Index Water Pollution Impact of Water Pollution on Animals Impact of Water Pollution on People Conclusion Water Pollution Water pollution results from the disposal of waste in bodies and sources of water storage. Various factors have been associated with water pollution as causes of the environmental problem. For example, the expansion of urban centers has contributed, directly and indirectly, to water pollution. Construction works aimed at expanding cities lead to rising debris that pollutes water when it flows into rivers and lakes. The expansion of urban centers also attracts large populations who dispose of waste without considering safety standards. As a result, the waste is washed into water bodies where it pollutes the water. Additionally, water pollution in urban centers results from industrial agriculture in which farmers use chemicals in an attempt to increase yields to meet the growing demand for food supplies. When chemicals are released into rivers, lakes and dams, they contaminate the water, making it unsafe for human consumption. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Deforestation and agriculture are also factors related to water pollution as an environmental problem. Cutting down forests to obtain wood can lead to water pollution by promoting soil erosion. Land that does not have the protective cover provided by trees is subject to erosion during rainfall. Soil erosion makes the water cloudy and dangerous for people and aquatic life. Furthermore, efforts to till the soil while the land is being prepared for agriculture encourage water pollution resulting from soil erosion. Fertilizers used in agricultural fields to increase crop yields cause water pollution when they are carried into water bodies by rainwater. Groundwater also becomes vulnerable to pollution when chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides are used in agriculture. Impact of Water Pollution on Animals Water pollution affects aquatic animals in many ways, regardless of its severity. For example, dirty water can lead to the death of aquatic animals such as fish as it clogs their gills. Additionally, water pollution affects aquatic life by reducing oxygen levels in the habitats of these animals. Water rich in agricultural chemicals is vulnerable to eutrophication which makes it easily soluble in compounds such as phosphate. When water dissolves these compounds, it loses a significant amount of oxygen, endangering the lives of aquatic animals. According to Chaudhry and Malik (2017), nitrogen compounds used to produce fertilizers lead to a deficiency of dissolved oxygen since they are highly soluble in water and which can result in the death of aquatic animals. The challenge facing efforts to address eutrophication resulting from the use of nitrogenous compounds in agriculture is that the chemicals have such a high leaching rate that they also pollute groundwater. Interestingly, some areas may have high contents of nitrogen and phosphate compounds on the soil surface and these are carried into water bodies killing aquatic animals without the knowledge of authorities. For example, in its report, the EPA (2017) found that approximately twenty percent of the country's lakes contain nitrogen and phosphorus compounds that may have been washed from different areas without being detected.Water pollution also leads to the growth of bacteria and algae that affect aquatic animals. Dirty water is vulnerable to the growth of algae and bacteria which have been associated with high aquatic animal mortality. Eutrophic water provides a suitable environment for algae to grow. Algae tend to compete with fish and other aquatic animals for nutrients and oxygen. Continued growth of algae can deplete water of its nutrients and lead to the death of fish and plants in water bodies. Furthermore, algae can clog the gills of fish and prevent them from breathing, causing their death. Mammals and birds are also at risk from water pollution, such as that which hit the coasts of the United States in 2010 (EPA, 2017). The event led to the death of mammals and birds as they ingested oil from bodies of water. Impact of Water Pollution on People People and governments are also affected by water pollution. For example, consuming polluted water causes deadly diseases including cancer (EPA, 2017). The economic activities of people like fishermen also suffer a lot due to the death of aquatic animals due to water pollution. Water pollution disrupts the food chain as it can cause disease and death among species. The government must take responsibility and clean the environment after water pollution and this means a financial burden on its institutions. Water pollution and its impacts have financial implications for the government and other agencies involved in providing the product. For example, water pollution in Michigan in 2016 resulted in financial costs to the government and water agencies. The Environmental Protection Agency estimated that cleaning water sources and pipe systems could cost over $200 million (EPA, 2017). Furthermore, the operation may take a long time to complete, which demonstrates the possibility of additional costs during the cleaning operation. The death of aquatic animals has financial implications for people who depend on seafood for their income. Pollution in 2010 in the United States caused the death of millions of fish and other aquatic animals. The deaths have left a financial impact on people whose income comes from the fishing industry. Furthermore, water pollution causes diseases that incur financial expenses for governments and individuals in the form of purchasing drugs and paying for medical care. Water pollution has such an environmental impact that it disrupts the ecosystem. For example, the 2010 oil spill disrupted the ecosystem as it killed aquatic life and organisms that depend on aquatic animals for survival. Additionally, cloudy water can cause slow growth and even death of trees. The overall impact of destruction, disruption and destruction of ecosystems are complications to the health and hunger of humans as they rely on the ecosystem for food and water. The presence of algae in water, for example, affects the food chain by killing fish and introducing other organisms into water bodies. The reduction in fish numbers affects the food supply of communities that depend on fishing for food. Regarding social impacts, water pollution pushes people to change their eating habits. For example, communities that rely on fish as a staple food may be forced to change their lifestyles when fish die due to water pollution. Lifestyle diseases such as cancer and those resulting from drinking polluted water do.