Research Paper Example on Impacts of Water Pollution on the Society and the Environment

Pollution gets defined as the action of making degradation to the environment thus leading to contamination of various water bodies. Therefore, the paper gets founded on the impacts of water pollution on the society and the environment. The mentioned contamination mainly occurs on the water bodies such as the rivers, oceans and ground waters among others. At some point, human activities may also lead to the pollution in the discussion. Some of the human activities range from the poor disposal of waste products to other related activities. Environmentalist argues that the occurrence of the type of pollution takes place in the event of pollutant agents such as chemicals and particles leading to the contamination of water bodies. Some of the waters are those discharged either directly or indirectly into the water sources before going through thorough water treatment procedures.

The impacts of the population affect both the society and the environment at large. On the part of the society, water pollution impacts the society through breakout of diseases. It gets documented that infectious diseases are easily spread through contaminated waters. Some of the diseases which are easily transferable get based on typhoid, cholera, paratyphoid fever, hepatitis or even malaria. The society stands the chance of receiving the final blow and the consequences that come with the depicted diseases. In the event of water pollution caused by pesticides, there exist the chances of damage to the nervous system because of the chemical agents such as the carbonates and the organophosphate (Ahluwalia & Energy and Resources Institute, 2015). These chemicals carry a certain percentage of chlorine compound hence cause damage to the reproductive and endocrinal system. The highlighted justifies the vulnerability that the society is exposed to whenever there is a case of water pollution.

The society may also suffer a serious impact of water pollution when its cause gets traced to other disease causing agents like lead and nitrates. Nitrates may affect the children living in the society especially those babies that drink formula milk. The long- term impact gets drawn on the restriction of oxygen in the brain and the cause of the blue baby syndrome. The other effect of water pollution on the society gets drawn on the potential cause of death. It gets argued that if solutions are not found for the short term effects, then there exists the likelihood of death among the society members. It is thus necessary for the society to take very crucial measures in case of an outbreak of water pollution occurs. Equally notable, even animals like cows, donkeys, goats, and sheep among others may also die since they are bred within the society and depend on direct consumption of water from the water bodies. The mentioned may also support the first point on the outbreak of human diseases when these animals are consumed after their deaths. Many scholars concerned about societal health share in the argument of water pollution being a key player in the increased mortality rate and degradation of environmental health (Goel, 2006). They argued based on the approximated 70% dependant on water by the society. Further justification reveals that nearly every activity going on within the society has its backbone getting traced to the water bodies hence the highlighted issue by the scholars from the environmental domain.

Nevertheless, it also gets important to note that the impacts of water pollution also affect the environment as a whole. These impacts are far- reaching considering the aspect of the ecosystem getting impacted at every level by water contamination. The people should not focus their concern about the unhealthy particles entering the drinking waters but should view the impacts from a larger perspective. For example, they should also put to consideration the crops, the oceans getting harmed with the inclusion of the aquatic life and even the animals from a detailed perspective. The first impact of the pollution in the discussion on the part of environment gets drawn from the acid rains. It is claimed that after the pollutants occupy the atmospheric space, their toxic materials are dumped inform of rain into the environment. The rain realized is one with dissolved toxic substances hence not useful for human use. Further scientific justification argues acid rain get composed of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (Goel, 2006). Once these two gases get produced, they are transported by both the wind and air currents. The gases then react with water in the presence of oxygen and other chemicals to realize the result of nitric and sulfuric acid. It is the acids portrayed that react with water before falling on the ground causing acid rain which results in severe environmental pollution. The acid rain may enter the water to be consumed leading to severe consequences for the entire humanity.

The second environmental impact gets noted on farming. Polluted water is not good for agricultural activities since it entails both the dissolved and the non- dissolved toxic substances. Farms, therefore, stand a greater risk of suffering from the pollution considering the larger percentage of dependence drawn from the water. In the situation of polluted water used in farming and produce realized, the people will consume the toxic materials from those particular crops. On the same light, it should also be noted that even animal farmers will still be affected. For example, consumption of meat from animals that drank polluted water will make the consumers to also consume the toxic substances indirectly hence the increased mortality rate across the globe (Goel, 2006).

