Water pollution. California's water pollution dilemma Essay

Water pollution. Californias pissing pollution dilemma - see ExampleWater pollution is the contamination of our rivers, lakes, public beaches, and drinking weewee by unwanted agents cognize to cause illness, disease, and death. The pollution outhouse be biological, such as an unwanted bacteria or parasites. It whitethorn be a chemical cognise to cause cancer, which has been complete from an industrial savage site. The ill personal effects of water pollution can range from a mild inconvenience to a life-threatening wellness problem in humans. Animals and fish, even more sensitive to many pollutants and toxins, can be placed at risk when the ecological system of our rivers and lakes is disrupted. Whatever form the water pollution takes, it places Californias scarce and most peculiar commodity at particular risk. Everyone has an individual responsibility to curb the pollution that threatens the health of the population, the safety of the nutrition and water supply, and ultima tely has a devastating impact on the economy of California.When toxic chemicals spill into the water system the wildlife that depends on that supply suffers. In the case of an oil spill from a tanker, the dissolvers are fast(a) and obvious. The oily sludge permeates their fur and feathers handicapping any hope of the animals survival. This form of pollution is highly visible and causes molest that can be easily measured and evaluated. We can readily see the animals die as they bet this water pollution. However, other types of pollution that threaten Californias wildlife are not so readily apparent. Industrial chemicals that foray into our water supply, streams, and lakes may not be visible to the human eye but threaten to exterminate our food chain. They may not kill fish instantly as the fish survive the chastise levels of the toxins that are present. However, many industrial pollutants, build up in the fish and wildlife over time. PCBs, a known carcinogen that is now prohib ited, continues to persist in our environment and water supply years after it was banned (Environmental defending team Fund). When a human eats the fish, they ingest the pollutants that have been stored. Consuming this source of food on a regular basis can cause severe health problems and lead to death. Often times when wastewater from a sewage system is improperly discharged into the environment it contaminates a public area that is utilise for swimming or recreation. This soil wastewater carries potentially dangerous viruses, parasites, and bacteria with it. The effects of these waterborne pathogens can be as mild as a case of diarrhea or as serious as meningitis. High fever, liver infection, and birth defects have all been traced to water pollution caused by contaminated wastewater discharged into a public lake or beach (Nester et al). Though these contaminates do occasionally muddied our drinking water supply, the most likely contact the public has is at a common volunteer (a) area. According to DiGiacomo, Washburn, Holt and Jones, Treated municipal wastewater from urban areas of the Southern California Bight is commonly discharged into the coastal ocean ... interfering with human activities near shore such as swimming fishing, and surf (1018). The surfactants in these wastewater plumes are primarily man made and include detergents, solvents, and human waste (DiGiacomo et al. 1021). These waste products are toxic to wildlife and humans.The CDC documents all reported cases of illness caused by polluted water and found during the time period of 1995-1996 of the 12000 cases of disease caused by contaminated water, a full 75 percent were contracted in a public beach or swimming facility (Nester et al.). These statistics show not only the seriousness of the illnesses associated with water pollution, it also points out the widespread scope of the threat to our public beaches. Often these pollutants are the direct result of improperly disposed of waste nea r a population center. This carries a serious risk of unsportsmanlike a water supply for a city. This has happened many times in large and small