Water Contamination – Reasons and Diseases Caused by It
Our planet Earth has many unique attributes, compositions, and elements that make it the only planet that can sustain life. One of the most important elements that help in maintaining the existence of living things is water. Water enables moisture, humidity, rainfall and the boost to help living things row using these benefits. Have you ever visited a desert or land where there is minimal rainfall? You might have experienced the scorching sun, dryness of your skin, feeling thirsty and even dizziness due to the heat. Now imagine what would happen if all the water on our planet evaporates or contaminates and we are left with nothing but the sun shining directly upon us. Itu2019s going to be too hard to survive. But unfortunately, human beings due to their greed and craving for destroying nature have misused water and itu2019s becoming evident that most of the continents are now facing scarcity of water and water contamination issues. If we talk about India, since last year itself, reports have been coming about the scarcity of water in the major metropolitan cities and the most alarming fact is the diseases caused by water contamination are also on the rise. People are taking precautions by hiring cleaning services near them but that has not been enough. What exactly is water contamination? According to the USu2019s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contamination means any physical, chemical, biological or radiological matter in the water that causes health problems. Now, in India, water pollution has become an aggravated issue and even today peopleu2019s awareness is not the top concern for government bodies. Of course, the government has been taking the initiative to maintain cleanliness and sanitation of the major water bodies but the largest problem is the untreated sewage channels in all the states. Recent news has disclosed that Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow, Chandigarh, and many other cities do not have safe drinking water coming from their taps. The tap water in Mumbai is the safest in India. Now the question comes what are the reasons for water contamination? Well, letu2019s have a look into some of the basic causes. Major reasons for water contamination Water pollution in larger water bodies is caused due to various reasons. But the only thing that is common is all of them are the result of human activity. Plastic has become a major cause for contamination as it does not dissolve easily like others and lasts for a longer time than any other material once thrown out. Chemical wastes and plastic have become the foremost source of contamination. Apart from this letu2019s look at other focal reasons. u2022tIndustrial waste and chemicals u2013 Have you heard of the case of Lake Bellandur of Bangalore catching fire from time to time? Bellandur Lake is one of the largest and most polluted water bodies in the city due to the toxic chemicals, sewage filth, garbage, and construction debris tossed by humans have become lethal. The exact reason for the starting of the fire is unknown but it is definite that the toxic materials and fumes in the water are responsible for boosting it. When this water is sent to your home, you consume it without having any other alternative and this water definitely can cause serious diseases. u2022tSewage Management u2013 Another important cause of water contamination is the disposal of sewage water into clean water bodies and no proper maintenance for it. The sewage water should be chemically treated before dumping it in the water which is not being carried out by the government and authorities properly. This sewage water consists of various dangerous bacteria and viruses that cause deadly diseases. u2022tStorage Water Tanks u2013 This is a very neglected yet important part of the process of water being delivered to for your personal use. But most people do not consider this as a form of water contamination reason. If the water tank is not cleaned properly, then algae, bacteria, viruses, minerals, and sediments start developing contaminating the water. Also as most of the water tanks are located on top of the roofs or in open ground, there is a chance of animals and other insects dying in the water if in case they get in which definitely make the water contaminated. So, it is very important to check your tanks regularly and hire professional water tank cleaning services in Bangalore to maintain a healthy water supply. Diseases following water contamination There are various other reasons like deforestation, urban development, leakage from landfills, etc. that pollute the water. But we also need to know what happens if we drink or use this contaminated water. Here is a list of diseases that confronts you after using polluted water. u2022tArsenicosis u2013 This disease is caused due to the constant exposure to and using contaminated water and causes very painful skin abrasions that might lead to cancer. u2022tDysentery u2013 The most common water born disease is dysentery where the patients have nausea, abdominal cramps, high fever, and even blood in faeces. u2022tTyphoid fever u2013 Typhoid fever is also acquired through polluted water. The patient can have symptoms of high fever along with nausea, loss in appetite and severe headache. u2022tCholera fever u2013 The most dangerous of fevers is cholera. Also known as the u2018Blue Deathu2019. The patients can die within a short time if not properly treated and their bodies turn into bluish-grey shade during their death. Hence the name Blue Death. u2022tTrachoma u2013 It is commonly known as an eye infection. This causes redness in the eyes due to lesions in the eyes which might lead to blindness. These are just a few of the many other diseases that follow water pollution. Awareness and action are the keys to stopping water pollution and water crisis. Itu2019s time to understand the intensity of the situation that we are in and take proper actions for it. Cleaning and sanitizing in an eco-friendly way is the only route for the survival of living species on this earth.
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