollutants in rivers (Supplementary Tables 10 – 12 ). The opposite is observed when these model inputs are decreased. An exception is HDI for Cryptosporidium and microplastics. Model inputs that are responsible for wastewater treatments (6 out of 25) have the following effect on the model outputs: increases in these inputs lead to less pollutants in rivers and vice versa. Model inputs (6 out of 25) that are responsible for the number of people (urban and rural) connected to sewage systems have the following effect on the model outputs: increases in these inputs lead to more pollutants in rivers and vice versa (Supplementary Tables 10 – 12 ).

We find that model outputs are most sensitive to changes in 2–5 out of the 25 model inputs. The sensitivities vary among sub-basins and pollutants. These model inputs are HDI (sensitive for Cryptosporidium and microplastics), the fractions of secondary (sensitive for triclosan and microplastics) and tertiary (sensitive for all five pollutants) treatment, and the removal efficiencies of secondary (sensitive for triclosan and microplastics) and tertiary (sensitive for all five pollutants) treatment. We analyze model outputs for 10,226 sub-basins that are sensitive to changes in those 2–5 model inputs. Supplementary Tables 11 – 12 show the percentages of the sub-basin areas where model outputs for the five pollutants change by: <5%, 5–10%, 10–50% and >50%. Supplementary Fig. 17 shows the location of the sub-basins for which model outputs are sensitive to one or more model inputs.

The model results for sub-basins covering over two-thirds of the global surface area changed by less than 5% (Supplementary Tables 11 – 12 ). For ≤13% of the global surface area the model outputs changed between 5–10%. This is for all pollutants. For ≤8% of the global area, the changes are between 10–50% in the model outputs. Exceptions are Cryptosporidium and microplastics, which are relatively sensitive for HDI. In one-third of the sub-basin area the model output for Cryptosporidium changed 10–50% as a result of changes in HDI. For microplastic, the changes may be even higher. However, the number of basins with changes above 50% is small. These results show that HDI is an important model input for Cryptosporidium and microplastics (see Supplementary Tables 1 , 9 – 12 ).

Approach 5: evaluating model inputs by comparing them with independent datasets. We provide this comparison in Supplementary Table 8 , Supplementary Figs. 15 and 16 . Comparison results build trust in our model inputs. We compared the following important model inputs for 2010 and 2050 scenarios: total population, population with sewer connections, distribution of treatment types, removal efficiencies of pollutants, nutrients in human excretion (Supplementary Table 8 ). We compared these inputs with van Puijenbroek et al. 10 who recently published global analyses of nutrient inputs to rivers from point sources. We also compared our population from Jones and O’Neill 53 with another global dataset from Kc and Lutz 34 (Supplementary Fig. 16 ). Our model inputs are well compared with the mentioned studies. Furthermore, we compared our HDI index for 2010 and 2050 with the HDI index from Crespo Cuaresma and Lutz 57 (Supplementary Fig. 15 ). HDI is an important input in our model to quantify the excretion of Cryptosporidium . HDI influences the treatment developments and consumption of microplastics associated with the use of car tyres. Our values for HDI under the five scenarios are well compared with the values of Crespo Cuaresma and Lutz 57 ( R 2  > 0.88 for the five scenarios).

Results of these five approaches give us trust in using our multi-pollutant model to explore future trends in inputs of multiple pollutants to rivers from urbanization activities. All data are available in Strokal et al. 72 and Strokal et al. 73 .

Reporting summary

Further information on research design is available in the Nature Research Reporting Summary linked to this article.

Data availability

All the datasets generated and analysed during this study are publicly available in the Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS Easy) repository: https://doi.org/10.17026/dans-zyx-jce3 73 . The data will be available for download from 01–04–2021. The data supporting the findings of this study are described in the following metadata record: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13333796 72 .

Code availability

All equations to the model are provided in the supplementary information files of this study and in the Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS Easy) repository: https://doi.org/10.17026/dans-zyx-jce3 . The data will be available for download from 01–04–2021.

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Acknowledgements

M.S. (the corresponding author) was financially supported by a Veni-grant (0.16.Veni.198.001) and a KNAW-MOST SURE + project (5160957392).

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M.S. led this manuscript. M.S. was responsible for designing the manuscript, developing a multi-pollutant model, and analyzing and writing the manuscript. C.K. substantially assisted in designing the manuscript, developing the model and analyzing the results. Z.B., W.F., N.H., A.A.K., L.V., M.T.H.V., J.E.S. and J.W., contributed largely in developing the global multi-pollutant model that was used in the manuscript for future analyses of the impact of urbanization on river pollution. They and other authors provided information to the manuscript and advised on the analyses. All authors assisted the interpretations of the Shared Socio-economic Pathways. These pathways are used in the manuscript for multiple pollutants. All authors read and commented on the text. All authors approved the final version and were involved in the accountability for all aspects of the manuscript.

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Strokal, M., Bai, Z., Franssen, W. et al. Urbanization: an increasing source of multiple pollutants to rivers in the 21st century. npj Urban Sustain 1 , 24 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-021-00026-w

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Rotten river: life on one of the world’s most polluted waterways – photo essay

Indonesia’s Citarum is relied upon by millions, but decades of pollution have choked it with chemicals and rubbish

• Words and pictures by Andrea Carrubba in Dayeuhkolot

The smell is the first thing that hits you on the banks of the Citarum River in West Java, Indonesia . The odour is dense: rubbish rotting in hot sun mixed in with an acrid tone of chemical waste.

Some 9 million people live in close contact with the river, where levels of faecal coliform bacteria are more than 5,000 times mandatory limits, according to the findings of the Asian Development Bank in 2013.

Lead levels are more than 1,000 times the US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standard and levels of other heavy metals such as aluminium, iron and manganese are above the international average.

Those living along the river have nowhere to dispose of rubbish, so they either burn it or throw it into the river.

Iim Halimah, 47, has three children. Her husband, Jajang Suherman, died of tuberculosis four years ago, aged 46, after years of dermatitis – a common condition along the Citarum. Halimah suffers from chronic bronchitis, a condition worsened by the pollution and malnutrition. She says the doctor has told her for years not to use the river water, but she has no alternative.

There are more than 2,000 companies in the area – mostly textile factories built near the river because they need large quantities of water. In recent years they have discharged enormous amounts of chemical waste directly into the river.

The village of Sukamaju on the Citarum River. Factories belch out smoke in the distance

Mountains of river sediment are piled on the banks of the Citarum. Thousands live on these wastelands. Unemployed young people, families displaced by the frequent floods, or so-called ‘scavengers’, the very poor waste collectors who survive by selling recyclable rubbish.

In the industrial area of Majalya, a textile factory discharges waste directly into the river, while children play among the toxic rubbish

Many people suffer from dermatitis, contact rashes, intestinal problems; but also from delays in child development, renal failure, chronic bronchitis and a significant incidence of tumours.

The luckiest river dwellers access wastewater from the local industries, who draw water directly from aquifers up to 150m deep and, after partially purifying it, make it available to the neighbouring villages.

But most have to rely on contaminated water directly from the Citarum, to wash themselves and their clothes, and for drinking and cooking.

People and their animals also ingest contaminants through their food, mostly rice, which is irrigated with water from factories and villages or from the Citarum and its tributaries.

People living along the Citarum have to wash and cook with contaminated water. The water from the well can range from yellow to black in colour, and the farmers irrigate their fields with water foaming with detergents

Despite the filth, fishing is still widely practised along the river. The catch, contaminated with heavy metals and microplastics, is sold and eaten as much in areas adjacent to the river as on the tables of Jakarta. The number of fish species in the Citarum has decreased by 60% since 2008.

The Indonesian government, after pressure from international organisations such as Greenpeace about the state of the river, has established a seven-year cleaning programme for the Citarum, with the goal of making its water drinkable by 2025.

The fishermen have to build floating fences and fish among the rubbish

The programme is also supported by the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank, which in 2009 committed $500m (£387m) to finance the river’s rehabilitation. The cleaning operation consists of combating soil erosion and agricultural runoff by reforesting surrounding mountains; extracting the toxic sediment from the river with large excavators; prohibiting factories from discharging wastewater until after filtration and purification, and setting up environmental education projects.

An environmental activist patrols a canal in the industrial area looking for hidden discharges into the river

According to local activists, despite the bans, many factories continue to discharge waste via concealed pipes. Even if discovered, bribes to the right people ensure they remain.

However, recent environmental awareness initiatives by the government and some campaign groups mean a new wind might be blowing in Indonesia.

‘Scavenger’ Mr Iwan, 34, collects recyclable material along the Citarum

But for now at least, every day along the Citarum people are still being poisoned by the dioxins and hydrocarbons in the air from coal-fired textile factories and by the water of a river that was once considered a paradise.

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Non-contaminated water or sustaining each sector of fresh water is essential for the survival of all living beings in current and upcoming generations. However, the degradation of freshwater qualities is a significant concern in developing countries (India). The need for clean water is increasing sharply to meet rising human demands constantly. River water is rich in ecological community and plays a vital role in surviving all living beings. Still, presently it is the most threatened ecosystem due to various human-made activities. Hence, meticulous monitoring of river water qualities (RWQs), assessment of numerous variables (physicochemical, bacteriological, pathogenic), and heavy metals content are imperative indicators for finding out the actual health of river water ecosystems. Upsetting the concentration of multiple RWQ variables and metals content leads to deteriorating the RWQ and ultimately affects human well-being. Simultaneously, applying a multivariate statistical approach and computing water quality index (WQI) and comprehensive pollution index (CPI) is also a vital role in understanding the actual status of RWQ. This comprehensive study is focused on various processes, causes, and sources of river water pollution in India. It provides extensive information and better understanding to enable policymakers, preservationists, and environmentalists to develop strategies to mitigate river pollution and strengthen aquatic ecosystems rejuvenation.

