Water pollution causes all water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater to get contaminated and certainly human activities are responsible for these conditions. Sometimes, when an air pollutant, such as sulfuric acid, combines with the water droplets that make up clouds, the water droplets become acidic, forming acid rain. The waterborne diseases are infectious which spread primarily from polluted water. Considering the negative effects that humans endure, because of water pollution, there is no doubt that the same there are similar effects left on animals, both on land and residing in the water. Fertilizer use has similar impacts. Radioactive substances produced from nuclear explosions also reach the water bodies and makes drinking water severely contaminated. While the EPA has identified run-off from agriculture as the biggest source of water pollution, regulations are not in place to control this industry. The acid rain can cause immediate plant and animal distress or death in high concentrations. Due to water pollution, the river Ganga which is regarded by Indians as a sacred river in which they take a holy dip to purify themselves has also become highly polluted. Around the globe more than 80 per cent of diseases are due directly or indirectly to polluted water. Different varieties of fish are the most affected creatures due to water pollution. Ltd. | 2017 All Rights Reserved. As per an estimate, 13 children die per hour in India, due to diarrhoea caused by contaminated water. Humans are also regularly harmed by pollution. By protozoa – Pyorrhoea, dysentery, narcolepsy (epidemic encephalitis), malaria, amoebiasis, and giardiasis. Coastal environments continue to be imperiled by oil spills, killing wildlife and causing millions of dollars in property damage. Water pollution can demolish an entire society as it is used for almost all purposes. When organic substances in the polluted water start decaying, it produces hydrogen sulphide and ammonia gas which gives the water very bad smell. Long-term exposure to air pollution, for example, can lead to chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer and other diseases. It is usually the result of both garbage dumped by individuals and dangerous chemicals legally or illegally dumped by manufacturing industries, health centers, schools, and market places. By worm – Filariasis, hydatid cyst and a variety of worm disease (various types of stomach worms). Excess level of mercury in fish is dangerous especially for small children and pregnant women or nursing women. Most water-dwelling animals tend to suffocate or drown on being trapped and unable to swim. Air pollution comes from many sources such as the smoke stack in a factory, car exhaust, or off gassing from paint or producing plastic . It is also responsible for destroying the beauty of the lakes and rivers. Fertilizer use has similar impacts. Microbes, toxins and water containing unnecessary amounts of salts give rise to many diseases. This highly toxic pollutant is responsible for over 80 percent of human fish consumption advisories, affecting over 10 million acres of lakes, by U.S. Geological Survey figures. According to the scientists, a large number of diseases in India can be attributed to drinking of sewage mixed water. Unless measures are taken, the very water we drink is in danger. Based on these, diseases generated by contaminated water are divided into the following main categories: By virus – Jaundice (Yellow Fever), polio, gastroenteritis, common cold, infectious liver Sod, and smallpox. Higher animals are more susceptible to genetic damages due to radiation. Where there is a will there is a way essay, Carbon Footprint: Causes, Effects and Solutions, Waste Disposal: Meaning, Facts, Information, Types/Methods, Importance and Solutions, Prevention and Solutions of Soil Pollution, Environmental Problems That Our World is Facing Today, How Plastic Bags are Harmful to Marine Life. The effects are especially dire when the pH levels of waterways are altered. google_ad_slot = "1982849078"; Increasing pollution in the sea and oceanic areas has become a threat. Habitat loss is called habitat destruction and it occurs when humans destroy the natural shelters of the wildlife. Hazardous waste, heavy metals and mercury can damage the health of an ecosystem to a point where it cannot recover. The Ministry of Environment and Forest has marked some industries which are mainly polluting the water bodies. Thus continuous intake of contaminated drinking water is the reasons behind various stomach related disorders and other diseases like lumps in throat, tooth decay, etc. Once in the atmosphere, it undergoes a process called methylation to become the more toxic form, methylmercury. ii) Effects of air pollution on animals Air pollution is a threat to humans, domestic and wild animals through the following ways: • Causes respiratory problems. Yet, despite the warnings, water pollution continues. Soil Pollution Leads to Air and Water Contamination. google_ad_height = 250; Pesticides in water bodies can cause fish kill and through the decomposition of animal material, lower pH and oxygen levels, unsustainable for life. The excess of magnesium and sulphate in water irritates the intestines. Whether direct or indirect, accidental or intentional, pollution of our waterways not only affects animals and plants, but the ecosystem itself. Reduced or impaired reproduction, cancer, neurological damage and more susceptibility to disease are common effects long after oil spills have been cleaned up. