Water pollution

LO: To understand how we damage and protect

environments
Definition
• Water pollution is the contamination of
water sources.

• Also a change in the physical, chemical and

biological properties of water that will
have a negative impact on living things

• This occurs when pollutants (such as

chemicals) are released directly or
indirectly
Causes
• 1. Sewage

• Wastewater is treated, cleaned and often

goes back into the sea or rivers.

• 2.Chemical Fertilisers
•
• Used by farmers and contain strong
chemicals
• that can run off into the water.
Causes
• 3. Industry

• Industries produce huge amount of waste

which contains toxic chemicals and
pollutants such as lead, mercury, sulphur,
nitrates and many other harmful
chemicals.

• 4. Marine Dumping

• Involves dumping of litter into the sea.

These items can take hundreds of years to
decompose.
Causes
• 5. Fossil fuels

• For example coal and oil. When burned

these produce nitrogen oxides.
Effect
• 1. Sewage
• In not-so-developed countries,
• the sewage is not treated but quickly
dumped into the sea or water bodies.

• This is VERY dangerous because they can

lead to many deadly diseases
Effect
• 2.Chemical fertilisers = algae

• This can cause algae to bloom and grow at

an unnaturally fast rate.

• 3. Industrial waste

• Many industries do not have proper waste

management system and drain the waste in
the fresh water which goes into rivers,
canals and later in to sea.
Effect
• 4. Marine dumping = litter

• These items can take hundreds of years to

decompose. The litter can become caught
in the animals, leading to death.

• 5. Fossil fuel = acid rain

• The nitrogen oxide goes up into the clouds

and results in acid rain.
Water pollution mind map
• BFY pg 328
• Use a clean page in your exercise book
• Make a mind map showing the causes and
effects of water pollution (rivers, lakes and
seas)
• Include
• Rubbish
• Chemical waste
• Untreated sewage
• Fertilisers