Water Pollution

What is water pollution?

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater)

Why does it happen? Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged

directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds.

Including: sewage and wastewater, marine dumping, industrial/radioactive waste, oil pollution, underground storage leakage, global warming, and more.

Who is affected? Water pollution affects plants and organisms

living in these bodies of water. In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and populations, but also to the natural biological communities.

Where does it happen?

All over the world

Water Pollution Fact #1

40% of America's rivers are too polluted for fishing, swimming, or aquatic life.

Water Pollution Fact #2

In any given year, about 25% of beaches in the US are under advisories or are closed at least one time because of water pollution.

Water Pollution Fact #3 Two-thirds of US estuaries and bays are

either moderately or severely degraded from eutrophication (nitrogen and phosphorus pollution)

Health effects of Water Pollution Drinking or swimming in unclean water can

possibly cause:

-Vomiting or diarrhea

-A sick stomach

-Skin rashes

-Cancer

Activity

What you can do to help Conserve water by turning off the tap when running

water is not necessary

Don’t throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans

Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet. Don’t throw paints, oils or other forms of litter down the drain

Works Cited-

http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/07-26/water-pollution-facts-article.htm