Is Water so Important?

We never realized how easy it is to obtain water but we almost never think how necessary it is for man, animals and plants. Next to the air we breathe, water is the most important thing in our lives. Human bodies, animals and plants contain more water than any substance, without it, we could die. Water is one of our natural resources that will never dry up but fresh,clean water is not always available. Many people are unaware of how so many things that we use in our daily lives can destroy the cleanliness of our water systems. Sewage, wasting solid materials, acidic particles in atmosphere, accidental oil spills and rising temperatures due to global warming are harmful effects on our waterways. Not only does it have an affect on human population, it can also affect the wildlife ecosystems.

We easily take clean water for granted. Farmers and businesses use great quantities of water. Households use thousands of gallons in a year for bathing, cooking, cleaning and watering lawns. Waterways provide for necessary ways to ship goods. Landscapes would look uninteresting without lakes,creeks,rivers and ocean views.

Water is described as a colorless liquid with the formula H2O. A tiny molecule of water contains one atom of oxygen and 2 atoms of hydrogen. All living things need oxygen to survive. Without it animals could not survive. A person could die within minutes without it. Because water is important and used for so many things, it is crucial that we keep water free from impurities that can harm our environment.

Many cities continue to spill untreated sewage into nearby lakes and rivers where drinking water is obtained. Industries also pour waste into accessible waters. Pesticides and chemicals in fertilizers wash off farmlands into streams. As a result of this, water purification is becoming harder and more expensive to achieve.

Other waste products are ejected into the air, on the ground and into bodies of water. They can end up polluting our water systems and other natural resources. The burning of fossil fuels from factories or power plants can be mixed into water vapors that are present. And gases, such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides, are released into the atmosphere. Acid rain is polluting the water supplies, killing trees and plants,fisheries and water systems. It is undoubtedly evident in areas near power plants, factories and automobiles.

An abundance of sewage or chemicals in bodies of water can cause algae to grow which in turns blocks sunlight to marine plants under the water's surface. Animal that feed off these plants would die. The overload of algae and the dead matter builds up over time. Eventually, oxygen supply is expended and bacteria that can live without oxygen takes over. What once was a clean source of water and a habitat for aquatic creatures, is now a tainted, contaminated swamp.

Poisonous chemicals that leak into the ground and filter into nearby lakes and rivers which contaminate the water systems can have negative effects on our health. The chemicals from the pesticides can cause damage to our nervous,reproductive and endocrinal body systems. Other contaminants to our water such as lead, nitrates and florides can cause the development of cancers, brain damage and birth defects.

Oil spills in the ocean contain many common chemicals that can affect marine ecosystems. The oil spill of 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico was one of the biggest disasters yet. The impact of the oil spill devastated the ecosystem for miles. According to Amadad, after 10 million pounds of oil was cleaned up, the residue planted into the marshlands,killed the vegetation and caused erosion. Birds and turtles washed up on the shore along with the oil. (2018).

The dangerous effects that create pollution to our water resources disrupts our ecosystems and their developments. Wildlife that consumes the contaminated water may contact diseases and this can decrease their population. Furthermore, if humans consume the wildlife, plants or seafood that are contaminated by these pollutants, numerous illnesses can be contracted.

There has been some progress in the reducing of pollutants in our water systems through the use of chemical filters and devices to control exhaust leaks on automobiles. Improvement of industrial pollution bear in mind comes with a huge price tag.

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