Water pollution or water pollution implies the alteration and loss of those natural sources of water in which living beings live and which, in many occasions, serves to supply human consumption of drinking water. At present, various anthropogenic activities, as well as natural phenomena, cause water pollution in different corners of the world. The consequences and effects of such water pollution endanger the survival of many living beings, both of our species and of all those animals, plants and microorganisms that need water to exist.
If you want to know more characteristics as well as possible solutions to the harmful water pollution suffered by the planet’s ecosystems, continue reading this ecology article about the Types of water pollution.
Water pollution types – summary
Water pollution is the physical and chemical alteration of water structure and its components, changing its properties and causing damage to living beings that depend on it to survive. Depending on the origin of such natural or artificial (anthropogenic or action of people), we can distinguish two Types of water pollution: Organic pollution and artificial chemical pollution, respectively.
Organic water pollution of natural origin
- Eutrophication.
Chemical contamination of artificial origin
- Toxic spills that come from industrial activities.
- Use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture and industrial livestock.
- Emerging pollutants, that is, they have recently appeared, and dump in aquatic ecosystems.
- Wastewater, industrial and domestic waters.
Some examples of types of water pollution según the pollutant that harms it or the origin of this are:
- Petroleum spill or black tides.
- Waters.
- Waters of cleansing.
- Industrial wastewater.
- Agricultural wastewater.
- Livestock wastewater.
Therefore, water pollution can be produced by nutrients, micororganisms, chemicals and even temperature, among others. In the next lines we will see with more details what are the main characteristics of each of these types of water pollution.
Organic pollution of natural origin – eutrophication
If you wondered how water is contaminated, keep in mind, to begin with, that water pollution in some occasions occurs due to excess inorganic nutrients and excessive proliferation of aquatic organisms, which together, alter the composition and water properties.
This phenomenon that entails Organic and natural water pollution It is commonly called eutrophication. Both algae and decomposing microorganisms and various inorganic nutrients, are the cause of producing Eutrophication of watershaving excessive abundance and unbalanced the natural stability of the structure and properties of water resources.
Although the consequences of this type of natural contamination of water are not as serious or persistent as those derived from artificial chemical pollution, they must also be valued and controlled, since they suppose the loss of many ecosystems.
Here we leave you a video about what the eutrophication of the waters is so that you learn more about this problem.
Chemical pollution for human activities
The Chemical water pollution It has its origin in various anthropogenic activities that, irresponsibly, pour toxic chemical substances that cause the alteration of the composition, structure and properties of natural water sources. Below we will see some of the most common cases in which a Artificial water pollution of water as a result of anthropogenic actions:
Toxic spills from industrial activities
The pollutants industries of mining, deforestation, refineries and all those industrial activities that generate toxic products that can end in nature, are responsible for the pollution of rivers, lakes, seas and groundwater, among other aquatic ecosystems.
We tell you more about industrial waste: what are, examples, types, classification and management in this post and, in addition, here you can learn more information related to what industrial discharges are in the water.
Use of toxic fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture and industrial livestock
The massive use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture and industrial livestock pour large amounts of nitrates, phosphates, and other chemical compounds that are seriously harmful to other living beings, many of which find their natural habitat in aquatic ecosystems in which these chemicals are poured.
Wastewater spills
Wastewater must be correctly managed in wastewater treatment plants for subsequent purification and preparation for use. However, on many occasions there are leaks and bad efforts that facilitate the arrival of these very polluted waters to natural sources of water, causing the contamination of these.
We recommend you read this other article about what the wastewater is and how they are classified to expand this information.
Pumps in aquatic ecosystems and emerging pollutants
Each and every one of the domestic use residues generated by human beings must be properly treated and not poured into the ecosystems irresponsibly, since they endanger the life and ecological balance of the other species. Many drugs, hygiene and cleaning products, as well as microplastics and single -use plastic utensils end in surface and underground waters, causing contamination. Some of these pollutants are those considered emerging, for relating little time that exist, and these together with others that have been much longer, generate what begins to be known as dump or garbage in nature.
Here you can discover more about emerging pollutants: definition, examples and how they affect us.
Possible solutions to water pollution
The solutions that we can adopt both at global, national and local scales to avoid and prevent water pollution are innumerable and very varied. The set of all these solutions would serve as a strategy that allows access to drinking water to all people, while protecting the natural ecosystems of each corner of the planet. In this list we talk about some of the Main solutions to water pollution:
- Cleaning and maintenance of infrastructure destined for drinking water supply.
- Bet on effective plants for the treatment of wastewater.
- Avoid the discharge of toxic substances that come from the different activities of industries in surface and underground waters.
- Regulate the use of fertilizers and pesticides so that they do not end up contaminating natural sources of water.
- Do not deposit any domestic use that can contaminate water.
- Promote development and participation in informative activities of environmental education focused on the conservation of water ecosystems and their responsible use.
To learn much more about possible solutions, you can take a look at this other article that details the solutions for water pollution, as well as these others to better know how to avoid water pollution and discover the techniques for the decontamination of water.
If you want to read more articles similar to Types of water pollutionwe recommend that you enter our pollution category.
- Innovation and qualification, SL & Target Advisores, SL (2016) Expert in Environmental Management (2nd Edition). Editorial IC, PP: 109-171.
- Well, JL; SASTRE, H. & Lavin, Ag (1997) Pollution and Environmental Engineering: Water pollution. PAR FOUNDATIONto the promotion in Asturias of applied scientific research and technology (FICYT), pp: 196-469.