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National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), New Delhi, India

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Department of Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea

Swatantra Kumar Dubey

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Singh, G., Jindal, T., Patel, N., Dubey, S.K. (2022). A Coherent Review on Approaches, Causes and Sources of River Water Pollution: An Indian Perspective. In: Dubey, S.K., Jha, P.K., Gupta, P.K., Nanda, A., Gupta, V. (eds) Soil-Water, Agriculture, and Climate Change. Water Science and Technology Library, vol 113. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12059-6_13

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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

Also Read: Types of Water Pollution

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.

Related Reads:-     

A. Water pollution refers to the contamination of water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, oceans, and groundwater, due to the introduction of harmful substances. These substances can include chemicals, industrial waste, sewage, and pollutants that adversely affect the quality of water, making it unsafe for human consumption and harmful to aquatic life.

A. The primary sources of water pollution include city sewage and industrial waste discharge. Chemical contaminants from factories and agricultural runoff, as well as oil spills and plastic waste, contribute significantly to water pollution. Runoff from paved surfaces and improper waste disposal also play a role in introducing pollutants into water bodies.

A. Water pollution has far-reaching consequences. It poses a threat to aquatic ecosystems by harming marine life, disrupting food chains, and damaging habitats. Additionally, contaminated water can lead to the spread of waterborne diseases among humans. Toxic chemicals in polluted water can cause serious health issues, affecting the skin, and respiratory systems, and even leading to long-term illnesses. 

This brings us to the end of our blog on Essay on Water Pollution. Hope you find this information useful. For more information on such informative topics for your school, visit our  essay writing  and follow  Leverage Edu

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section River Pollution

Introduction, general overviews.

• Heavy Metals
• Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• Contaminant Source
• Role of Flow Regime
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River Pollution by Ellen Wohl LAST REVIEWED: 29 September 2014 LAST MODIFIED: 29 September 2014 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199363445-0003

People who are not researchers are most likely to intersect environmental science in the context of protecting or restoring a place or species about which they are concerned, or in the context of pollution—trying to understand the sources and effects of contaminants, or trying to prevent or remediate environmental contamination. The works in this entry address pollutants affecting river ecosystems, including the people who live within or use resources from those ecosystems. Pollution is commonly subdivided based on the primary medium affected by contamination, creating categories such as air pollution, soil pollution, freshwater pollution, groundwater pollution, or marine pollution. In reality, of course, all of these media are intimately connected. Atmospheric deposition of contaminants pollutes soil and water bodies. Contaminated groundwater seeps into rivers, and contaminated rivers recharge groundwater aquifers. Fluxes of water, sediment, solutes, and even organisms carrying contaminants within their tissues create vectors to disperse pollutants. This is one of the great challenges to understanding and mitigating pollution: the contaminant is seldom an inert substance that stays in one place. Another great challenge is that there are many different types of contaminants, including human and animal wastes such as sewage or intestinal bacteria, excess nutrients, heavy metals, petroleum products, radioactive isotopes, and an enormous array of synthetic chemicals such as pesticides and personal care products. Each type of contaminant can disperse through environmental media, combining with other chemical compounds to form metabolites that may have different levels of toxicity for organisms or different dispersal mechanisms than the original contaminant. Yet another challenge in understanding and managing pollutants is that a substance that is harmful to one type of organism may not cause harm to another type of organism, but detailed knowledge of how individual pollutants affect the spectrum of living organisms is almost never available. Consequently, the environmental standards set by government agencies for maximum permissible levels of contaminants are based on very limited knowledge and are likely to be inadequate. Most of the standards are also based on acute effects that show up very quickly. Contaminant levels below permissible standards can cause chronic effects—subtle but pervasive changes that eventually degrade the health of individual organisms and populations. Some chronic effects result from bioaccumulation, as an organism accumulates contaminants within its tissues over the course of its life, and biomagnification, as organisms pass on their accumulated doses to predators or scavengers.

The works cited in this section provide broad overviews of topics, including the diverse types of contaminants that can be present in river environments, as well as the physical and chemical properties and environmental toxicity of these contaminants; methods of sampling contaminants in water, sediment, and biota; regulatory standards for contaminants and how these standards are established and enforced; and methods of mitigating or remediating river pollution. Edzwald 2011 focuses on these issues in the context of drinking-water quality, whereas Haslam 1994 focuses more on the effects of pollutants on river plants and animals. Steingraber 1998 provides a highly readable account of the sources of environmental contamination, including rivers, and the effects on human health. Wohl 2004 examines diverse sources of river pollution across the continental United States in the context of historical developments in technology that result in pollution. Gallo and Ferrari 2008 includes treatments of these issues in several countries, facilitating comparisons between countries and regions. Both Smol 2008 and Heim and Schwarzbauer 2013 provide a good introduction to using river sediments to understand the contemporary distribution and historical dissemination of pollutants. Jain 2009 exemplifies book-length treatments of pollution in individual rivers, in this case the Yamuna River of India.

Edzwald, J. K., ed. 2011. Water quality and treatment: A handbook on drinking water . 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

This book provides an overview of diverse sources and types of water pollution, and of drinking water standards and regulations, but primarily focuses on treatments to improve water quality. Individual chapters cover both theory and practice with respect to specific water treatments.

Gallo, M. N., and M. H. Ferrari, eds. 2008. River pollution research progress . New York: Nova Science.

This edited volume includes twelve chapters summarizing diverse aspects of the state of the science as of 2009. These include case studies from Russia, the United States, Greece, Brazil, and Zimbabwe, as well as overviews of processes, modeling, human perceptions, and different types of river pollution.

Haslam, S. M. 1994. River pollution: An ecological perspective . Chichester, UK: Wiley.

This book provides an overview of different types of river pollution and how pollution affects river biota. The writing is readily accessible to nonspecialists, but includes extensive referencing for research uses. Although now more than twenty years old, this text is a good introduction to the topic of river pollution.

Heim, S., and J. Schwarzbauer. 2013. Pollution history revealed by sedimentary records: A review. Environmental Chemistry Letters 11:255–270.

DOI: 10.1007/s10311-013-0409-3

A useful and thorough review of how sediments can be used to evaluate distribution and concentration of persistent pollutants within rivers through time and across space. The paper describes different types of contaminants, including heavy metals, PCBs, PAHs, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals; contamination sources and pathways; and numerous case studies.

Jain, A. K. 2009. River pollution: Regeneration and cleaning . New Delhi: A. P. H. Publishing Corporation.

This book is a comprehensive case study of a single large river in India, the Yamuna, and of the large cities, including Delhi, that pollute the river. Following an introduction to the river’s ecology, geomorphology, and flow regime, the book focuses on pollutants and remediation of pollution in the river.

Smol, J. P. 2008. Pollution of lakes and rivers: A paleoenvironmental perspective . 2d ed. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

This book covers diverse types of pollutants from the perspective of sedimentary records of changing types and concentrations of pollutants through time. Because river channels, floodplains, alluvial fans, and deltas preserve thousands of years of river sediments, these depositional environments provide a unique perspective on river pollution over long time spans. First published in 2002 (London: Arnold).

Steingraber, S. 1998. Living downstream: A scientist’s personal investigation of cancer and the environment . New York: Vintage.

Written for nonspecialist readers, this highly readable book provides an overview and in-depth introduction to river pollution and other forms of environmental contamination, and reviews a wide array of studies documenting the resulting impairment of human and animal health.

Wohl, E. 2004. Disconnected rivers: Linking rivers to landscapes . New Haven, CT: Yale Univ. Press.

DOI: 10.12987/yale/9780300103328.001.0001

This book examines human effects on rivers throughout the continental United States, and includes an extensive discussion of diverse types, sources, and effects of river pollution. The book discusses specific examples of river pollution from the Great Lakes region and provides an overview of riverine water quality throughout the country.

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Water Pollution Essay

Water is a necessity for all life forms present on this planet. Animals need water to quench their thirst, plants need water to draw nutrients from the soil and keep nourished, and people need water for a variety of activities like drinking, cooking, cleaning, and washing, to mention a few. Even though water is so important to us, there are many practices which humans follow which are making fresh water scarce. Water pollution is when the substances that make the water contaminate the sources of the water. Chemicals, garbage, bacteria, and parasites are examples of pollutants. Eventually, every kind of pollution finds its way into the water. Here are a few sample essays on "water pollution".

100 Words Essay On Water Pollution

Water is necessary for our survival and to live a healthy and happy life. Everyone is familiar with the picture of people living in misery in nations without access to water, such as Africa. It's time for everyone to wake up and understand how important water conservation is. Human species couldn't survive in a world without water. All plants and animals fall under this same category. In fact, without water, the entire planet will suffer. Water bodies, including lakes, rivers, seas, oceans, and groundwater, have all been contaminated. Water bodies become contaminated when waste from homes, factories, and other buildings enters them.

As stated, water pollution is a severe issue that can be catastrophic for all living beings, including humans, plants and animals. We must comprehend the value of water in our life and the need to preserve it. There are numerous easy ways to prevent water waste, including taking shorter showers, watering plants with RO waste, cleaning cars with a wet cloth rather than a hose, etc. To gather rainwater, we must also employ the rainwater harvesting technique. In this way, we can conserve water.