Apart from the already discussed impacts, there also exist chances of water pollution causing chain destructions within the environment. It gets claimed that polluted water that enters the local streams and even the rivers may cause damage to the aquatic life. Aquatic life revolves both the plants and animals living within the water bodies. Some people also share in the argument of water pollution making the aquatic life less sustainable through reduction of the percentage of oxygen dissolving in the water bodies; there may also be poisoning and blockages among others. Further elaboration reveals that, when oil spills into the water bodies resulting in watering pollution, it coats the water surface hence preventing oxygen from dissolving into the water to enable the continuation of aquatic life (In McKeown & In Bugyi, 2016). The result gets noted in the death of the water animals and leading to further pollution since most of them decay and rots in their natural environment. Another explanation also reveals that the acidification water bodies like the oceans cause the aquatic life to get less sustainable to any animal having the shells such as the mollusks.

The highlighted gets justified by the reaction between the acid and the shell resulting in severe damage. The long- term effect may lead to the loss of scales of coral and coral reefs. Coral reefs get argued to occupy a larger percentage of the diverse ecosystem characterized by complex interactions; their loss will, therefore, create gaps for the loss of other aquatic species with the ultimate ending getting coupled with the loss of biodiversity as well as certain significant aquatic species. Other aquatic animals are also likely to suffer the far-reaching consequences like the one already highlighted in the case of oil spills blocking the oxygen flow resulting to death. The same explanation may also be borrowed to assist in expounding the case of aquatic plants. Most of the plants and vegetations growing in water depend on oxygen for numerous reasons. Some of the grounds get drawn in the event of respiration where they need oxygen to make food. When oxygen is limited, these plants will not be able to make enough food and in the long run achieve slow growth and eventually death (In Misra, R. N. (2016). The imbalance ratio of gases may ensure the rate of carbon dioxide rising higher than that of oxygen. The final result of the detailed water pollution leads to the topic of discussion on chain destruction. The food chain will not be sustained owing to the destruction of its key players.

The final impact on the type of pollution in discussion gets drawn on the destruction of the natural environment or rather destructions of the natural surroundings. The natural environment takes into consideration the existence of forests, water, bodies and animals among other key players. The discussion will major precisely on the forest which gets cleared due to lack of clean and healthy water for their growth. As mentioned earlier, water pollution ensures the presence of dissolved and non- dissolved toxic materials in the water bodies. These materials may result in causing interference in the growth of plants and trees in general in the regions endowed with forests as part of water catchment sources. In consideration of the argument presented on the impacts of water pollution on the society and environment at large, it gets advisable for people to ensure that they take certain key measures in mitigating the case. The measures may revolve involving key players like the government in setting strict policies that guard against pollution as a whole and coming with severe penalties for those found to act as the causative agents based on their actions. Other steps may also be based on providing education to the public to avoid by all means those activities that can cause water pollution since they entirely depend on water for their livelihood (In Misra, 2016).

Conclusion

In summary, the paper has discussed the impacts of water pollution on the society and the environment as a whole from a detailed perspective. Some of the effects on the society got based on diseases and increase in mortality rate among others as already discussed. On the part of the environment, the impacts revolved the realization of acid rain, chain destruction among others. Therefore, it is important for the society to take some steps which can help in mitigating the issue as already discussed.

References

Ahluwalia, V. K., & Energy and Resources Institute, (2015). Environmental pollution and health.

Goel, P. K. (2006). Water pollution: Causes, effects, and control. New Delhi: New Age International.

In McKeown, A. E., & In Bugyi, G. (2016). The impact of water pollution on human health and environmental sustainability.

In Misra, R. N. (2016). Water pollution: Its impact on environment and society.