When we talk about drinking water pollution, we mean changes in water quality that can have an undesirable effect on life forms that rely on water, including human beings and animals. Pollution can come in many different forms. It can be chemical in nature, for example, stemming from hazardous chemicals or drugs. It can also take the form of human or animal waste, bacteria, and even parasites.
Water pollutants can be classified as follows:
- Disease Causers: This category of pollutants includes things like bacteria and viruses. It also includes parasites and protozoa. The results of this type of drinking water pollution can range from minor illnesses to death.
- Oxygen Deprivers: There are some types of waste that are decomposed by bacteria that need oxygen. In large numbers, such bacteria can lower oxygen levels in the water. The result is the death of other organisms that live in the water, such as fish life.
- Inorganic Pollutants: Water-soluble acids and toxic metals can pollute drinking water and make it unsafe for consumption. Like many other types of water pollutants, they can also kill organisms that live in the water. Salts are in this category as well.
- Nutrients: This sounds innocuous but is quite the opposite. This category includes water-soluble nitrates and phosphates. These substances may cause water plant life to grow so much that they deplete the oxygen in the water. This often leads to dead fish. In drinking water, it can be deadly for young children as well.
- Organic Compounds: This category includes oils and plastics. It also includes pesticides. This particular category of polluters is dangerous for animals, human beings, and plant life.
- Radioactive Compounds: This is a particularly frightening category of polluters. These compounds may not only cause cancer, but may even prove harmful to human life before birth. Radioactive compounds in water may cause birth defects or contribute to other types of genetic damage.
Drinking water pollution is a serious problem that can have effects that range from minor irritation to serious health damage and possibly even death. Many people rely on their municipal water suppliers to ensure that their water is safe for consumption. All too often, they are surprised to learn that the methods used in treating drinking water may not be enough to make it safe. In fact, some chemicals used to treat water may prove dangerous as well. To better their chances of staying healthy, many people opt to use tap water filters to make their H20 truly safe.
Click Here to View the Best Water Filters Available and Save 20% off Retail