Water pollution

Pollution affects plants and organisms living in water. Although water has been identified on several planets, none has as much water as Earth, of which 70 percent is covered with water. Approximately 97.4 percent of the water on Earth is found in oceans and is too salty for human consumption. An additional 2.6 percent is fresh water found in underground bodies of water called aquifers or frozen in glaciers or polar ice caps. Less than 0.02 percent of Earth's water is present in lakes, rivers, or the atmosphere. The water itself provides the environment for fish, plants and animals. There are several sources of water pollution which work together to reduce overall river water quality. Industries and agriculture discharge liquid waste products. Rain as it falls through the air, or drains from urban areas and farmland, absorb contaminants.

Many dangerous metals including iron, aluminum, tin, lead, mercury and cadmium come out of old mine workings. Phosphorus from sewage is another powerful pollutant. Careless people can also pollute rivers and harm wildlife by pouring things like used car oil and paint into drains. Rubbish dumps create a strong chemical cocktail called leachate. This can be deadly to fish, small aquatic creatures and plants. In modern waste sites great care is taken to ensure that none escapes, but leachate from older rubbish dumps seeps into rivers and can pollute our drinking water. If we want to mitigate water pollution then we need to be aware of using various technologies. In the industrial sector, there should be use of water purification technology such as waste water treatment plant. This way we can maintain a sound industrial environment. Steps should be taken by the government at the policy making level. The awareness among the general people of the country and the NGOs should help to reduce water pollution.

Shariful Alam