Water is an important factor for the existence of human and living organisms. It is the source of many kind so aquatic animals and plants. Furthermore, water is also useful for agriculture, industry, as well as household for drinking, cooking, or washing and cleaning. Water also creates fertility for living organisms. Properties of water that is the most beneficial for human and living organisms are pure, clean, germ-free, and toxin-free.
In the past, human can use water resource from natural source, which is different from the present day where there is a problem of unsuitable water quality or water pollution to the extent that water cannot be used from natural source. These problems have many causes;
Causes of Water Pollution;
- Wastewater and sewage from the community such as water used for cleaning, most of which are contaminated with organic substances to the extent that water becomes polluted.
- Wastewater from industrial factory. If factory illegally releasing wastewater into water source, it will cause water to become polluted easily due to large quantity and high contaminant rate.
- Natural wastewater may be due to polluted water when water is stagnant and no circulation.
- Due to agricultural land as most farmers use more and more pesticide leaving residue on plants and soil surface. When it is raining, residue will be washed into rivers causing water pollution.
Impact of Water Pollution;
- Impact on aquatic animals’ life cycle such as wastewater due to poisonous substance may cause immediate death in fish and living organisms. Wastewater due to lowered oxygen level in the water may kill plant and small aquatic animals that are foods for fishes reducing the source of abundance or food source for aquatic animals.
- Being the source of epidemics such as cholera, dysentery, and diarrhea.
- Having impact on cultivation because wastewater has unsuitable acidity and alkalinity for agriculture.
- Having impact on landscape because beauty of water source can be used as recreational location or organizing water activities for entertainment purposes.
- Causing change in ecosystem such as wastewater having bad odor.
Method to prevent water pollution;
- Instilling conscience in youth in terms of learning and realizing the value of water conservation.
- Building conscience in people to realize the importance of maintaining water source quality.
- Campaigning for corporations and organizations to treat and remove poisonous substance toxin before releasing water into water source.
- Campaigning for reducing water usage and reducing quantity of household garbage.
- Together preventing polluted water, not disposing garbage and sewage or poisonous substance into water source or sewer.
Most polluted water problem or water pollution are caused by human’s activities. Transferring knowledge to children and youth as well as parents and general public to realize the damage and to learn how to prevent polluted water problem properly is the correct and sustainable way to solve water pollution problem.