Water Conservation

Some ways to save water

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Effect of Polluted Water on Humans

How does water pollution affect humans? Try drinking untreated water nowadays and your body will immediately react to it. You will get a stomach ache at the least. Water-borne diseases account for the deaths of 3,575,000 people a year! That’s equivalent to a jumbo jet crashing every hour, and the majority of these are children. Infectious diseases can be spread through contaminated water. Some of these water-borne diseases are Typhoid, Cholera, Paratyphoid Fever, Dysentery, Jaundice, Amoebiasis and Malaria. Chemicals in the water also have negative effects on our health.
1.Pesticides – can damage the nervous system and cause cancer because of the carbonates and organophosphates that they contain. Chlorides can cause reproductive and endocrinal damage.
2.Nitrates – are especially dangerous to babies that drink formula milk. It restricts the amount of oxygen in the brain and cause the “blue baby” syndrome.
3.Lead – can accumulate in the body and damage the central nervous system.
4.Arsenic – causes liver damage, skin cancer and vascular diseases
5.Flourides - in excessive amounts can make your teeth yellow and cause damage to the spinal cord.
6.Petrochemicals – even with very low exposure, can cause cancer.
These are just to name a few.

Some information about water's pH

Water's pH

If the pH of water is too high or too low, the aquatic organisms living within it will die. pH can also affect the solubility and toxicity of chemicals and heavy metals in the water ¹². The majority of aquatic creatures prefer a pH range of 6.5-9.0, though some can live in water with pH levels outside of this range. As pH levels move away from this range (up or down) it can stress animal systems and reduce hatching and survival rates. The further outside of the optimum pH range a value is, the higher the mortality rates. The more sensitive a species, the more affected it is by changes in pH. In addition to biological effects, extreme pH levels usually increase the solubility of elements and compounds, making toxic chemicals more “mobile” and increasing the risk of absorption by aquatic life ¹³. Aquatic species are not the only ones affected by pH. While humans have a higher tolerance for pH levels (drinkable levels range from 4-11 with minimal gastrointestinal irritation), there are still concerns ¹⁴. pH values greater than 11 can cause skin and eye irritations, as does a pH below 4. A pH value below 2.5 will cause irreversible damage to skin and organ linings ¹⁴. Lower pH levels increase the risk of mobilized toxic metals that can be absorbed, even by humans, and levels above 8.0 cannot be effectively disinfected with chlorine, causing other indirect risks ¹⁴. In addition, pH levels outside of 6.5-9.5 can damage and corrode pipes and other systems, further increasing heavy metal toxicity. Even minor pH changes can have long-term effects. A slight change in the pH of water can increase the solubility of phosphorus and other nutrients – making them more accessible for plant growth ¹⁰. In an oligotrophic lake, or a lake low in plant nutrients and high in dissolved oxygen levels, this can cause a chain reaction. With more accessible nutrients, aquatic plants and algae thrive, increasing the demand for dissolved oxygen. This creates a eutrophic lake, rich in nutrients and plant life but low in dissolved oxygen concentrations. In a eutrophic lake, other organisms living in the water will become stressed, even if pH levels remained within the optimum range.

Water's pH

Unusual pH Levels and Consequences

Harmful effects become noticeable when the pH of water falls below 5.0 or rise above 9.6. Ill effects due to acidification are more pronounced in saltwater fish due to their adaptation to a higher pH. When pH is below optimal levels, fish become susceptible to fungal infections and other physical damage . As the pH of water falls, the solubility of calcium carbonate is reduced, inhibiting shell growth in aquatic organisms. In general, fish reproduction is affected at pH levels below 5.0 and many species (such as saltwater fish or sensitive freshwater fish like smallmouth bass) will leave the area. Fish begin to die when pH falls below 4.0.

Water Conservation

Some Article on Water Pollution

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45 ways to conserve water in the home and yard

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