River Pollution

97% of the earths water is salt water, and another 2.6 is either deep underground, or has frozen into glaciers and ice layers. None of this water is available for us to use for drinking, irrigation or industry, so we have to rely upon .014% of the earths water to keep our civilization alive. This freshwater is found in lakes, streams, rivers and serviceable,  underground water.


 However, large amounts of the small percentage of freshwater is becoming polluted because of human activity. Around 250 of the earths largest rivers are depleted or polluted.  25% of Western and Southern Europe's water is tremendously polluted, and 1/3 of the worlds countries are affected by water stress. 

Too much nutrients such as as nitrates and phosphates (which come from sewage and fertilizers) can quicken the growth aquatic plants and algae. They, or similar organisms can clog local waterways, block light to deeper waters and use up dissolved oxygen as they decompose if there is an excessive amount of them. This affects many aquatic species such as fish, whose respiration ability suffers.


It is not just animals being affected, humans can become poisoned from using toxic water.

In Bangladesh, 75 million people were threatened by drinking water from underground sources that had been contaminated by arsenic. This caused breast cancer, liver and kidney disease and respiratory problems.

A well found in Bangladesh 

Chemical waste has devastating effects on the earths water ways. Industry, agriculture and domestic activities commonly pollute water. 

Radioactive substances can be dumped or spilt into rivers, mines can leak there exports into lakes,or waste such as paint can be poured down the sink, ending up in rivers or oceans. Chemicals can also come from contaminated soil, Acidic rain, or broken equipment such as pipes or storage tanks.

This harms many fresh water species such as fish, insects, crustaceans, amphibians, arthropods, plants, bacteria, algae and fungi. Effects are immediate but can also linger even after a clean up.

 This chart shows the pollutents of fresh water.

 Fresh water can usually recover it self if nitrogen and phosphorus waste is stopped. If other chemicals are released into the water, then clean ups will be done. Rules and regulations have been made to control fresh water pollution, yet if any human population is near a source of water, it becomes polluted one way or another.

For more info, go to;

http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/07-26/water-pollution-facts-article.htm