200 Words Essay On Water Pollution

On Earth, water is abundant. Both above and below the surface of the Earth, it exists. Rivers, ponds, seas, and oceans are just a few of the water bodies found on the surface of the Earth. Even though our world can replenish its own water, over time, we are destroying and abusing the abundance of water present. Even though 70% of the surface of the Earth is covered by water and 30% by land, the rapidly expanding water contamination impacts marine life and humans. Everyone is beginning to be concerned about the uneven distribution of water on Earth and the rising demand for it due to the growing population.

Contaminants | City sewage and commercial waste discharge are two of the most harmful factors contributing to water contamination. Contaminants that reach the water supply through soils or groundwater systems, as well as through rain, are examples of indirect sources of water pollution. The chemical contaminants are more dangerous and challenging to remove from a water body than the visible impurities, which can be easily eliminated by physical cleaning or filtering. Water's characteristics are altered when chemicals are added, making it dangerous to use and perhaps lethal.

Solution | To prevent water pollution, there are several steps we, as citizens and the government, can take. Since water efficiency and conservation are essential elements of sustainable water management, enhancing water infrastructure must be prioritised. Intelligent irrigation systems and solar desalination are excellent examples of clean technology for managing and conserving water.

Also, Rainwater harvesting and reusing is an excellent method to prevent water pollution. Groundwater and other natural water sources can be under less stress because of reclaimed wastewater and rainwater gathering. It is common knowledge that one way to avoid water scarcity is through groundwater recharge, which enables water to move from surface water to groundwater.

500 Words Essay On Water Pollution

Although water is essential to every living thing on the planet, Humans still indulge in activities that make water a scarce resource. When a body of water—such as a river, lake, ocean, etc.—becomes polluted due to human activity or a natural source, the term "water pollution" is used. Water contamination is now a significant environmental issue that requires responsible management. Water contamination is caused primarily due to human activities such as urbanisation, industrialisation, deforestation, trash dumping, and landfills.

Causes Of Water Pollution

On the earth, fresh water is extremely limited, and pollution is making it much more so. We lose millions of litres of fresh water each year to industrial pollution and other forms of pollution. Pollutants include both large and small items of obvious trash as well as intangible, dangerous, and deadly compounds.

Many factories are located close to water sources, and they transport their waste there using fresh water. This industrial waste is poisonous by nature and endangers both the flora and fauna's health. People close to polluted water bodies have been seen to have significant skin, respiratory, and occasionally even life-threatening health illnesses.

Urban garbage and sewage are other significant contributors to water contamination. Each household generates tons of waste annually, including plastic, wood, chemicals, and other substances. This trash reaches our aquatic bodies, such as rivers, lakes, and streams, and pollutes them without an effective waste disposal system.

How To Manage Water Pollution

By educating people about the causes and impacts of water pollution on life and the environment, water pollution might be significantly reduced. People need to participate in cleanup initiatives when a community or organisation cleans up the waterways every week or at least once a month. To completely eradicate water contamination, strict legislation must also be created and adequately enforced. Strict oversight will increase accountability and may deter individuals and groups from polluting. We should all be aware of our daily activities and take measures to help the world become a better place for future generations.

Real-Life Experience

I have always loved my town as it has many lakes, rivers, and forests. One day, as I walked along the river that ran through my village, I couldn't help but notice the strange colours swirling in the water. It wasn't the crystal clear blue that I was used to seeing. Instead, the water was a murky brown, and there was a strong, foul smell emitting from it. Curious, I decided to investigate further. I made my way down to the riverbank and peered into the water, trying to get a closer look at what was causing the strange colours and smells. As I looked more closely, I saw that strange foam bubbles were floating on the surface of the water.

Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me and turned to see a group of people rushing towards the river. They were shouting and waving their arms, and I could see the panic on their faces. I quickly realised that something was very wrong. As the group reached the river, they saw that the water was teeming with dead fish floating belly up on the surface. The smell of rotten fish was overpowering, and it was clear that something had seriously polluted the river.

After a thorough investigation, it was determined that a local factory had been releasing toxic chemicals into the river, causing widespread pollution and destruction of the ecosystem. I was shocked and saddened by this discovery, and I knew it would take a lot of work to clean up the river and restore it to its former glory.

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Database professionals use software to store and organise data such as financial information, and customer shipping records. Individuals who opt for a career as data administrators ensure that data is available for users and secured from unauthorised sales. DB administrators may work in various types of industries. It may involve computer systems design, service firms, insurance companies, banks and hospitals.

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Data are collected and examined to respond to questions, evaluate hypotheses or contradict theories. It is a tool for analyzing, transforming, modeling, and arranging data with useful knowledge, to assist in decision-making and methods, encompassing various strategies, and is used in different fields of business, research, and social science.

Geothermal Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as geothermal engineers are the professionals involved in the processing of geothermal energy. The responsibilities of geothermal engineers may vary depending on the workplace location. Those who work in fields design facilities to process and distribute geothermal energy. They oversee the functioning of machinery used in the field.

Database Architect

If you are intrigued by the programming world and are interested in developing communications networks then a career as database architect may be a good option for you. Data architect roles and responsibilities include building design models for data communication networks. Wide Area Networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), and intranets are included in the database networks. It is expected that database architects will have in-depth knowledge of a company's business to develop a network to fulfil the requirements of the organisation. Stay tuned as we look at the larger picture and give you more information on what is db architecture, why you should pursue database architecture, what to expect from such a degree and what your job opportunities will be after graduation. Here, we will be discussing how to become a data architect. Students can visit NIT Trichy , IIT Kharagpur , JMI New Delhi . 

Remote Sensing Technician

Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Budget Analyst

Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Product manager.

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Operations Manager

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Stock Analyst

Individuals who opt for a career as a stock analyst examine the company's investments makes decisions and keep track of financial securities. The nature of such investments will differ from one business to the next. Individuals in the stock analyst career use data mining to forecast a company's profits and revenues, advise clients on whether to buy or sell, participate in seminars, and discussing financial matters with executives and evaluate annual reports.

A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software. 

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

Are you searching for a Field Surveyor Job Description? A Field Surveyor is a professional responsible for conducting field surveys for various places or geographical conditions. He or she collects the required data and information as per the instructions given by senior officials. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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Essay On Growing Pollution In Rivers

Table of Contents

Short Essay On Growing Pollution In Rivers

Rivers play a vital role in our lives, providing water for drinking, agriculture, and industry, and supporting diverse ecosystems. However, growing pollution in rivers is a major environmental issue that has severe consequences for human health, the ecosystem, and the economy.

The primary sources of pollution in rivers are industrial waste, agricultural runoff, sewage, and solid waste. Industries release toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and other hazardous waste into rivers, which can harm aquatic life and contaminate drinking water sources. Agricultural runoff, which includes fertilizers and pesticides, can also harm aquatic life and disrupt the balance of the ecosystem. Sewage, on the other hand, contains human waste and chemicals that can cause water-borne diseases and pose a serious health risk. Solid waste, including plastic and other forms of litter, can harm aquatic life, and cause blockages in the river system.

The consequences of growing pollution in rivers are far-reaching and include harm to human health, loss of aquatic life, and disruption of the ecosystem. Exposure to toxic chemicals and pathogens in polluted water can cause diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever. Moreover, the loss of aquatic life affects the food chain, leading to declines in populations of fish and other wildlife. The disruption of the ecosystem also affects the livelihoods of people who depend on fishing and other aquatic resources for their income.

In order to address the growing pollution in rivers, it is essential to take a comprehensive and integrated approach. This includes reducing the release of pollutants from industries and agriculture, treating sewage, and promoting solid waste management. Governments, communities, and individuals can also play a role in reducing pollution in rivers through initiatives such as waste reduction, responsible consumption, and participating in clean-up efforts.

In conclusion, growing pollution in rivers is a major environmental issue with serious consequences for human health, the ecosystem, and the economy. Addressing this issue requires a collective effort and a commitment to protecting our rivers for future generations.

Long Essay On Growing Pollution In Rivers

Rivers are an essential part of life and our environment, providing us with drinking water, food, and transportation routes. Unfortunately, the quality of river water is declining due to increasing pollution. In this article, we discuss the causes and effects of pollution in rivers and how we can work together to reduce it. Read on to find out more!

Introduction: Definition and Types of Water Pollution

Water pollution is defined as the presence of harmful substances in water. These substances can be bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, or parasites. They can also be inorganic substances such as heavy metals, chemicals, or toxic compounds. Water pollution can occur in freshwater or saltwater environments.

There are two types of water pollution: point source and nonpoint source. Point source pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged into water from a single point, such as a factory or sewage treatment plant. Nonpoint source pollution occurs when pollutants enter water from many sources, such as runoff from agricultural fields or city streets.

Water pollution can have serious effects on the environment and human health. It can cause problems such as algae blooms, fish kills, and beach closures. Water pollution can also lead to the spread of disease.

Causes of Water Pollution

Water pollution has many causes, ranging from agricultural runoff to untreated sewage.

One of the main causes of water pollution is agricultural runoff. When farmers fertilize their fields, the chemicals can run off into nearby waterways. This can cause problems for both people and animals who rely on those waters for drinking, swimming, or fishing.

Another major cause of water pollution is untreated sewage. If sewage isn’t properly treated before it’s released into rivers or lakes, it can contaminate the water and make people sick. This is a particular problem in developing countries where infrastructure isn’t always up to par.

Industrial waste is also a major contributor to water pollution. Factories often release harmful chemicals into rivers or lakes near their facilities. These chemicals can pollute the water and make it unsafe for people and animals alike.

Finally, littering can also lead to water pollution. When people litter on beaches or in lakes, the trash can eventually end up in the water and pollute it. This is not only harmful to the environment, but it’s also unsightly.

