4 Common Causes of Water Pollution

Did you know water pollution is one of our world’s most pressing issues that we face? With its numerous effects on the environment and human health, it’s important to understand why this happens and how you can ensure the quality of your drinking water and subsequently your health.

Types of water pollution and how they occur

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention identified some of the main microbes and chemicals that you can find in your tap water. But here are some of the main reasons for water pollution.

1. Industry and Agricultural Waste

Industrial and agricultural waste is one of the biggest polluters of surface water. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations identified factors such as:

• nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous)
• pesticides
• salts (e.g. sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, sulphate, calcium and bicarbonate), sediment
• organic matter (faecal matter from livestock)
• pathogens (coli)
• metals (selenium, lead, copper, arsenic, and manganese)
• and other emerging pollutants (e.g. drug residue, hormones, feed additives)

as the main water pollutants in agriculture.

These pollutants make their way into waterways differently, but it’s generally due to run-off from rainwater or erosion.

2. Human and Animal Waste

Sewage and septic systems carry many harmful microbes and bacteria. These pollutants can make their way into drinking water sources. Contamination is most likely to happen in the case of sewer overflows or wastewater releases. The main contaminants to worry about from human wastewater are Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and E.coli.

3. Treatment and Distribution

Drinking water treatment does well to remove any foreign contaminants, but it can also leave behind by-products. One such by-product is trihalomethanes , a chemical compound that has been associated with negative health effects such as cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes.

Broken or eroded distribution pipes can also cause contaminants to enter your drinking water after treatment.

A water purification system can remove contaminants like sediment and reduce the chlorine and organic chemicals in the water. Make sure to check with your water purification system provider about what your purification system can do.

4. Natural Sources

Naturally occurring chemicals and minerals like arsenic and other heavy metals, or radionuclides are often found in groundwater at high levels, making some sources of groundwater unsuitable for consumption.

Effects of water pollution on humans and how a water purification system can help

In extreme cases, water pollution is linked to diseases such as cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio. But unfiltered water can still have viruses, bacteria, and parasites that can cause common illnesses like stomach pain, diarrhea, headaches, and vomiting.

Water purification systems can help immensely with reducing the number of contaminants found in your tap water. So, you can drink water without worrying about health risks.

For more information, read our blog: 7 Reasons Why You Should Filter Your Drinking Water