Water Pollution
Water Pollution Water pollutants may cause disease or act as poisons. Bacteria and parasites in poorly treated sewage may enter drinking water supplies and cause digestive problems such as cholera and diarrhea. Hazardous chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides from industries, farms, homes, and golf courses can cause acute toxicity and immediate death, or chronic toxicity that can lead to neurological problems or cancers. Many water pollutants enter our bodies when we use water for drinking and food preparation. The pollutants enter the digestive tract. From there, they can reach other organs in the body and cause various illnesses. Chemicals come in contact with the skin from washing clothes, or from swimming in polluted water and may lead to skin irritations. Hazardous chemicals in water systems can also affect the animals and plants which live there. Sometimes these organisms will survive with the chemicals in their systems, only to be eaten by humans who may then become mildly ill or...