Effects of Water Pollution on Rivers

Water pollution is a major problem in rivers all over the world. It is caused by many different things, including sewage and industrial waste, chemicals from farms and factories, and even runoff from city streets. All of these pollutants can have serious effects on the environment and on human health.

One of the most significant effects of water pollution is the loss of biodiversity. When rivers are polluted, the plants and animals that live in them are often killed or driven away. This can lead to a decline in populations of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. In addition, it can cause problems for the people who depend on rivers for their livelihoods, such as fishermen and women.

Another effect of water pollution is the contamination of drinking water supplies. Rivers are often used as sources of water for cities and towns. If they are polluted, this water can contain harmful bacteria and viruses that can make people sick. In some cases, it can even be deadly.

Finally, water pollution can also cause problems for the economy. When businesses or farms pollute rivers, it can cost them money in fines or damages. In addition, it can make it harder for people to use the river for recreation or tourism. This can lead to a loss of revenue for local businesses and economies.

Solutions to Reduce Water Pollution in Rivers

Water pollution has become a major problem in rivers all over the world. There are many ways to reduce water pollution, but it is important to find the right solution for each river. Here are some solutions to reduce water pollution in rivers:

1. Improve Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater treatment is one of the most important ways to reduce water pollution. Improving wastewater treatment can help to remove pollutants from sewage before it is released into rivers. This can help to protect aquatic life and make rivers safer for recreation.

2. Reduce Stormwater Runoff

Stormwater runoff is a major source of water pollution in rivers. Stormwater can pick up pollutants from streets, parking lots, and other areas and carry them into rivers. Reducing stormwater runoff can help to reduce water pollution. One way to do this is by using rain gardens or green roofs, which can absorb rainfall and prevent it from running off into rivers.

3. Prevent Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is another major source of water pollution. When soil erodes, it can carry pollutants such as pesticides and fertilizers into rivers. This can harm aquatic life and make the water unsafe for people to drink or swim in. There are several ways to prevent soil erosion, including planting trees and vegetation, building retaining walls, and covering exposed soil with mulch or straw.

It is clear that river pollution is a growing problem and must be addressed urgently. As individuals, we can take steps to reduce our environmental impact by reducing plastic waste and other pollutants. Governments also need to step up their efforts in tackling this issue with stricter regulations on industry and better public awareness campaigns. Only then can the rivers of the world become clean again.

Manisha Dubey Jha is a skilled educational content writer with 5 years of experience. Specializing in essays and paragraphs, she’s dedicated to crafting engaging and informative content that enriches learning experiences.

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Water Pollution — Pollution of Water: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

Pollution of Water: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

• Categories: Pollution Water Pollution

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Words: 700 |

Published: Sep 7, 2023

Words: 700 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Causes of water pollution, effects of water pollution, solutions to water pollution, community-based interventions.

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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.

Essay on Growing Pollution in Rivers

Pollution refers to the addition of impurities and other harmful substances in nature that can have bad effect on the environment. It is a major topic of concern nowadays. Pollution is increasing day-by-day in nation. There are various types of Pollution; Air Pollution, Soil Pollution, Water Pollution, Noise Pollution, etc. Various factors are responsible for increasing Pollution.

10 Lines Essay for Growing Pollution in Rivers

1) The discharge of toxic substances into rivers leads to a rise in river pollution.

2) River pollution has increased rapidly in the past few years.

3) It is caused due to factory discharge, sewer, waste dumping, etc.

4) River pollution can lead to various diseases.

5) Due to growing river pollution, marine lives are also harmed.

6) Proper treatment of wastes before discharging into rivers can control river pollution.

7) About 18 million pounds of garbage is thrown into the rivers every year.

8) “Namami Devi Narmade” and “Namami Gange” are the programs forwarded by the government to clean rivers of India.

9) In the world, Asia has the most polluted rivers.

10) Excessive river pollution will disturb the ecosystem.

Long Essay on Growing Pollution in Rivers in English

Here, I’m presenting long essay on Growing Pollution in Rivers in very easy language for your better understanding.

1000 Words Essay – River Pollution: Meaning, Causes, Impact, Solution, and River Pollution Projects

Introduction

About 71% of Earth is covered with water. In India, we are blessed to have about 14 major and 55 minor rivers along with many other rivers and lakes. Rivers are the main sources of water supply. More than half population of country is dependent on rivers for drinking water and other purposes. In India, rivers are considered holy. People worship them and also perform various rituals on its bank, resulting in the growing river water pollution. As the rivers get polluted people has to depend on other expensive sources for fresh drinking water.

What is River Pollution/River Pollution Definition

The discharge of harmful substances like chemicals, plastics, contaminants, etc. to the water bodies especially in rivers are termed as River Pollution. However, the toxic substances and the wastes responsible for pollution are termed as pollutants. In other words, we can say that the emission of toxic substance in the rivers results in River Pollution.

Cause of Growing River Pollution

There are several factors which led to increase in River Pollution. Some human activities as well as natural causes are also responsible for polluting water bodies to a great extent. Some reasons are mentioned below:

• Factory discharge: Many large factories and industries are contributing in increasing river pollution. Various toxic chemicals and waste materials are discharged directly into the water bodies without proper treatment.
• Garbage dumping: large amount of garbage including plastics are dumped into the rivers for their disposal.
• Sewage disposal: In many areas the dirty water and sewage of houses are open in the rivers, which then mix with clean water and results in polluting whole water bodies.
• Agriculture: The runoff waste like fertilizers or pesticides which are used in farming are also responsible for river pollution.
• Acid rain: Acid rain contains chemicals like sulphuric or nitric acid which are harmful for the rivers and aquatic animals.
• Indian rituals: Some Indian rituals include throwing flowers and other things in the water which takes long time in disposal.
• Natural causes: Sometimes nature is also responsible for polluting water bodies like volcanoes, floods or soil slit.

River Pollution Impact on the Living World

The growing pollution in rivers had an adverse effect on the biodiversity. The main regions which are more likely to influenced are aquatic species and humans.

As we know that the large population of India does not have the facility of pure drinking water. They use river water for drinking. Due to growing river pollution, they are prone to various water borne diseases. According to a survey, every year about 200,000 people lose their life due to consuming contaminated water.

However, there is a huge loss of aquatic species in the country. Release of toxic chemicals into water bodies is very harmful for the aquatic life. The increasing water pollution led to the extinction of various aquatic animals.

How River Pollution can be Controlled/Solutions to River Pollution

Controlling river pollution is in our hands. It is the responsibility of every human in the world to keep rivers and other water bodies clean. Here are some steps which could be helpful in minimizing river pollution to a great extent.

• Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP): ETPs are the machines which are responsible for treating the wastes of industry before disposing to the rivers. The installations of ETPs in every industry would be helpful in controlling the pollution.
• Sewage Treatment Plant (STP): STPs are responsible for the treatment of sewage. Sewage water contains pathogens and other harmful viruses. Therefore, need to be treated.
• Control on the Indian rituals like cremation ceremony, where the ashes are dumped into the rivers. However, people take bath in the rivers which are considered holy.
• Farmers should adopt organic farming instead of excess use of fertilizers and pesticides.
• Proper drainage system should be arranged so that the dirty water could not mix with the polluted water.

River Pollution Projects/Plans

Different plans and projects have been put forward by the Government of India:

• National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) launched in 1995, by the National River Conservation Authority, which aimed to control river pollution.
• “Namami Gange Programme” launched in June 2014 by the Government of India to clean river Ganga. This programme had a budget of 20,000 Cr. and the programme is working well towards its goal.
• “Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance” had been established on behalf of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). Its main focus is to ensure safe drinking water for people mostly in the rural areas.
• Another programme by the name “Jal Jeevan Mission” had been launched in the urban areas. It promises water taps in every urban house with safe and pure water by 2024. 
• “Namami Devi Narmade” is another campaign promoted by the Government of Madhya Pradesh to clean river Narmada.

Growing River Pollution in India

The population of India is increasing rapidly and so the need of water. In India, about 80% of water is polluted due to waste disposal. It is predicted that about 40% of population doesn’t get safe drinking water. They use dirty water for every purpose.

Drinking and using contaminated water is harmful for health. According to a survey, about 1.5 million Indian children die every year due to various water borne diseases.

The rivers of India are turning impure. A report in 2013 predicted that the pollution of river in India is doubled in the past few years. However, various measures are taken by the Government to keep the Indian rivers clean.

Growing river pollution is a serious subject of consideration in the world. About 2 million tons of waste from industries, sewage, etc is discharged everyday into the water bodies.  

Knowing the importance of fresh water, World Water Day is celebrated on 22 March every year. The World Water Day is celebrated since 1993 across the world. It aims to spread awareness among the public to save water. If the river water will continue to get polluted like this, then the day is not far when the world will suffer shortage of water. 

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Ans. Various diseases like Cholera, Diarrhea, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Dysentery, etc. are caused due to drinking polluted water.

Ans . Citarum River in Indonesia is known as the most polluted river in the world. 

Ans. Yamuna is the most polluted river in India.

Ans. The Chambal River of India is considered as the cleanest river of India. 

Ans. The Thames River in London is the cleanest river in the world.

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The (In)Visible Plastic Pollution Problem

Waterpact project to quantify and reduce plastic waste in us rivers.

NREL researchers Ali Chamas (left) and Clarissa Lincoln (right) use tweezers to remove plastic debris from samples from the Delaware River for analysis. The WaterPACT project is investigating plastic pollution in U.S. rivers.  Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL

Rivers are nature’s highways, supplying nearby areas with life-sustaining water, nutrients, and biodiversity on their journeys to larger bodies of water. These days, however, they are far from pristine. A harmful substance is making its way down rivers and into oceans around the world: plastic debris.

