How to Help Prevent Water Pollution

Everyone can make an important difference in preventing water pollution. Keeping contaminants out of the water supply is much easier than removing them once they are already there. Since everyone needs water to survive, it's certainly correct to state that each person has a responsibility to play an active role in water pollution prevention in his or her community.

Tips for Water Pollution Prevention

• Avoid dumping any type of waste in storm drains, or in their vicinity.
• Do not pour any chemicals or hazardous materials down the drain.
• Immediately report illegal dumping practices you observe to the proper authorities.
• Keep your car in good working order and regularly inspect for leaks.
• Make sure to pick up your pets' waste.
• Minimize the use of chemical lawn and plant fertilizers.
• Properly maintain your home's septic tank system.
• Recycle antifreeze, motor oil, and other automotive fluids.
• Reduce your usage of insecticides and pesticides in your home and yard.
• Take steps to minimize soil erosion around your home.
• Use a drinking water filtration system to keep your family from consuming harmful chemicals.
• Utilize organic plant food in your vegetable gardens and flower beds.
• Additional environmentally responsible activities.

The Clean Water/Clean Air Correlation

Do you think your water quality doesn't affect the quality of the air you breathe? Think again! When you filter the water that enters your home, you also dramatically improve your indoor air quality. Because many homes have an elevated level of chloroform gas that results from unfiltered tap and shower water's vaporization of chlorine, filtered water prevents this gas from contaminating the air you breathe at home.

Livestock And Water Pollution

Waste from livestock pollutes our water. When it rains, water runs over fields and pastures and can carry harmful bacteria from livestock waste to streams and provides unwanted fertilizer in streams. One way to combat this pollution is to compost livestock waste. Also, it is helpful to fence livestock from stream access.

Are You Causing Water Pollution?

One of the facts about water pollution you may not know is that you could be causing it! Driveways and walkways can be sources of water pollution. Oil, antifreeze, and other pollutants can collect on your driveway. If you hose down the driveway, the water carries all these pollutants to the streams. Sweep your driveway and walkways instead of hosing down. Use apple vinegar to kill moss on driveways and walkways. It's also important not to wash your car in the driveway. Soap and chemicals from your car seep into storm drains and ditches, ending up in our streams untreated.

Water Pollution's Chain Reaction

One of the many causes of water pollution is sewage and fertilizers that contain nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates. When these enter our water system in excess levels, the growth of aquatic plants and algae is over-stimulated. As a result of the excessive growth of these aquatic plants, our waterways are clogged. They use up dissolved oxygen as they decompose, and block light to deeper waters. Subsequently, the respiration ability or fish and other invertebrates that reside in water are also damaged.

Pollutants In Storm Drains & Sewers

Many people use storm drains and ditches as places to dispose of all kinds of pollutants, thinking that the water in them will end up in treatment plants. Street litter, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, pet and yard waste, motor oil, anti-freeze, household hazardous wastes, and paint are just a few of the pollutants that find their way into storm drains. This water travels from storm drains into local streams, ponds, and lakes into local streams and rivers. An important water pollution solution is to keep polluting materials out of storm drains and sewers.

Effects of Water Pollution

Fight water pollution to keep our planet safe. The effects of water pollution differ from region to region, depending on the pollutants in the water and environmental factors. Common effects of water pollution include unhealthy or poisonous water, sick animals that pass their sickness on to humans, ecosystems that are unable to support a normal diverse animal and plant habitat and more.

Humidifier Safety

Do you use humidifiers in your home? If you don't maintain them properly, you may be contaminating the very air you're trying to enrich. Humidifiers can become breeding grounds for biological contaminants. They have the potential for causing diseases such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and humidifier fever. Evaporation trays in air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and refrigerators should also be cleaned frequently. Always replace water levels with fresh, clean water!

The Basics Of Water Pollution

Water is undoubtedly the most precious natural resource that exists on our planet. It makes up 70% of the earth's surface. Although we recognize this fact, we disregard it by polluting our rivers, lakes, and oceans. As a result, our planet is being irreparably harmed. Plant and animal species are dying off. Our drinking water has become greatly affected as well as our ability to use water for recreational purposes. Water pollution can be combated once we understand its causes and can then develop ways to reduce them.

The Effects Of Water Pollution

The effects of water pollution are far-reaching. And it's not only humans who are affected. All plants and animals must endure poisonous drinking water, river and lake ecosystems that have become unbalanced and can no longer support biodiversity. Deforestation from acid rain can occur as well. On the whole, water pollution has long-term effects on our health and economic productivity.

Pollution Affects The Food Chain

Pollution in the form of organic material enters waterways in many different forms as sewage, as leaves and grass clippings, or as runoff from livestock feedlots and pastures. When natural bacteria and protozoan in the water break down this organic material, they begin to use up the oxygen dissolved in the water. Many types of fish and bottom-dwelling animals cannot survive when levels of dissolved oxygen drop below two to five parts per million. When this occurs, it kills aquatic organisms in large numbers which leads to disruptions in the food chain.

Water Filtration Systems & Reducing Airborne Contaminants

There are many ways to reduce your risk of airborne contaminants. Be sure to maintain and clean all appliances that come in contact with water. Have a professional inspect and clean appliances, such as filtration systems, furnaces, heat pumps, central and wall air-conditioning units, and furnace-attached humidifiers. Change the filters on all water as well as heating and cooling systems, according to the manufacturer's directions.

Landscaping and Water Pollution Prevention

Your next landscaping project can be an opportunity to encorporate some water pollution prevention strategies into your life. Use grass, wood, gravel and trees to decorate your yard instead of cement and rocks. Pavement in sidewalks, driveways and other landscaped areas increases the speed of runoff by limiting water's access to the ground. Faster flowing runoff is warmer than runoff that has been allowed to percolate. The warm water is dangerous to fish and can also erode streambanks.

Also, use plants in your yard that are native to your area. Non-native plants will need more fertilizer and water that can lead to water pollution.

Septic Systems Can Contribute To Water Pollution

In order to assure you do your part to keep water safe and clean, inspect your septic system every 3-5 years. Failing septic systems pollute. Untreated wastewater from old septic systems can contaminate nearby streams, drinking water sources, and bays. Be sure to pump septic systems as needed.

Hydrocarbons And Water Pollution

Hydrocarbons are a form of organic water pollutant. Hydrocarbons are carbon-hydrogen bonds, which can be divided up into two classes. The first is single-bonded alkanes, double bonded alkenes and triple bonded alkynes (gasses or liquids). The second is aromatic hydrocarbons, which contain ring structures (liquids or solids). Aromatic hydrocarbons such as PAHs are much more reactive than any of the first class kinds of hydrocarbons.

Gardening Safely For Our Water Systems

Did you know that commonly used garden and lawn chemicals can be causes of water pollution? Many pesticides and fertilizers have been found in neighborhood streams across the country. Whenever possible, pull weeds by hand. Avoid the use of chemicals to kill them. If you find it's necessary to use pesticides, try to use them sparingly and as directed. Search for organic alternatives to weed and bug killers.

Reduce Water Pollution While You Shop

You can fight water pollution by avoiding products that are heavily packaged or that are made with dyes. Look for packaging that indicates it can be recycled and try to stick to those items as much as possible. Many counties provide recycling pickup and even offer separate cans for homeowners to deposit their paper, glass and aluminum recyclables. If your county hasn't jumped on the recycling bandwagon yet, look for a local store that offers recycling recepticles. Make a habit of bringing your recycling to the store before you buy new products.