Causes of Water Pollution

As the concern for environmental safety grows, researchers continue to examine many environmental hazards and study the sources of contamination. One of the important goals for environmental researchers is to pinpoint the major causes of water pollution. The causes of water pollution are twofold. There are organic causes of water pollution and then there are inorganic causes of water pollution.

The organic causes of water pollution include bacteria from sewage, fertilizer from agricultural runoff, and brush debris. Inorganic causes of water pollution are metals, acid rain from industrial discharge, and chemical waste from industrial sources.

Some industrial byproducts act as indirect causes of water pollution. Smog and exhaust for example enter the water supply via the atmosphere in the form of rainwater. To the contrary, other industrial byproducts such as chemical waste can be direct causes of water pollution when, for example, factories allow disposal of contaminants to directly enter a water source.

The effects of water pollution range from contaminated drinking water to unbalanced ecosystems. Over a period of time, these effects are eventually felt by the human population. For example, an unbalanced lake or river ecosystem will eventually cease to sustain certain forms of aquatic life, which can eventually result in an impact on people who fish from the rivers and lakes. There are many rivers and lakes today that contain fish that are unsafe to consume.

Further, the bacteria in some water sources could eventually become resistant to current methods of sanitation and filtration. The impact this could have on drinking water could be severe if not monitored properly. For these reasons, it is imperative that researchers continue to study and pinpoint the major causes of water pollution to ensure that certain contamination can be controlled so that both surface and ground water are a continued and safe natural resource.