In the United States, more than a million tons of plastic debris enters ocean-bound rivers, creeks, and sewer drains every year. Today’s waterborne plastics debris consists mostly of discarded textiles, electronics, construction materials, single-use packaging, and other waste. The result is a complex plastic pollution problem with broad scope, significant challenges, and emerging solutions.

“Rivers are a delicate ecosystem that we depend on. By targeting plastic pollution in rivers, we can intercept it before it profoundly affects our ecosystems, communities, or the ocean,” said Ben Maurer, principal investigator of the Waterborne Plastics Assessment and Collection Technologies (WaterPACT) project.

The WaterPACT project is led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) . WaterPACT is on a mission to develop renewable-energy-powered technologies to detect, quantify, and collect plastic from U.S. waterways. With collaboration from researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the NREL-led Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment  (BOTTLE) consortium, and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, the WaterPACT project aims to reduce the volume of plastic currently entering the ocean annually via U.S. waterways by more than half by 2040.

“Our hope is to understand the problem enough to do something about it,” Maurer said. “We don’t have the perfect solution yet, but waiting for perfect is pointless. We know enough today to make fewer mistakes moving forward and to start developing solutions, both upstream and downstream.”

Sizing Up the Plastic Pollution Problem

WaterPACT scientists realized early in their research that data on the types and concentrations of plastics in U.S. rivers did not exist on a comprehensive, national scale. In fact, there was no established methodology for gathering or analyzing plastic waste. So began a series of innovations to evaluate the scope of the plastic pollution problem.

“It’s exciting to feel like we’re at the forefront of a growing field,” said Clarissa Lincoln, a research technician at NREL. “We try to keep in mind that when things don’t work, we’re still gathering useful information. We’re hopeful that having a better understanding of what strategies are not the most efficient or the most accurate will save other researchers time down the road.”

WaterPACT partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3, Louisiana State University, University of California Riverside, Oregon State University, Portland State University, and the Moore Institute to collect plastic and water samples just upstream of where the Columbia, Delaware, Los Angeles, and Mississippi rivers each meet the ocean.

“Our goal right now is to better understand how plastic pollution flows through U.S. riverside communities and can eventually enter the ocean,” Lincoln said.

The WaterPACT research team collected plastic and water samples near the mouths of the Columbia, Delaware, Los Angeles, and Mississippi rivers. Each river has a unique watershed (the area of land that drains water to it) and volume of plastics emissions.  Illustration by Elizabeth Stone, NREL

“There is a tremendous amount of plastics in the samples we collected,” said Ali Chamas, reflecting on his field work on the Los Angeles River in 2023. Chamas is a chemical engineering postdoctoral researcher at NREL in his third year with the WaterPACT project. “My main objective is to help the community and general public understand the scale of this problem. I'm hopeful that this will stir some development or interest in the area and lead to more people working to combat this.”

“This evaluation phase will allow us to understand the greater costs of plastic waste on the environment, communities, and human health,” Maurer said. “The benefits of cleaning up these rivers could be enormous, from reclaiming the resources in plastic waste to improving tourism and recreation. Once we understand the scope of the problem, we want to develop sensors and collectors powered by river energy that address the giant data and engineering gaps that currently exist in cleaning up waterways. Then, we can get our technologies into the hands of people who can begin to remediate the pollution.”

The Visible Plastic Pollution Problem

Once collection was complete, the samples were shipped to NREL in Golden, Colorado, where the research team began the arduous task of processing them for analysis. While larger and more colorful pieces of plastic were easy to spot by eye, the murkier contents of the samples made the process of identifying smaller and less colorful particles difficult.

Relatively large and colorful plastic pieces were found in samples collected using nets from the Delaware River.  Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL

“We were trying to collect plastic, but as you can imagine, a lot of other things end up in the net as well,” Lincoln explained. “Our net samples largely consist of biological materials like algae, leaves, and sticks. We were initially sorting everything by hand, which made it really difficult to differentiate the plastic from all the other gunk we picked up.”

To solve this dilemma, the team developed a clever, two-step biological digestion process that removed the plant material but left the plastic intact for analysis.

A sample containing biological materials and plastics (left); the sample after undergoing Fenton’s digestion (center); and the remaining plastic after bleach digestion and hand sorting (right).  Photos by Ali Chamas, NREL

Researchers rinsed the samples before beginning an oxidation process with Fenton’s reagent, a solution of iron sulfate and hydrogen peroxide. The samples were then filtered before undergoing a second digestion using bleach.

“After the digestion, we do most of our hand sorting,” Lincoln said. “We’ve found it easiest to take really small amounts of this digested material, like a pinch smaller than the size of a pencil eraser, put it in a petri dish, and add water. This allows us to disperse the material so that the pieces don’t overlap. ”

Now, with a clear view of the plastic from their samples, researchers could develop procedures for categorizing the plastics by structure, size, and shape. 

For example, the researchers found the established method for analyzing the chemical structure of plastic samples—attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR)—to be unnecessarily time consuming. Furthermore, the ATR crystal used to direct light to the sample for analysis could destroy certain weathered samples. So, WaterPACT researchers developed a faster and gentler technique using microplate readers and a new particle holder, detailed in their Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry paper, “ Generation of macro- and microplastic databases by high-throughput FTIR analysis with microplate readers .”

After performing digestions and hand sorting, WaterPACT researchers identified large pieces of plastic from samples using categories like structure, size, and shape.  Illustration by Elizabeth Stone, NREL

The 'Invisible' Plastic Pollution Problem

Large pieces of plastic were not the only pollutant researchers discovered. As plastic waste is exposed to erosion from the environment and radiation from the sun on its river voyage, it sheds tiny particles—less than 5 millimeters wide—called microplastics. WaterPACT researchers observed microplastics in net and water samples from all four rivers.

“Among the myriad environmental ramifications stemming from plastic waste, microplastic pollution stands out as particularly enduring,” said Kat Knauer, chief technology officer of BOTTLE and polymer scientist at NREL. “We are finding microplastics virtually everywhere, including in our own bodies, and we do not yet understand the long-term health and environmental effects of these pollutants. We just know they shouldn’t be there.”

Clarissa Lincoln uses tweezers to hold up a piece of green microplastic found in a sample from the Delaware River.  Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL

To process the water samples for analysis, the team used a one-step Fenton’s digestion process to gently reduce biomaterial. Researchers then filtered the samples and used a µFTIR microscope—a smaller version of the FTIR microscope used earlier on larger plastic pieces—to examine them.

“There has been plenty of work on microplastics in the last decade or so, but there hasn't been an agreed-upon method to quantify the plastics,” Chamas said. “One of the things we're developing is a standardized methodology for analyzing microplastics for a couple different types of sampling methods.”

The resulting methodology involves analyzing the water samples for additives, degradation products, manufacturing byproducts, and vector chemicals like pesticides and pharmaceuticals carried by plastic particles.

Ali Chamas and Clarissa Lincoln examine particles in a sample from the Delaware River using a µFTIR microscope.  Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL

The Plastic Pollution Solution

While WaterPACT is determined to remove plastic pollution from U.S. waterways, BOTTLE is building on their research to prevent plastics from becoming pollution in the first place.

In the latest episode of Transforming Energy’s Lab Notes series, NREL researchers Nic Rorrer and Julia Curley discuss the environmental impacts of plastics and NREL’s pivotal role in finding sustainable solutions.

“We need to create a circular economy model for the plastic industry, which by extension would reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills and our environment,” Knauer said. “Furthermore, we need to view plastics as a major target for decarbonization. We currently use 6% of all fossil fuels in the production of plastics—which, on a global scale, is very significant—and this is expected to approach 20% by the year 2050. Beyond that, plastic production, use, and disposal accounts for nearly 4% of our global greenhouse gas emissions.”

BOTTLE is approaching the problem from two sides: creating new recycling solutions to reclaim the finite resources in today’s highly contaminated, mixed-plastic waste and redesigning plastics to improve their recyclability.

WaterPACT and BOTTLE researchers are working together to keep excess materials lost during plastic development from ending up in landfills or the environment.  Illustration by Elizabeth Stone, NREL

“By implementing more effective recycling tools in our supply chains, we will start to see plastics as valuable resources and not just something that is disposable and easily lost,” Knauer said. “By redesigning plastics, we will improve end-of-life recyclability and valorize plastic waste, which by extension would limit the amount of plastic lost to the natural world.”

Together, BOTTLE’s upstream approach and WaterPACT’s downstream approach to addressing the plastic pollution problem will enable a better future for humanity and our environment.

WaterPACT was initially funded by a small grant from DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and is currently funded in part by WPTO. BOTTLE is funded by BETO and DOE’s Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office.

Short Essay on River [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

The river is a large water body we can see almost all parts of our country. Rivers have a very significant role to play in earth’s physical geography. In this session, I am going to discuss how to write short essays on rivers that you may find relevant for your exam.

Table of Contents

• Short Essay on River in 100 Words 
• Short Essay on River in 200 Words 
• Short Essay on River in 400 Words 

Short Essay on River in 100 Words

A river is a naturally flowing stream of water. Rivers usually rise from a mountain or large lake and flow towards an ocean, sea, or another river. Many rivers are seasonal and are fed by rainwater or snow water. Some rivers flow into the ground and dry up before reaching another water body. Rivers bring not just water but also silt, which gets deposited on the banks, making the soil fertile.

