Water Pollution and its Impacts to Human Health

Water Pollution 

         Water is a one of the core components of the environment. Life as we know it on earth significantly relies on the availability of water in it's different forms and states. It's ironic that over seventy percent (70%) of the globe is made up of water, with over sixty percent (60%) of the global population lack access to ample safe water for household uses. The extensive study of water and the hydrological cycle as well as the different factors that render the water toxic to human, flora and fauna is crucial in understanding water conservation as a core factor of the environment. Moreover, the effective comprehension of water conservation as a facet of environment, is paramount in highlighting the myriad of diseases and disorders caused by the ingestion or use of polluted water.

     Water pollution can be defined as the presence of foreign particulate matter (organic, inorganic, radiological or microbiological ) that alters the waters characteristics as a universal solvent. Moreover, the foreign particulate matter or rather pollutant render the water toxic to either human, flora and fauna adversely impacting the biota and their ideal niches. 

The main water pollutants find their way to the sources of water primarily through human activities. Generally, water pollutants can be categorized into three main groups

   (a). Biological

Biological water pollutants include a wide array of microorganisms mainly bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa and helminths 

   

   (b). Chemical

Chemical water pollutants include of organic and inorganic compounds, for instance fertilizers, herbicides, pesticide comprised of heavy metal, with adverse effect to human beings, plants and animals once consumed or used domestically.

   ( c). Physical

Physical contaminants /pollutant affect the water, physical aspects like color,taste, density, opacity as well as boiling and melting points. 

Causes of Water Pollution 

Some of the leading sources of water pollution include industrial effluent,  domestic sewage waste, fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides, poor personal hygine, rapid urbanization,  population growth and poor water management system. The flow of the above pollutant contaminate the water sources, water under transmission as well as at the destination (during the use). The implementation and enactment of control measures that significantly reduce the contamination of the myriad of pollutant into different water sources or bodies is termed as water conservation. The bio diversity of different flora and fauna significantly relies on  having access safe water not only for drinking but also breeding areas and place to live and thrive. 

        Water pollution has directly or indirectly adversely affected the human health as well as quality of human life. 

(i)  The impact of Biological Water Pollutants to Human health

Bacterial Water Borne Diseases

       Biological water pollutants are primarily added as water contaminant to water from either the source, during transportation of water as well as during storage for household purposes. One of the main mode that the biological water pollutants get into water is sewage overflow and fecal contamination of the water. Microbe like Escherichia coli (E.coli) that causes diarrhea and dysentery, Vibro cholera -causitive agent of cholera, Salmonella Typhi- causative agent of typhoid, Camplobacter jejuni- damages the mucous membranes of the illum (small intestines ) causing bloody diarrhea and dysentery: are some of the main microorganisms adversely affecting human health due to ingestion or use of polluted untreated water.

Viral Water Borne Disease

The physiological and biochemical nature of viruses have evolved to use water as a means to get to their preferred host.  Hepatitis A and D are common viruses transmitted by untreated water. The virus establish themselves on the hosts liver causing jaundice,  fever and fatigue and malaise. Poliomyelitis is also a common viral water borne infection that attracks the hosts nervsous and muscskeletal system that eventually causes paralysis of limbs.

Parasitic Water Borne Infections

One of the global leading parasite transmitted via polluted, untreated water is Cryptosporidium parvum a causative agent of cryptosporidiosis. The infection causes diarrhea,  stomach cramps, watery stool, and fever is associated with a significant fraction of mortality particularly within the developing world.

(ii) Impacts of Chemical Water Pollutants to Human Health

The main adverse effect of chemical water pollution to human health is primarily associated with heavy metal ions contamination. Heavy metals like lead (Pb), Colbat ( C), Mercury (Hg), and lithium (L), are some of the most common water pollutants all over the globe. Extensive studies undertaken on the impacts heavy metals contamination to human health have shown a robust correlation of the heavy metals and prevalence of cancer causing cells. The studies categorize most if not all heavy metal as carcinogenic to human and a significant fraction of fauna. Moreover, flora grown for human consumption attain the carcinogenic traits to human once irrigated by water polluted by heavy metals. Heavy metals ingested in water can also cause miscarriages, pre-mature births as well as still births to pregnant women.

Florochlorocarbons are some of the most common inorganic compounds used in most pesticides and insecticides. Water contaminated with florochlorocarbon has shown to cause different kinds of cancers, stomach upsets and diarrhea, weakened bones and teeth as well as nausea, fatigue and malaise.

Control 

The implementation of effective water management system is one of the main control measures to mitigate water pollution.

The proper disposal of industrial effluent and sewage overflow is a crucial step in the control of water pollution. Moreover, the proper disposal of human and animal waste to avoid access to any water source or transmission system is crucial in the control of biological water pollutants.

      The effective treatment of water for domestic and other household purposes as well as boiling water used for drinking significantly reduces the risk factor of the water to cause infection.

Finally, effective cleaning and sterilization of utensils used in either storing and drinking water reduces the viral load hence control water borne diseases.