Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without treatment, contaminating lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater. This damages plant and animal life. Effects of water pollution are increasingly impacting both the environment and human health. Solutions to water pollution include enforcing laws against polluters, preventing deforestation, oil spills, and industrial emissions, as well as practicing conservation measures like saving water.

1. WATER POLLUTION

2. What is Water Pollution Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater). Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. Water pollution affects plants and organisms living in these bodies of water; and, in almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and populations, but also to the natural biological communities.

3. Water Pollution Effects on Environment The effects of water pollution are increasingly drawing the environment and human beings as well to feel the pinch of polluted water. Water pollution affects our, rivers, lakes, oceans and drinking water. With the increase in population and industrial development, demand for water has increased.

4. WATER POLLUTION SOLUTIONS Charity Begins at Home Before blaming Presidents of various countries and the Spice Girls and other divas for their involvement in polluting water, take a look on the inside. The fact is that each one of us contributes to the damage that is done to our environment. So the best way to deal with it is to try and start with a change that may just turn into a revolution. Check for any illegal setups of pipes that may be making waste flow from the nearest outflow pipe to the nearest creek. Try and help your own locality and the neighboring localities set up programs which will ensure periodic cleaning and maintenance of septic tanks. And of course, one of the best water pollutions solutions for kids is to save water! This will significantly help reduce the workload on the poor overworked septic systems. Also, don't buy plastic, as the plastic industry is actually blamed as being the main culprit when it comes to water pollution, as their chemicals and products which are dumped into the nearest river are non-biodegradable.

5. Enforcing Existing Laws One of the simplest water pollution solutions is, well quite obvious - make water protection laws more stringent and penalize anyone who's found breaking them. And when I say anyone, I mean anyone - celebrity or no celebrity. This is one of the best ways to prevent water pollution, and though this may be one of the most difficult water pollution solutions to implement, as it involves politicians actively, if there's genuine concern, this can easily be implemented.

6. STOP DEFORESTATION All the different types of environmental pollution are inter related. For example, forests are the main source of absorbing rain water and soaking it up. However, due to the extensive spread of sprawling companies and residential complexes that is occurring at the cost of forests, leading to rampant deforestation, this entire mechanism of soaking in rain water comes to a grinding halt. Due to this, the rain water then gets diverted directly into streams, not only over exposing the soil, and taking away the fertile part of it, but also carrying pollution in the form of sediment with it. Thus, one of the solutions for water pollution, is to simply plant more trees! You'll get fresh air and clean water in the bargain - come on, it's a win-win situation!

7. Preventing Oil Spills Oil spills are a sad but true fact that is plaguing our oceans and having disastrous consequences on our marine ecosystem. Some simple and practical ways of nipping this problem in the bud is to simply quicken the pace and the rate at which such vessels carrying oil move. Also, the government can play an important role in this problem, like strictly regulating and inspecting the movement of commercial ships, and educating citizens about the dire consequences of this problem. Also a way in which we can all contribute in our own small way is to try and use transport that does not consume too much of petrol, like public transport. Imagine, preventing water pollution and air pollution at the same time!

8. Prevent Emissions Industrial water pollution isn't something that any of us are privy to, but one of the most scary discoveries of late has been the graveness of the fact that is known as mercury pollution. US power plants account for more than 40% of mercury emissions in the US. Also, the phenomenon of mercury poisoning isn't new to us either. The solution to this problem is to prevent the amount of mercury pollution coming from land. We can implement one of the simplest water pollution solutions by simply preventing the amount of coal burning that is done, as this will significantly reduce the mercury pollution, that is occurring to such an extent that our marine ecosystem is being irreversibly harmed and damaged. Other problems, like acid rain can also be dealt with by preventing the amount of emissions coming from factories and production plants.

9. WATER POLLUTION SLOGAN “The water you pollute will find its way back to you.”