Rivers provide cheap transportation, an easy source of food, and fresh water for drinking, cleaning, and farming. Most of the ancient civilizations like those in Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and India, settled around rivers. Rivers are truly the cradle and the backbone of human civilization. 

Short Essay on River in 200 Words

A river is a naturally flowing stream of water that flows from high altitude to low altitude due to the force of gravity. Rivers usually rise from a mountain or large lake and flow towards an ocean, sea, or another river. They can be perennial rivers that flow throughout the year or seasonal rivers which carry either rainwater or snow water.

Some rivers flow into the ground and dry up before reaching another water body. Small rivers are often called streams, brooks, creeks, or rivulets. Many small rivers often join bigger rivers forming their tributaries. Bigger rivers then flow to even bigger water bodies. 

As rivers flow from highlands to lowlands, they don’t just bring water but also silt. This silt gets deposited on the river banks making the soil extremely fertile. Most of the ancient civilizations like those in Egypt, Mesopotamia, China and India, settled around rivers as rivers made farming possible.

Rivers also provide a cheap mode of transportation, nutritious food in the form of fish, and fresh water for drinking, cleaning, and other activities. In many places, rivers are used to generate electricity, drive machinery as well as dispose of sewage and waste. 

Rivers are truly the cradle and the backbone of human civilization. They have given us life for thousands of years. It is our duty now to keep them clean and save them. 

Short Essay on River in 400 Words

A river is a natural watercourse that flows from high altitude to low altitude due to the force of gravity. Rivers usually rise from a mountain or large lake and flow towards an ocean, sea, or another river. They can be perennial rivers that flow throughout the year or seasonal rivers which carry either rainwater or snow water.

As rivers flow from highlands to lowlands, they don’t just bring water but also silt. This silt gets deposited on the river banks making the soil extremely fertile. Most of the ancient civilizations like those in Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and India, settled around rivers as rivers made farming possible.

When a river enters a sea, ocean, or stagnant body of water, the sediment it brings usually forms a delta as the slow-moving water of the larger water body is unable to carry the sediment away. River deltas are very fertile as well and are good for growing a variety of crops. 

Rivers provide a cheap mode of transportation as not just people but also heavy goods can be easily transported from one place to another via boats and ships. We get nutritious food from rivers in the form of fish and fresh water for drinking, cleaning, and irrigation. Rivers can also support recreational activities like boating, swimming, river rafting, and sport fishing. In many places, rivers are used to generate electricity, drive machinery as well as dispose of sewage and waste. 

Rivers have always been recognised as life-givers and have been held sacred as well as worshipped in many cultures. In India, the river Ganges and Yamuna are considered goddesses while in Ancient Egypt, the River Nile was seen as a gift from the gods.

Rivers don’t just benefit humans but are also home to many species of insects, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, birds, and animals. Different types of small and large fishes, worms, snails, turtles, frogs, small birds, snakes, and otters as well as aquatic plants, bacteria, and algae from the ecosystems of rivers.

So, that’s all about writing essays on rivers. In this session, I have tried to keep the overall approach and the language as simple as possible for the students. I hope, you have found this session helpful as per your requirements. If you want me to cover any special topic, let me know through some quick comments. 

Also, join us on telegram to get the latest updates on our upcoming sessions. Thank you. See you again, soon.

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Inside the Olympic effort to clean up the River Seine — and why it may be spoiled by a rainy day

PARIS — Meandering down the Seine R iver , the light breeze, gentle current and the sun’s glistening rays weren’t the only things the three kayakers were hoping to catch on a warm spring day — they were also on the hunt for garbage. 

By attaching nylon stockings to the side of their kayaks, they scooped up even the smallest fragments of plastic, as well as the everyday detritus of life in the French capital that washes to the river’s surface every time it rains. The members of the Arc de Seine Kayak club then sent what they had collected to be tested for bacterial levels. 

“My kayak capsized this morning and I’m OK,” a laughing Paul Maakad told NBC News on Sunday, at the Pont de Sevres in central Paris. 

But while Maakad, 40, and his fellow boaters said they were not scared of getting into the river, with less than 100 days to go before the 2024 Paris Olympics , fears are growing that events like the marathon swim, the triathlon and the paratriathlon could be postponed or canceled because of high pollution levels, or that the flotilla-based opening ceremony could be affected.

Earlier this month, Tony Estanguet, the president of the Paris Organizing Committee, expressed confidence "that it will be possible to use the Seine,” but admitted that the swimming leg of the triathlon could be canceled if pollution levels are too high. "It’s what we want to avoid, of course,” he said .

His comments came days after a French charity warned that bacteria, including “pollution of fecal origin,” was far higher in the river than permitted. 

As part of an ambitious plan to open up the Seine to public swimmers by 2025 — after being illegal for 100 years because of dangerously high pollution levels — France has spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) on altering and upgrading the city’s antiquated sewage system, which now includes a 13-million-gallon overflow tank called the Austerlitz Basin. 

But in August, the swim portion of the test marathon event was canceled because the river failed pollution tests.

As the starting gun to the Games approaches, Fluidion, one of the companies the city of Paris contracted to monitor bacteria in the water, exclusively shared its findings with NBC News. 

A sample of water collected by the Pont Alexander III bridge, in the city’s center, showed E. coli levels two-and-a-half times the level considered safe for swimming. 

But that in itself isn’t necessarily a concern for the Games themselves, according to Dan Angelescu , the CEO of Fluidion, a tech company that develops water testing products. 

“In the summer when there is a lot of sunlight, when the water flow, river flow rate is really low, and when there is no rain for several weeks, let’s say two or three weeks without rain, you can actually reach really good water quality conditions,” he said in an interview this month.

But he added that even a small rain event could make E. coli levels shoot up. 

“You may swim in very polluted water and nothing may happen to you, or you may swim and you may develop itches, or you may develop infections, or you may catch a strain of E. coli that may be pathogenic," he said. "Those aren’t very common, but they exist, and that could get you really sick.” 

But he cautioned that exposure to other pathogens associated with the presence of E. coli could lead to contracting a norovirus, diarrhea “or you could get certain diseases that can really kill you.”

In a bid to boost public confidence, French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo have both promised to swim in the river to prove its cleanliness.

Pierre-Antoine Molina, a director of public policy in Paris, said he would follow suit. In an interview Monday, he said that water pollution in the river “has been gradually improving.”   

He added that the work to upgrade the city's sewage system had led to the modernization of wastewater treatment plants and an improvement in the network that separates wastewater and rainwater. 

“It’s an ancient city going back to Roman times, so inevitably that’s a big task,” he said, adding that a lot of buildings had been gone up after World War II “and the sewage system did not always cope.” 

Around 30 miles downstream from Paris, Edouard Combette, 50, showed no fear as he plunged headfirst into the storied waterway, which has inspired artists like the impressionist painter Claude Monet.   

“Life is good here,” he said after coming up for air, adding that he didn’t know whether the water was completely safe.  

“Don’t drink the water. You can swim, but don’t drink,” he said. “I haven’t heard of anyone dying or getting sick.”

Keir Simmons is chief international correspondent for NBC News, based in London.

Paris mayor is confident that water quality will allow Olympic swimming in the River Seine

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Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said she was confident water quality in the River Seine will be up to Olympic standards this summer — and that she’ll be able to prove it by swimming there, possibly alongside President Emmanuel Macron.

The Seine is the venue for marathon swimming at the Games and the swimming leg of the Olympic and Paralympic triathlons.

Asked Tuesday about whether she’ll meet her promise to swim in the Seine before the Games, Hidalgo said “for sure, because water quality will be good.”

For decades, the Seine was too toxic for most fish and for swimmers, useful mainly as a waterway to transport goods and people or as a watery grave for discarded bicycles and other trash. Swimming in the Seine has, with some exceptions, been illegal since 1923.

Hidalgo mentioned new facilities that have been specially built to clean up the river, whose water quality was recently denounced by an environmental group.

A water treatment plant in Champigny-sur-Marne, east of Paris, was inaugurated Tuesday.

Next week will see the official opening of a huge storage basin meant to reduce the need to spill bacteria-laden wastewater into the Seine untreated when it rains. The giant hole dug next to Paris’ Austerlitz train station will hold the equivalent of 20 Olympic swimming pools of dirty water that will now be treated rather than being spat raw through storm drains into the river.

Hildago said she had invited top officials to swim in the Seine at an event dubbed “the big dive” to be staged at the end of June or beginning of July. Macron, who himself promised to swim in the river, has been invited, she confirmed, as well as Paris Olympics organizers and IOC president Thomas Bach.

“We’re going to dive into the Seine, and many volunteers have already come forward to come and dive with me and all the athletes who will be there,” Hidalgo said. “We’ll all be safe to swim in the Seine.”

Marc Guillaume, the Paris regional prefect, earlier this month dismissed a recent NGO report about poor water quality, saying it was based on testing during the winter, when no one was swimming in the Seine.

Water quality must be good enough for swimming during the Games and, from 2025, in the summer, because the city plans to open some areas to the public. However, swimming out of season will remain illegal.

The estimated cost of the Seine cleanup efforts amount to 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion), paid by the state and local authorities.

Guillaume said routine water testing will start on June 1 when all the new treatment facilities are operational. During the Olympics, water will be tested at 3 a.m. each day and determine whether to hold events as planned, he detailed.

Olympics organizers said if pollution levels were too high, events could be rescheduled and in the worst-case scenario, the swimming section of the triathlon would be canceled.

In a recent report, the Surfrider Foundation called the Seine “a particularly polluted spot” after it monitored bacteria levels for over six months. The group concluded that athletes “will be swimming in polluted water and taking significant risks to their health.”

