Water Pollution in America Essay - 563 Words

When you think of problems in the world today, water pollution isn’t one that would normally come up. In fact it is one of the worst problems in the world today. Water pollution, by definition, is the contamination of streams, lakes, underground water, bays, or oceans by any substances harmful to living things. All living things contain water and most need water to survive, so water pollution is a big problem. If severe, the pollution can kill off birds, fish, and any animals that use the water source. In some cases even killing an entire species. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Keeping the pollution to a minimal isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. The major water pollutants are chemical, biological, or physical materials that†¦show more content†¦nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Heavy metals, such as copper, lead, mercury, and selenium are another group of toxins that pollute the water as well as the rest of the environment. The source of many of these pollutants are industries, automobile exhaust, mines, and even natural soil. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Hazardous wastes are another problem for the water in our world. These wastes are toxic, reactive, corrosive or ignitable. Most problems come from humans not storing the substance properly or not disposing of it correctly. This can be easily proven in 1969, when the Cuyahoga River, in Cleveland, Ohio, caught on fire and burned for sometime. Since this happened environmentalists have taken extreme measures to reduce the amount of pollution that is coming out of the power plants that are on the river and on Lake Erie. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Thermal pollution is the final problem that I am going to discuss. Thermal pollution is probably the most over-looked pollution problem. Water is often drawn from sources for the use as a coolant in power plants and factories. The water is usually returned to the source much warmer than when it was taken. Even a small temperature change in the water can make groups of organisms move along to different waters. There can even be death to all organismsShow MoreRelatedEssay on Water Pollution in America2964 Words   |  12 Pages Water pollution and pollution in general is a problem that people don’t like to deal with. Water pollution can cause so much damage to people and to the animals that live in that body of water. The laws that we have are doing what they need to but we need to monitor the water more closely because if we don’t catch the pollution when it happens it could have a disastrous impact on the environment. It could kill all of the plant and animal life that lives in the water. Some of the pollutions thatRead MoreIn America, Air Pollution Was An Insidious Problem That1486 Words   |  6 Pages In America, air pollution was an insidious problem that became so great that the government had to step in and create laws in order to regulate human activity involving pollutants. Humans generate air pollution through the combustion of fossil fuels and wood, driving a motorized vehicle, and industrial processes, such as the smelting of heavy metals. Most air pollution exists in urban areas where heavy industries prevail. The Industrial Revolution in the late twentieth century caused air pollutionRead MoreEffects Of Pollution On Our Natural Environment Essay1171 Words   |  5 Pagesthan within it.† ― Patrick Ness. Environmental pollution is one of the greatest dangers to our planet. Pollution destroys our natural environment and jeopardizes human existence. It’s obvious the economy finds numerous advantages in technological development. However, harmful toxins produced from the work of industrial facilities and construction sites as well as the use of transportation contaminate and pollute the environment considerably. Pollution is a process of contaminating the environmentRead MoreWater Pollution in Lake Huron1196 Words   |  5 PagesWater Pollution on Lake Huron Water Pollution on Lake Huron Introduction Pollution is the presence of dangerous and unwanted substances in the ecosystem that causes imbalance and health hazards to the living. Water pollution is the presence of unwanted substances or particles in water, which causes imbalance in water systems. Lake Huron is among the largest fresh water sources in the States located in North America. Lake Huron is one of the most polluted fresh water lakes in America. It coversRead MoreThe Effects Of Water Pollution On The Environment1322 Words   |  6 Pagesspoiled to never being without is Clean Water. Water is a major concern all around the world but here in america we have rarely experienced any type of serious water shortages. Just because america has never had any problem such as lack of clean drinkable water doesn t mean it won t happen in the future. We are rapidly using all of our freshwater and with a fast growing population the effects can be seen by just looking at our Great Lakes and even at Hoover Dam. Water levels are declining in our freshwaterRead MoreThe Great Lakes Of Water Essay1187 Words   |  5 Pagesmade of water. 97 percent of earths water is saline water and not safe for human consumption. This leaves just 3 percent of earth’s water as fresh water most of which is icecaps and glaciers. 68 percent of the fresh water on Earth is found in icecap s and glaciers. 30 percent of fresh water is found in ground water leaving around .3 percent of earth’s water as surface fresh water. Of the .3 percent of surface fresh water the great lakes make up 84% of North America s surface fresh water and aboutRead MoreThe American Industrial City : The Issue Of Fresh Water, Water Pollution, And Smells1480 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Industrial City: The Issue of Fresh Water, Water Pollution, and Smells Throughout the mid-19th century, many cities across America were becoming industrialized and growing in size. As a city develops and grows, the city uses resources such as food, water, raw products, and energy. All these resources are consumed within a city. The outcome of all this consumption is the production of waste (Tarr 15). In the mid-19th century, a massive migration of Americans and wave of migrants fromRead MoreA Brief Note On Pollution And Water Pollution1159 Words   |  5 Pagespolluted river in America, many chemicals such as phosphate and chlorine can be polluted in the water. Precipitation can cause runoff water and can sweep trash and chemicals into the rivers or any nearest water source. This project is concerned about if precipitation has an effect on pollution in the Spoon river. Anybody of water that is contaminated with pollutants, is called Water Pollution. There are two types of water pollution, Nonpoint and Point specific pollution. Nonpoint pollution cannot be foundRead MorePollution Essay1182 Words   |  5 PagesPollution is a nationwide habit that has caused distress among the environment and its inhabitants. This is a serious complication that we as people need to take a stand to develop solutions to prevent contaminating the our water systems, environments, air, and soil. Everyday we witness pollution or participate in polluting our country with our daily tasks. Pollution causes unexpected and devastating changes in our land, river and sea environments(â€Å"Reduce Pollution†). Pollution got my attentionRead MoreWater : The Great Lakes Essay1484 Words   |  6 PagesWater Quality- The Great Lakes 71 percent of the earth’s surface is made of water. 97 percent of earths water is saline water and not safe for human consumption. This leaves just 3 percent of earth’s water as fresh water, most of which is ice caps and glaciers. 68 percent of the fresh water on Earth is found in icecaps and glaciers. 30 percent of fresh water is found in ground water leaving around .3 percent of earth’s water as surface fresh water. Of the .3 percent of surface fresh water the Great