Question

How would a tainted water source impact the environment? Use research for insight. Think about the water issue in Flint,MI.

 

Answer 1

answer-

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (like oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, aquifers and groundwater) usually caused due to human activities like the case of The Flint water crisis first started in 2014 when the drinking water source for the city of Flint, Michigan was changed from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the cheaper Flint River. Due to insufficient water treatment, lead leached from the lead water pipes into the drinking water, exposing over 100,000 residents.

How tainted water affects environment around us-

Diseases: In humans, drinking or consuming polluted water in any way has many disastrous effects on our health. It causes typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and various other diseases.

Destruction of Ecosystems: Ecosystems are extremely dynamic and respond to even small changes in the environment. Water pollution can cause an entire ecosystem to collapse if left unchecked.

Eutrophication: Chemicals in a water body, encourage the growth of algae. These algae form a layer on top of the pond or lake. Bacteria feed on this algae and this decreases the amount of oxygen in the water body, severely affecting the aquatic life there.

Effects the food chain: Disruption in food chains happens when toxins and pollutants in the water are consumed by aquatic animals (fish, shellfish etc) which are then consumed by humans.

The contamination of toxic materials and substance in water source causes degradation of life, quality of water sources, death of water bodies, expose diseases to human life etc.