The Paris mayor’s news conference on Tuesday was meant to unveil cultural and sports celebrations to be staged on 26 sites across Paris during the summer.

“We are working together to ensure that the party is beautiful,” Hidalgo said, adding that security is the authorities’ top concern .

Around 30,000 police officers are expected to be deployed each day during the Games, with 45,000 working during the opening ceremony on the Seine.

“We work ... with a lot of professionalism and determination so that never, ever the issue of security finally comes to prevent our freedom to be able to live together,” Hidalgo said.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

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Vintage photos taken by the EPA reveal what American cities looked like before pollution was regulated

• Before President Nixon created the EPA in 1970, water and air pollution weren't federally regulated.
• In the 1970s, the EPA enlisted 100 photographers to document environmental conditions in the US.
• The result was 81,000 photos, often filled with smoke, smog, acid, oil, trash, and sewage.

Don't let the soft, sepia tones fool you — the United States used to be dangerously polluted.

Before President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, the environment and its well-being was not a federal priority.

In the early 1970s, the EPA launched the " The Documerica Project ," which leveraged 100 freelance photographers to document what the US looked like. By 1974, they had taken 81,000 photos. The National Archives digitized nearly 16,000 and made them available online.

Many of the photos were taken before water and air pollution were fully regulated. The Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, and the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972.

This Earth Day, we've selected 35 of the photos to reflect on how cities across the US have changed — Baltimore, Birmingham, Cleveland, Delaware, Denver, Kansas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco all feature here, in shots filled with smoke, smog, acid, oil, trash, and sewage.

None of the photos we've selected are pretty, but it's worth remembering what US cities used to be like before we cared what we put into the air, soil, and water.

In Baltimore, trash and tires cover the shore at Middle Branch beside the harbor in 1973.

The EPA regulates waste now, and sets criteria for landfills. While the open dumping of waste is banned, it still happens.

Baltimore City did have some simple techniques to keep the harbor clean.

Here, a screen has been placed across the water to trap trash. A heavy rain could break it, but it was effective when cleaned often.

In Birmingham in 1972, a boy throws a Frisbee against hazy skies.

Truckers in the 1960s called Birmingham "smoke city," Bham Now reported.

A house in North Birmingham is barely visible in industrial smog coming from the North Birmingham Pipe Plant.

North Birmingham was the most polluted area of the city.

In Cleveland, in 1973, billowing smoke casts a gloom over the Clark Avenue bridge.

Because Cleveland was an industrial city, the pollution was severe.

Cleveland's inner city was also a dumping ground.

In this photo from 1973, an empty lot on Superior Avenue, Cleveland, was filled with trash.

In Delaware, the city incinerator billows out smoke over the river.

In 2016, a report released by New York University said 41 people living in Delaware still die because of air pollution every year,  The News Journal reported.

In Denver, murky light brown sewage is discharged into the South Platte River.

The sewage came from the Metro Sewage Treatment Plant, per the EPA.

Here's a billboard against Denver's smoky skies in the 1970s. The city was known for having a brown cloud of pollution.

In the late 1980s, the air pollution got so bad, the city developed a visibility standard — it asked whether downtown workers could see mountains that were only 35 miles away, The New York Times reported.

In Kansas City's harbor, on the Missouri River, a local EPA worker points out a dying fish.

While the river has been much cleaner since the Clean Water Act was passed, trash and industrial contaminants still end up in it, The Kansas City Star reported. In 2023, NPR reported that volunteers with Missouri River Relief have picked up more than 2 million pounds of trash from the river since the organization began in 2001.

In Los Angeles, the outline of the sun can be clearly seen because air pollution creates a buffer.

In 1943, 30 years before this photo was taken, the smog was so bad, the city's residents thought there was a gas attack, according to the California Sun.

Los Angeles county monitored pollution on the roads, at least.

In this photo from 1972, the air-pollution control department checks for violators.

In New Orleans, fumes spread over the streets.

Fumes billow from Kaiser Aluminum Plant's smoke stack in 1973.

In an illegal dump in New Orleans, garbage turned to sludge when a lake overflowed into it.

In the 1970s, the EPA found 66 pollutants in the city's drinking water. And the city's water is known for its oily taste, per The Washington Post.

In New Jersey, a photo shows raw and partially digested sewage.

The sewage was photographed darkening the water in Bayonne, New Jersey, in 1974.

New York is one of the most photographed cities for "The Documerica Project."

Here, a pile of illegally dumped trash ruins the view of Manhattan and the Twin Towers in 1973.

A photographer snapped this image of an abandoned, waterlogged car in Jamaica Bay, New York.

The abandoned Beetle was photographed in 1973.

Another car has sunk halfway into the beach at Breezy Point, south of Jamaica Bay.

The EPA now helps regulate how the city disposes of trash to prevent dumping in the Atlantic.

Though it might not be clear, this is the George Washington Bridge going over the Hudson River, covered in thick smog.

In 1965, a study by New York City Council found breathing New York's air had the same effect as smoking two packets of cigarettes a day, The New York Times reported.

Seen here is the Statue of Liberty surrounded by oil. It was the result of one of 300 oil spills in the first six months of 1973.

Between April and June of that year, 487,000 gallons of oil were dispersed in the New York Harbor and its tributaries, The New York Times reported.

The EPA estimated about 6 million gallons of coal were dumped into the New York Bight by the Edison Power Plant in Manhattan in the early 1970s.

The New York Bight is a triangular area that reaches from Cape May in New Jersey to the eastern tip of Long Island. The city allowed a ConEd plant to burn coal in the 1970s amid a fuel shortage, The New York Times reported. But coal has caused air and water pollution and destroyed wetlands, according to the National Archives.

Barges, filled with New York's waste, are pulled down the East River to a Staten Island landfill.

In the 1970s, New York produced 26,000 tons of solid waste every day, according to the National Archives.

Rubble is loaded into barges before being dumped offshore, on a debris dump site, in the New York Bight.

There were different distances for dumping different substances.

This is one of four New York City-owned vessels on its way to dump sludge 12 miles into the bight. In 1973, 5.8 million cubic yards of sludge was dumped, according to the National Archives.

The sludge would settle on the bottom of the ocean, like mud, killing plants, and creating a dead sea, The New York Times reported .

Acid waste lightens the water here. It was also dumped in the New York Bight, 15 miles offshore, and made up 90% of industrial waste dumped in the area.

In 1974, more than 3 million tons were dumped in the bight, according to the National Archives.

Some roads in Manhattan, like 108th Street and Lexington Avenue, were covered with piles of trash.

A photo shows trash strewn across New York City streets in 1973.

But it was worse in the Bronx. Here, the Bronx's Co-Op City housing development is beside a landfill that was still being used, even though it had exceeded its dumping capacity.

If you look closely you can see scavenger birds flying over the trash.

In Philadelphia, the sun is setting, but because of the smog it's hard to tell.

In 2018, a study found the city was becoming more polluted between 2014 and 2016, after several years of decreasing pollution, Philadelphia magazine reported.

In Pittsburgh, thick smoke creates a haze over the city.

The city was once called "Hell with the lid off," per The Allegheny Front.

A junkyard looms in front of the Monongahela River, which runs through Pittsburgh.

According to Mayor Tom Murphy in 2001, the biggest complaint he heard about the city was that it was too dirty, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Near Pittsburgh, oil-coated trees on the shore of the Ohio River show the damage done by spills and industry.

NPR reported that the river is much cleaner today, 50 years since the Clean Water Act.

In San Francisco Bay, the Leslie salt ponds gleam at sunset. The ponds were built to extract salt from the bay water. The photographer behind this photo said the "water stinks."

In 2019, the EPA ruled the land, owned by Cargill Salt, was not bound by the Clean Water Act,  Mercury News reported.

In San Francisco, industrial black smoke billows out of a stack.

During the 1970s, the biggest problem for the city was ozone pollution , which mainly comes from cars, industrial plants, power plants, and refineries.

Here is one of the factories that polluted San Francisco.

The photo was taken in 1972, according to the National Archives.

In Washington DC, raw sewage flows out into the Potomac river. In 1970, a hot summer resulted in a "stomach-turning" smell coming from the Potomac, due to the mixing of sewage and algae.

The pollution was blamed on a "hundred years of under-estimates, bad decisions, and outright mistakes," a director of the Federal Water Quality Administration told The New York Times .

His description can be applied to a lot of the US before the EPA.

This story was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated.

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Essay on Pollution for Students and Children

500+ words essay on pollution.

Pollution is a term which even kids are aware of these days. It has become so common that almost everyone acknowledges the fact that pollution is rising continuously. The term ‘pollution’ means the manifestation of any unsolicited foreign substance in something. When we talk about pollution on earth, we refer to the contamination that is happening of the natural resources by various pollutants . All this is mainly caused by human activities which harm the environment in ways more than one. Therefore, an urgent need has arisen to tackle this issue straightaway. That is to say, pollution is damaging our earth severely and we need to realize its effects and prevent this damage. In this essay on pollution, we will see what are the effects of pollution and how to reduce it.

Effects of Pollution

Pollution affects the quality of life more than one can imagine. It works in mysterious ways, sometimes which cannot be seen by the naked eye. However, it is very much present in the environment. For instance, you might not be able to see the natural gases present in the air, but they are still there. Similarly, the pollutants which are messing up the air and increasing the levels of carbon dioxide is very dangerous for humans. Increased level of carbon dioxide will lead to global warming .

