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Water is the most precious resource in the world, integral to the survival of all life on Earth. Given that over 70% of the planet’s surface is covered by the stuff, it should perhaps logically follow that there is plenty to go around. However, various water pollution types render it unsafe for drinking, washing, bathing or swimming. Although not all forms of water contamination are manmade, very many are. Here’s a rundown of some of the chief offenders.

The water on the surface of the planet is made up of seas, oceans, lakes, rivers and other waterways. These bodies of water can become contaminated from point sources (such as industrial effluents and improper wastewater management systems) or non-point sources (such as agricultural run-off, precipitation and seepage). This can contaminate the surface water and make it unsafe for humans, animals and plants alike.

Did you know that a significant proportion of the Earth’s water is stored in underground reservoirs? It’s for this reason that wells are dug to access the resource. When contaminants (such as fertilisers, pesticides, heavy metals and wastewater) are allowed to pollute the soil, they can penetrate far deeper and render groundwater supplies unpotable and unusable. What’s more, the remote and widespread nature of this kind of contamination makes it virtually impossible to address.

Chemicals are used in a wide variety of anthropogenic activities, from protecting agricultural crops from pests and disease to manufacturing consumer goods to transporting and consuming energy sources such as oil and petrol. Inevitably, some of these chemicals find their way into the natural environment, either through agricultural run-off after heavy rainfall, accidental spillage or improper disposal of waste products. This can have a dramatic impact on water sanitation.

Microbiological pollution refers to that which is caused by microorganisms within the water. This type of contamination largely occurs naturally and, on many occasions, the bacteria, protozoa and viruses are harmless or even beneficial to the ecosystems they inhabit. However, this is not always the case and some microbiological pollution can disrupt the delicate balance found in such environments, killing off plant and animal life and causing disease among humans which consume or use the water.

Fertilisers, pesticides and other products used during agricultural processes often contain significant amounts of nutrients, such as phosphorous and ammonia. These are specifically used to protect crops from pests or disease, or else bolster their growth and maximise yields. When run-off sends these chemicals into water sources, they can cause an imbalance of nutrients, promoting the growth of some organisms (such as algae) to the detriment of others.

Although water is often dubbed the universal solvent, some particles of pollution are simply too large to mix with water molecules. This means that they either form a layer of floating silt atop the water’s surface, or else sink to its floor in the form of a thick mud. Either way, they can inhibit the growth of marine life beneath the waves and compromise the quality of the water in their vicinity, posing a risk to humans as well as animals.

For those interested in learning more about the topic of water pollution, the upcoming Water, Wastewater and Environmental Monitoring (WWEM) exhibition promises to be a great source of information. Scheduled to take place in Telford in the UK on the 12th and 13th October 2022, the exhibition will cover the subject from all angles.

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