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What is Water Pollution? Water pollution is a major problem in the global context. It has been suggested that it is the leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases, and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrhea related sickness every day. Some 90% of China's cities suffer from some degree of water pollution, and nearly 500 million people lack access to safe drinking water. In addition to the acute problems of water pollution in developing countries, industrialized countries continue to struggle with pollution problems as well. In the most recent national report on water quality in the United, 45 percent of assessed stream miles, 47 percent of assessed lake acres, and 32 percent of assessed beaches were classified as polluted. Water is typically referred to as polluted when it is impaired by contaminants and either does not support a human use, like serving as drinking water, and/or undergoes a marked shift in its ability to support its constituent biotic communities, such as fish. Natural phenomena such as volcanoes, algae blooms, storms, and earthquakes also cause major changes in water quality and the ecological status of water. Causes of Water Pollution The specific contaminants leading to pollution in water include a wide spectrum of chemicals, pathogens, and physical or sensory changes such as elevated temperature and discoloration. While many of the chemicals and substances that are regulated may be naturally occurring (calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, etc.) the concentration is often the key in determining what is a natural component of water, and what is a contaminant. Many of the chemical substances are toxic. Pathogens can produce waterborne diseases in either human or animal hosts. Alteration of water's physical chemistry includes acidity (change in pH), electrical conductivity, temperature, and eutrophication. Eutrophication is an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in an ecosystem to an extent that increases in the primary productivity of the ecosystem. Depending on the degree of eutrophication, subseque environmental effects such as anoxia (oxygen depletion) and severe reductions in water quality may occur, affecting fish and other animal populations.nt negative environmental effects such as anoxia (oxygen depletion) and severe reductions in water quality may occur, affecting fish and other animal populations. What can we do about it? Because such a large percentage of water use is in the bathroom, this is where water conservation efforts should begin. Install water-saving devices on faucets and showerheads. Take shorter showers. And when filling the tub, don’t let water run down the drain while waiting for it to get hot.

Place “toilet dams” or rock-filled containers in the tanks of older flush toilets. Don’t use the toilet to flush away facial tissues, paper, and other similar solid and liquid wastes—use a wastepaper basket. Repair leaks in your faucets and toilets. Turning off the water while brushing your teeth can save a family 5 to 10 gallons per day. Rinse hand razors in a filled sink rather than under running water. When shampooing, turn off the water while lathering the hair.

To conserve water in the kitchen, don’t let faucets run for washing or rinsing. Instead, fill a container with water or use the sink by stoppering the drain. Wash all the vegetables for a meal at the same time. When washing anything, use a brush, washcloth, or your hand to dislodge particles of dirt rather than relying on the force of water to do the job.

Keep a bottle of water in the refrigerator rather than letting water run in the sink to get a cool drink. And use only the minimum amount of water to cook foods. When filling the kettle, try to estimate the actual amount needed.

Run an automatic dishwasher only with full loads. Don’t use the extra-long prewash and scrub cycles unless absolutely necessary. Do not use a garbage disposal except at the end of cooking or cleanup periods or when it is full. Whenever possible, don’t use the disposal at all. Compost vegetable peelings or put them in the garbage can.

To conserve water outside, water only when necessary. It takes 660 gallons of water to supply 1,000 square feet of lawn with 1 inch of water. Water the lawn in the early morning to avoid evaporation losses. Irrigate the lawn slowly, deeply, and infrequently. In the garden, use drip irrigation or soaker hoses because they apply water slowly and directly to the soil.