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6070398767421094"; Exposure is high in higher animals than the lower animals such as flies and insects. She has grown her own art business through SEO and social media and is a consultant specializing in SEO and website development. Children often get sick if they drink polluted water and sometimes they even die due to intensity of the diseases. Composition of nitrate resulting from fertilizer and chemicals used in agricultural lands, waste dumps or pit latrines causes contamination of the groundwater. The dangers emanating from water pollution have severely affected humans, animals, and plants. Aquatic plants get severely affected due to water pollution. Polluted water is also harmful for agriculture as it adversely affects the crops and the soil fertility. Some of adverse effects of water pollution are as follows: Water pollution adversely affects the health and life of man, animals and plants alike. Millions of tribal villagers in Rajasthan are suffering from various diseases due to drinking dirty water from the ponds. Additionally, increased use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in agriculture has also aggravated the situation. There are many negative effects on plants by pollution and containment of water. Plants encounter water pollution in the form of runoff and acid rain. He was also a senior editor with Exchange4media group’s real estate magazine 'Realty Plus', and prior to that Consulting Editor with 'Geopolitics', a magazine on defence and strategic affairs. If the polluted water gets stagnated, it becomes a breeding ground for mosquito and many other parasites which are very common in tropical areas. Besides the immediate death from the toxicity of oil, many other animals are affected by oil spills. Thus, the entire food chain suffers as a result of soil contamination. As per an estimate, almost 2.5 million people in over 34000 villages of India are suffering from cholera. It has emerged as one of the most serious environmental threats in India. Animals and plants that depend on water for life are the most affected by polluted water. Also, animals fall prey to a variety of diseases due to drinking polluted water. Ocean and human life is so inextricably interwoven that the effects of marine pollution are drastically visible on human life. Fish and other aquatic organisms start dying due to lack of oxygen in the polluted water. //-->. The result is precipitation with acidic pH levels. The factors causing most harm to human health through contaminated water are pathogenic microbes. The effects of water pollution are said to be the leading cause of death for humans and animal across the globe. In some parts of the world, some species are already on the verge of extinction due to water pollution. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; This may lead to health issues in herbivorous animals who feed on agricultural plants and leftovers. Pollution of sea water damages the oceanic life. Some effects of pollution are imposing on sea animals is as follows: Waste such as metals, plastics, glass, and radioactive drainage is responsible for the killing of hundreds of sea animals … Categories Save the Rivers Tags 10 ways to control water pollution, Effects of Water Pollution, ganga river … Polluted water also negatively impacts the breeding power of aquatic life. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', More disconcerting are the potential long term effects of toxins in the environment. Similarly, the sewage water getting mixed into the water of the rivers, helps in the increase of fungus, algae, bacteria, etc which start to erupt faster. Water pollution affects our oceans, lakes, rivers, and drinking water, making it a widespread and global concern (Harendra, 2012). This condition also leads to the eruption of various diseases and most of them being transmittable and fatal. Water pollution results in the death of smaller fishes, mollusks, bugs, insects and their larvae; these are … Urban sewage and industrial waste flows into the water sources without treatment. Micro-organisms present in the water gives the water unpalatable taste. Pollutants in water runoff affect plants in two main ways. Polluted water contains lead which when consumed by the humans while drinking water leads to producing various ailments such as joint pain, kidney disease and heart disease in them. Answer to this question would be too lengthy and technical. Effects of Water Pollution. When acid rain falls over an area, it can kill trees and harm animals, fish, and other wildlife. Stricter regulating of industries is needed to slow further contamination. Sources are many but the solutions are few. Excessive use of soap, soda, bleaching powder, detergent or acids at home and chemicals in the industries are primarily responsible for water pollution. Various diseases like polio, cholera, patches, jaundice, fever, viral fever etc are spread through polluted water.