Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination and a change of state in a water bodies (such as lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater) caused by human activities.  Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without any adequate treatment to remove the harmful compounds.

Water pollution can be caused by:

• Eutrophication. Eutrophication is when the environment becomes enriched with nutrients. This can be a problem in marine habitats such as lakes as it can cause algal blooms.
  
• Sewage and wastewater. Domestic households, industrial, and agricultural practices produce wastewater that can cause pollution of many lakes and rivers.
• Marine dumping. Dumping of litter in the water bodies can cause huge problems to the water ecosystem.
• Industrial water and water pollution.  Industries produce pollutants and it is a huge source of water pollutions.
• Nuclear waste. Nuclear waste is produced from industrial, medical and scientific processes that use radioactive material and it could have detrimental effects on the water habitants.
• Oil pollution. Oceans are polluted by oil on a daily basis from oil spills, routine shipping, run-offs and dumping.
• Atmospheric.  Atmospheric is when the pollution of water caused by air pollution.  When the water particles mix with carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere, it forms weak acid.  Acid rain is when the rain water is polluted with these gasses, and this pollutes the water bodies.
• Global Warming.  The increase of the water temperature can disrupt many marine habitats and kill many aquatic organisms.
• Underground storage leakages.  Underground Storage Tanks often store substances, such as petroleum, that are harmful for the environment.

The water pollution can causes flood, erosion, lack of water resources, landslides, damages to water ecosystems, many diseases to human beings, and losses to fishermen.

 

The water pollution also occurs in Central Kalimantan.  The level of mercury contamination that occurred in three major rivers in Central Kalimantan, the Barito River, Kahayan River, and Kapuas River, is still dangerous because it exceeds the required quality standard.  Standard maximum limit of mercury concentration is set at 2.000 micro grams per liter.  Mercury pollution exceeds the standard in the region occurred in Barito watershed, Tewah river, with a concentration of 5.519 micro gram per liter.  In Kahayan watershed, high mercury concentrations between 2.966 to 4.687 micro grams per liter was found in Bawan, Tanjung Sanggalang, Tumbang Rungan, Kahayan Bridge, Jabiren, and Pulang Pisau.  The most severe conditions occur in the Kapuas watershed with pollution levels that reached 7.029 micro grams per liter. Areas that suffer pollution in this river are Mentangai, Kuala Kapuas, Pulau Tilu, Timpah, Masaran, and Masaran Hulu.

References:

• The Guides Network. (2003-2011). The Causes of Water Pollution. Available: http://water-pollution.wp.fubra.vc.catn.com/causes.html. Last accessed 15th May 2011. 
• Wikipedia. (2003-2011). Water pollution. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pollution. Last accessed 15th May 2011.
• Wikipedia. (2007-2011). Pencemaran air. Available: http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencemaran_air. Last accessed 15th May 2011.
• ·   KapanLagi.com. (2003-2010). Pencemaran Merkuri di Sungai Kalteng Sudah Membahayakan. Available: http://berita.kapanlagi.com/pernik/pencemaran-merkuri-di-sungai-kalteng-sudah-membahayakan-ptx8wue.html. Last accessed 15th May 2011.
  
  
  By. Yulina Citra Lativolia.