– Polluted water, as defined by WHO, is unusable due to toxic changes, causing diseases like cholera, dysentery, and more. – Over 500,000 deaths annually are attributed to waterborne diseases globally.
– Bacteria, viruses, parasites, fertilizers, pesticides, plastics, and more are invisible pollutants. – Testing water and aquatic organisms is essential to determine water quality.
– Human activities, including global warming, deforestation, industry, agriculture, livestock farming, rubbish dumping, maritime traffic, and fuel spillages, contribute to water pollution. – Each activity has specific consequences, from reduced oxygen content to eutrophication.
– Deteriorating water quality hampers economic growth, exacerbating poverty globally. – Destruction of biodiversity, contamination of the food chain, lack of potable water, diseases, and infant mortality are among the consequences.
– David Malpass, President of the World Bank, warns of economic stagnation due to deteriorating water quality. – Regions with high biological oxygen demand witness a one-third reduction in GDP growth.
Preserving Tomorrow's Water Today
– Prevention is crucial as half the world may live in water-scarce areas by 2025. – Measures include reducing CO2 emissions, minimizing chemical use in agriculture, treating waste water, and restricting single-use plastics.
– As we face the impending scarcity of water, join the movement to prevent pollution. – Small actions today can lead to a sustainable and thriving water future for generations to come.