Further, the water is polluted in the name of industrial development, religious practices and more will cause a shortage of drinking water. Without water, human life is not possible. Moreover, the way waste is dumped on the land eventually ends up in the soil and turns toxic. If land pollution keeps on happening at this rate, we won’t have fertile soil to grow our crops on. Therefore, serious measures must be taken to reduce pollution to the core.

Get English Important Questions here

Types of Pollution

• Air Pollution
• Water Pollution
• Soil Pollution

How to Reduce Pollution?

After learning the harmful effects of pollution, one must get on the task of preventing or reducing pollution as soon as possible. To reduce air pollution, people should take public transport or carpool to reduce vehicular smoke. While it may be hard, avoiding firecrackers at festivals and celebrations can also cut down on air and noise pollution. Above all, we must adopt the habit of recycling. All the used plastic ends up in the oceans and land, which pollutes them.

So, remember to not dispose of them off after use, rather reuse them as long as you can. We must also encourage everyone to plant more trees which will absorb the harmful gases and make the air cleaner. When talking on a bigger level, the government must limit the usage of fertilizers to maintain the soil’s fertility. In addition, industries must be banned from dumping their waste into oceans and rivers, causing water pollution.

To sum it up, all types of pollution is hazardous and comes with grave consequences. Everyone must take a step towards change ranging from individuals to the industries. As tackling this problem calls for a joint effort, so we must join hands now. Moreover, the innocent lives of animals are being lost because of such human activities. So, all of us must take a stand and become a voice for the unheard in order to make this earth pollution-free.

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

FAQs on Pollution

Q.1 What are the effects of pollution?

A.1 Pollution essentially affects the quality of human life. It degrades almost everything from the water we drink to the air we breathe. It damages the natural resources needed for a healthy life.

Q.2 How can one reduce pollution?

A.2 We must take individual steps to reduce pollution. People should decompose their waster mindfully, they should plant more trees. Further, one must always recycle what they can and make the earth greener.

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To Cut Cancer Risks, E.P.A. Limits Pollution From Chemical Plants

The new regulation is aimed at reducing the risk of cancer for people who live close to plants emitting toxic chemicals.

By Lisa Friedman

More than 200 chemical plants across the country will be required to curb the toxic pollutants they release into the air under a regulation announced by the Biden administration on Tuesday.

The regulation is aimed at reducing the risk of cancer for people living near industrial sites. This is the first time in nearly two decades that the government has tightened limits on pollution from chemical plants.

The new rule, from the Environmental Protection Agency, specifically targets ethylene oxide, which is used to sterilize medical devices, and chloroprene, which is used to make rubber in footwear.

The E.P.A. has classified the two chemicals as likely carcinogens. They are considered a top health concern in an area of Louisiana so dense with petrochemical and refinery plants that it is known as Cancer Alley.

Most of the facilities affected by the rule are in Texas, Louisiana and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast as well as in the Ohio River Valley and West Virginia. Communities in proximity to the plants are often disproportionately Black or Latino and have elevated rates of cancer, respiratory problems and premature deaths.

Michael S. Regan, the administrator of the E.P.A., traveled last year to St. John the Baptist Parish in Louisiana, the heart of Cancer Alley, to announce his agency’s intention to limit pollution from the plants.

In a telephone call with reporters on Monday, Mr. Regan recalled that he had been struck by the concentration of chemical plants and by the way they had affected families for decades. “I saw firsthand how the multigenerational and widespread effects of pollution were affecting the health of the local community,” Mr. Regan said.

He said that the rule would cut toxic pollutants by 6,200 tons annually and reduce emissions of ethylene oxide and chloroprene by 80 percent.

Under the rule, chemical manufacturers must monitor vents and storage tanks for ethylene oxide and chloroprene emissions and plug any leaks.

Plants will also be required to reduce emissions of four other toxic chemicals: benzene, which is used in motor fuels as well as oils and paints; 1,3-butadiene, which is used to make synthetic rubber and plastics; and ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride, both of which are used to make a variety of plastics and vinyl products.

One year after monitoring begins, facilities will be required to submit quarterly data to the E.P.A. The data will be made public so that communities can understand any risks they face.

Patrice Simms, vice president for litigation for healthy communities at Earthjustice, an environmental group, said it was impossible to overstate the importance of the new regulation to families that live next to large polluting facilities.

“In a very real sense this is about life and death,” he said.

Mr. Regan has made it a priority to address the environmental hazards facing communities that surround industrial sites, but his efforts have been met with significant roadblocks.

In 2022, in response to complaints from Louisiana residents, the E.P.A. began an investigation into whether the state had violated civil rights laws by permitting scores of industrial facilities to operate in and around St. John the Baptist Parish, a predominantly Black community. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act allows the E.P.A. to investigate whether state programs that receive federal money are discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin.

But Louisiana sued the E.P.A., arguing that the federal government could enforce the Civil Rights Act only in cases in which state policies were explicitly discriminatory. The E.P.A. ended the investigation last year, but the state continued its legal challenge. In January, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana ruled in the state’s favor.

The new chemical rule is widely viewed as part of the E.P.A.’s effort to find ways to police polluting plants despite the setback. On Monday, Mr. Regan insisted that the rule was not related to the civil rights case.

“As administrator, what I’ve pledged to do is use every single tool in our toolbox to do whatever we can to protect these frontline communities,” he said.

Last month the E.P.A. finalized separate standards that require plants that sterilize medical equipment and other facilities that use ethylene oxide to install pollution controls to reduce their emissions.

Republicans and industry groups said that the rule announced on Tuesday was onerous, and they questioned the E.P.A.’s scientific assessment of the chemicals.

“E.P.A. should not move forward with this rule-making based on the current record because there remains significant scientific uncertainty,” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce wrote in a letter to the agency.

One company that will be affected by the new rule is Denka Performance Elastomer, a synthetics manufacturer in Laplace, La. Air monitoring near the plant has consistently shown chloroprene levels as high as 15 times the recommended concentration deemed safe over a lifetime of exposure, according the E.P.A. Saying the company’s plant posed an “imminent and substantial endangerment to public health and welfare,” the agency sued Denka last year, seeking to compel it to reduce its emissions of chloroprene.

The company said that concentrations of the chemical were well below what would constitute a public health emergency. It also said that it had cut its chemical emissions significantly since 2015.

In a statement, Denka called the new rule “draconian.” It said that the requirements would force the company to “idle its operations at tremendous expense and risk to its hundreds of dedicated employees.”

The company said that it intended to challenge the rule in court.

Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misidentified the law that allows the authorities to investigate whether state programs that receive federal money are discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin. It is the Civil Rights Act, not the Clean Air Act.

How we handle corrections

Lisa Friedman is a Times reporter who writes about how governments are addressing climate change and the effects of those policies on communities. More about Lisa Friedman

River Seine Pollution Could Cancel Paris Olympics Events—Here’s Why

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Some swimming events in the 2024 Paris Olympics could be canceled or postponed, officials said, after a French charity warned about “alarming levels” of pollution in the River Seine amid a decades-long clean-up effort—though French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo claimed the river will be clean in time for the events.

Public swimming in the city’s river has been banned for over a century, amid concerns about ... [+] pollution in the water.

Surfrider Foundation Europe completed 14 tests on water samples taken from two spots on the Seine—including the starting spot for the Olympic and Paralympic triathlon and marathon swimming events—between September and March, none of which met European Union regulations, the group said .

Only one spot did not indicate alarming levels of bacteria like E. coli and enterococcus faecalis, a bacteria found in human fecal matter, according to the group.

Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris Organizing Committee, reportedly said Tuesday that while officials are “confident that it will be possible to use the Seine,” there could be a “final decision where we could not swim,” specifically referring to a scenario involving heavy rain, which could lead to increased E. coli levels in the river.

The International Olympic Committee said in a statement to NBC News the triathlon could be canceled or turned into a duathlon—just running and cycling—if the river’s water is too polluted.

What To Watch For

Pierre Rabadan, Paris’ deputy mayor in charge of the Olympics, told the New York Times if there’s rainfall in Paris for “a week continually before the races,” the Seine’s water quality “probably won’t be excellent.”

Chief Critic

Ana Marcela Cunha, the Brazilian gold medal winner of the women’s marathon 10-kilometer swim at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, told Agence France-Presse there is “a concern” about pollution in the Seine. Olympic officials “need a plan B in case it’s not possible to swim in the Seine,” Cunha said, adding the river is “not made for swimming.”

Macron and Hidalgo said they plan to personally swim in the Seine to showcase the city’s efforts to clean the river. Macron said it would be “an important legacy” of the Olympics for the Seine to be included in the events.

$1.5 billion. That’s how much Paris has spent during a decades-long effort to clean the Seine for public use, which includes projects to upgrade the city’s sewage system and stormwater treatment facilities.

Surprising Fact

World Aquatics—the world’s governing body for swimming— canceled the Open Water Swimming World Cup Paris last year after officials determined the Seine’s water quality “remained below acceptable standards for safeguarding swimmers’ health.” The organization noted it was “clear that further work” is needed to “ensure robust contingency plans are in place” for the Olympics.

Key Background

Public swimming in the Seine has been banned since 1923, after officials determined the water was unsafe, according to the BBC. Paris operates with a “single system” drainage infrastructure that becomes oversaturated during heavy rainfall, causing excess water to be drained into the river. Parisian officials said clean-up efforts, in addition to updated sewage and sanitation systems, will allow the city to open three open-air swimming areas by 2025.

Further Reading

Paris Olympics Must Have ‘Plan B’ For Seine Events, Swim Champion Says ( AFP )

Here’s Why A Nike Women’s Olympic Uniform Reveal Prompted Claims Of Sexism, Criticism From Athletes ( Forbes )

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