How Dirty Water and Pollution Affects People - Term Paper Example

Water Issues - How Dirty Water and Pollution Affects People Introduction ‘Water is life’ is a common phrase that captures the important role that water plays in sustaining life on earth. Wateris an important resource that affects various aspects of life including health, agriculture, transport, nutrition, and resource conflicts. In deed, various efforts are been undertaken at different levels including globally, regionally, nationally, and locally to ensure sustainable use of water and prevent irresponsible utilization of this precious resource. Globally, there are numerous water issues that include water scarcity, water pollution, and water use among others (United Nations, n.p.). Even with efforts to address some of these issues, there is still need for renewed efforts. In this regard, this research paper presents a detailed examination of water issues across different parts of the world. Specifically, the research paper argues that the way people treat the water and cause it to be dirty affects human health and environmental pollution in Africa, Indonesia, and the US. History of Water Issues Current water issues across the world have a historical background. It is worth looking at the history of the most pressing water issues because this will provide a solid basis for identifying underlying factors and proposing new solutions. In this regard, the paper will look into the historical development of water pollution. About 150 years ago, water did not need a spokesperson. However, this does not mean that water pollution did not exist. During the industrial revolution that swept across Europe in the 19th century, the problem of water pollution was already evident. Some of the major indications of this problem were public health problems and stench from water. However, the problem was not as big as it is today. From an overview of water pollution history, the problem transitioned from a localized to a regional, then continental, and now global issue (Misra 14). As the issue of water pollution worsened, it attracted growing attention. In 1993, the United Nations took a major step towards raising awareness of the water issues by establishing the World Water Day. This day, which is celebrated annually on 22nd March, was established to encourage UN member countries and the world in general to raise awareness about the water issues. During the annual celebrations of World Water Day, the United Nations comes up with themes on water that relate to pressing water issues. Prior to the UN adoption of the World Water Day, environments in the 1960s had already begun to emerge. These environmental movements were concerned about the rise in pollutants that were flowing into water bodies. Therefore, they sought to address this issue by bringing to the attention of governments and other stakeholders. Through the efforts of these environmental movements, several milestones were reached. Events such as Earth Day were established and various legislative strides were made. For example, in the US, the Clean Water Act was enacted in 1970 and has been amended severally to ensure that it is effective in meeting its goal. The strides made in the issue of water pollution were preceded by major events that informed the course of the environmental movements. For example, in 1993, contaminated tap water affected over 400,000 people in Milwaukee in Wisconsin US. The water had been contaminated with a parasite that caused the people to become ill while almost half of them died (Engelkirk, Janet and Gwendolyn192). Regions Being Affected by Dirty Water The problem of dirty or polluted water is spread across different parts of the world. However, for the purpose of this research paper, focus will be on three regions. These include Africa, Indonesia, and the United States. Africa Africa has a serious water problem. Access to clean water is a major challenge for most Africans especially those living in Sub-Saharan region. The World Health Organization estimated that a mere 16 percent of the population in this region had access to tapped water as of 2004 (Lewis 2). Because of the massive problem of lack of access to clean water, many illnesses in Africa are linked to poor water and sanitation. According to Water Project (Para 2), approximately 80 percent of diseases in the developing countries, where most African countries lie, are caused by poor water and sanitation. Because of the problem of water problems plaguing Africa, many people suffer from related diseases such as typhoid and cholera. Moreover, the contaminated water affects the livelihoods of many Africans. For example, because of the diseases arising from poor water and sanitation, many Africans cannot go to work, grow food, stay in school, or build good housing. Indonesia Indonesia is also plagued with a serious problem of water pollution. It is estimated that over 50,000 deaths are caused by poor sanitation and hygiene every year in Indonesia (Indonesia Para 2). The worst hit region is Jakarta, where the main rivers are heavily polluted. According to Hansen (1), the main causes of water pollution in Jakarta include sewage, agricultural activities, municipal pollution, and industrial pollution. The heavy water pollution and poor sanitation causes many people to suffer from related diseases. Some of the health risks linked to Indonesia’s water pollution include diarrhea, stomachache, cholera, and dysentery. The situation is worsened by the fact that most rivers in Jakarta are constantly flooding, which is also making it difficult to address the problem. United States The US is also experiencing water pollution problems. However, the magnitude and effects are not as high as in Africa or Indonesia. