Water Pollution and Drinking Water Quality

933 Words2 Pages

All around the world, countries are fighting to keep their drinking water clean. Whether it’s streams, rivers, or lakes, countries have taken great measures to maintain high quality drinking water for both human consumption and animal consumption. Countries must first understand the sources of the polltion, then determine the best methods to eliminate the pollution. Clean drinking water is a valuable resource and a the key to human survival. Plants and animals also depend on water for their growth, so all water must be kept clean. The major contributors to water pollution can be classified in three categories, industrial, agricultural and municipal.

Examples of industrial wastes that can contaminant bodies of water are oil spills, acid rain, and waste run-off from industrial buildings and factories. Oil spills, even though they do not happen that often, can spill millions of gallons of its crude oil cargo into the ocean causing long term damage. The oil spreads out over the surface of the water, creating a deadly coating. It kills fish and animals and washes on shores polluting the beaches, shutting them down to the public. Once the oil has contaminated the water, immediate action must be taken to clean it out of the water. The most common procedure is to contain the oil with oil absorbent plastic booms and then skim the oil off the top of the water.

Waste or industrial run-off from factories can pollute streams that are near the place of discharge. Oils, inorganic mine...

Open Document