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, about 64 percent of lake area, 44 percent of stream miles, and 30 percent of estuarine and bay square miles are polluted and cannot support human uses including swimming and fishing. Among the top pollutants of US waters include bacteria, nutrients, and mercury that are deposited in the water bodies through agricultural runoff, air deposition, as well as hydrologic modifications (EPA n.p). Why We Need to Make a Change With regard to the water pollution that is persistent in different parts of the world, change is needed in the manner in which humans use and manage water resources. These changes should involve every stakeholder including governments, environmental groups, the public, international agencies, and any other entity that has a stake in water management. Apparently, water pollution continues to be a growing problem. Unlike 150 years ago when water did not need a spokesperson, today water needs more than just a spokesperson. The problem has grown so much that we can no longer ignore it. Today, the water pollution problem is more global in nature than in the past. For example, climate change is causing melting of ice glaciers in the Polar Regions as well as loss of mountain snow, which is having a major impact on many regions that are now prone to flooding and extreme weather patterns. These effects of global warming are also having a major impact on water pollution. With increased flooding, clean water from clean water sources are likely to be polluted by contaminated waters. Therefore, there is a clarion call for making changes that would mitigate the water pollution problem. This can be justified in several ways. First, access to clean water is essential for life. As we have already seen from the discussion of water pollution in the three regions, water pollution causes a major scarcity of clean water for use. In Jakarta, the polluted river waters cannot be used for cooking, washing, drinking, and other essential uses. Without access to clean water, people in places such as Africa cannot live product lives. In the US, water pollution in rivers and lakes cannot support marine life such as fish, which is a source of food. Therefore, if necessary steps are not taken to change the way we use and manage water resources, the quality of life will be undermined. Second, we need change to reduce the morbidity and mortality rates associated with consumption of contaminated water or scarcity of clean water. The over 80 percent of diseases that are caused by poor water and sanitation can be reduced by making appropriate changes. The child deaths in Indonesia, Africa and other places can be reduced or prevented if necessary changes are made to our water management systems. Failure to make these changes will only worsen the problem. Ultimately, even those that are not exposed to the risks of diseases linked to poor water and sanitation will ultimately be affected. Finally, we need changes to improve the safety of the water that we use. Through years of industrial, commercial, technological, and agricultural advancement, we have contributed to an increase in water pollution that has adversely affected the safety of the water that we use. This reduced water safety is what is causing the public health problems caused by poor water and sanitation in the world. Therefore, to improve water safety, we need changes in policy, attitudes, behavior, and management of water resources. Solutions The solutions to water shortages must be multifaceted. No single solution can solve the water pollution problem entirely. In fact, the solutions must not only be remedial but also preventative. Preventing the pollution or contamination of water in the first place is the best solution. However, there is also need to reclaim and clean some of the water that has already been contaminated. Polluted waters in Jakarta Rivers and many other water bodies across the world can be reclaimed through various strategies. A recent survey of over 1200 leading international experts on solutions to freshwater crisis led to the identification of 19 best solutions. It is worth noting some of the proposed best solutions. The first is education, which aims to inspire behavior change(Circle of Blue 1). Education is an effective solution because the underlying factor in water issues is consumption of water at individual and society level. Most of the water pollution is caused by human activities including dumping of waste in water bodies, poor sewage disposal, agricultural activities, and industrial activities among others. Therefore, it would be necessary to use education to create awareness of these issues and to inform the society on proper water consumption and management practices. Other best solutions proposed include recycling of wastewater, invention of new technologies for water conservation, desalination, water harvesting, and new policies on water (Circle of Blue 1).All these are potential solutions that can be applied in different parts of the world. However, controlling and solving the problem of water pollution can be broken down into specific solutions. One of the specific solutions is using litter traps to trap floating debris and liter on water surface such as in rivers and lakes. The Bandalong litter trap has been used successfully in the removal of floating material that pollutes water across the world. In 2009, the Bandalong Litter Trap was placed on Anacostia River in Washington DC area as a strategy for solving the water pollution problem. Within a year, the Bandalong Litter Trap had collected about 6000 pounds of trash and prevented over three tons of trash from moving deeper into the river and other surrounding water catchment areas (Storm Water Systems 1). Additionally, desalinization technology provides a specific solution to the water pollution problem. Desalinization entails the removal of salts from water. The desalinization technologies can be grouped as either membrane or thermal technologies. Examples of membrane technologies include reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, and electrodialysis reversal. Examples of thermal technology include multi-effect distillation and vapor compression distillation (Krishna 1-2). Relate to Bahrain Bahrain is a unique country in terms of water resource. Desalination plants are the main sources of water for the country. Groundwater and treated domestic wastewater are also part of the main sources of water. With groundwater being the only natural source of freshwater, there are growing concerns that the country’s aquifer could be lost if interventions are not made to protect this natural source of water. Currently, the country is considering the option of building underground reservoirs for treated waste water (Torr 1). With most of the water used in Bahrain being from desalination plants, the country presents a good example of how water issues can be addressed. Specifically, the country acts as a model for developing solutions to harness and treat wastewater that would otherwise be lost and use it for productive purposes. The treated water from the plants in Bahrain is mainly used for irrigation purposes. In a country where water resources are limited, Bahrain has devised effective solutions to manage the limited water resources efficiently and effectively. In 2011, the country’s total volume of water was 471 Mm3 (Al.Ansari 544). The treated water in from the plants is good for agricultural use because it contains hygienic and chemical properties that are within the stipulated international limits. In fact, the water treatment in Bahrain is so effective that excess treated water from the plants is pumped into the sea. Conclusion Water issues, particularly water pollution, have become a major problem across the world. Currently, the problem of scarcity of freshwater is attracting attention from multiple stakeholders at local, national, regional, and global levels because of the negative effects on public health and environment. A large part of the population in Africa and Indonesia lacks access to clean water. This has resulted in high prevalence of diseases such as cholera and diarrhea. There is urgent needfor changes in the way people consume and manage water. Luckily, there are multiple solutions that can be applied towards addressing the problem. These solutions have been actually applied in different parts of the world and seen to be effective. Works Cited “Indonesia: Living With Dirty Water.” IRIN News, 2010. Web. 2 April 2015. Al.Ansari, Mohammed Saleh. “The Water Demand Management in the Kingdom of Bahrain.” International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology (IJEAT) 2.5 (2013): 544-554. Circle of Blue. “Experts Name The Top 19 Solutions To The Global Freshwater Crisis.” 2010. Web. 2 April 2015. Engelkirk, Paul G, Janet L. Duben-Engelkirk and Gwendolyn R. Wilson.Burton’s Microbiology for the Health Sciences. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2011. Web. 2 April 2015. EPA. “Water Quality Facts.” 2013. Web. 2 April 2015. Hansen, Alexandra. “Feature Article: Indonesia’s Beloved Rivers of Waste.” Eco News, 2010. Web. 2 April 2015. Krishna, Hari J. “Introduction to Desalination Technologies.” N.d. web. 2 April 2015. Lewis, Lori. “Rural and Urban Water Issues in Africa.” 2010. Web. 2 April 2015. Misra, Vibhuti N. “Water-A threatened global resource.”Water Resources System Operation: Proceedings of the International Conference on Water and Environment (WE-2003), December 15-18, 2003, Bhopal, India. Eds. Vijay P. Singh & Ram Narayan Yadava. Allied Publishers, 2003. 11-16. Web. 2 April 2015. Storm Water Systems. “Bandalong Litter Trap Case Study.” 2012. Web. 2 April 2015. Torr, Rebecca. “New Plan to Tackle Water Shortages.” Gulf Daily News, 2011. Web. 2 April 2015. United Nations. “Global Issues: Water.” 2012. Web. 2 April 2015. Water Project. “Improving Health in Africa.” 2010. Web. 2 April 2015. Read More