The issue of water pollution in the UK, discussing the different causes of contamination, along with the effects of this on our health and the environment.
Looks at water pollution in the UK this is part of paper 2 Unit C the challenge of resource management the quantity of water is important but the quality of that water is also really important so we’re going to start off by thinking about how we monitor water quality across the UK well the environment agency is in charge of doing this job and it does it in number of ways it regularly monitors river water quality and when it is needed it will remove sediment through a
filtration process or will add chlorine to purify water it also has strict regulations on water use including restrictions on recreational use of water sources so for example no power boats on certain reservoirs it will also impose fines on those who pollute water sources in 2021 Southern water was F 90 million for repeatedly and deliberately dumping raw sewage between 2010 and 2015 it had Unleashed around 21 billion lers of untreated sewage into local waterways and is continuing to discharge waste today despite this monitoring pollution.
Has caused a deterioration of groundwater sources across the UK the main cause causes our chemical runoff and raw sewage so let’s start off with looking at chemical runoff in a bit more detail chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture have run off into waterways this causes around 40% of all water pollution in England this leads to the process of urif foration which cause algae blooms which then take huge amounts of oxygen in waterways so there is far less for other species there are no rivers in England that are
considered to be in good chemical health currently this has an impact on Marine Wildlife for example many freshwater fish species are in Decline but it also has a risk for human health particularly as rivers and lakes are used for recreation Open Water swimming and paddle Sports have increased in popularity in recent years but those who take part have a risk of being exposed to chemicals which can affect their health let’s move on to raw sewage untreated sewage is released by water companies on a daily basis this causes 35% of water
pollution. England the UK has a combined sewage system which means that rain water and waste water from toilet sink showers Etc are carried in the same pipes to a sewage treatment works however during heavy rainfall the capacity of these pipes can be exceeded causing the inundation of sewage works and possible widespread flooding so at these times there is an overflow system which means excess waste waterer can be discharged into seeds and rivers this is called combined sewer overflows if this is done during heavy
rainfall then the sewage will be diluted by the rain however there are some water companies that have been accused of dumping raw sewage when it’s not raining and this is illegal a report from surface against sewage water in 2023 highlighted that raw sewage discharges entered our waterways 399,00 times during that year and that there were over 18,000 realtime sewage and pollution alerts in that same period as a result 60% of populous women sites do not meet minimum safety requirements sewage can contain many disease causing.
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Microorganisms including viruses bacteria and parasites and these have led to a sharp rise in waterborne illnesses in the UK so what are the health risks of sewage well firstly we have gastrointestinal infections such as diarrhea vomiting and stomach cramps and a fever can also be caused by salmonella and ecoli we also have viral infections such as gastroenteritis which can be caused by neuro virus from contaminated water we can have respiratory illnesses such as lung and Airway infections which have been caused by inhaling sewage.
Droplets skin problems such as eczema or rashes can be caused by contact with contaminated water and repeated or prolonged exposure to sewage can also lead to long-term health issues such as Digestive and respiratory symptoms and irritation of the nose throat and skin raw sewage in our waterways has had an impact on several sporting events over the last couple of years let’s start off with the Oxford Cambridge boat race in March 2024 Before the Race high levels of ecoli were detected in the Temps at Putney and Mort Lake this is a stretch
of the river where the event takes place as a precaution crew members were warned not to swallow water and to protect themselves by covering up all exposed scratches cuts and grazes they were also told that the tradition of the winning team throwing their into the water was not allowed to go ahead they should lift them into the air instead however despite these precautions three members of the Oxford team went down with a strain of ecoli in 2023 the sundland world Triathlon competition took place at Roka Beach.
water testing that was carried out 3 days before the race showed dangerously high levels of ecoli in the water in fact the levels W
ere 39 times higher than the region taken in July a month earlier the cause of this XX bacteria was identified as a large sewage dumping that had occurred in Whitburn which is 2 km north of Roka Beach 57 swimmers came down with sickness and diarrhea following the event and there are of course other causes of water pollution that we just need to mention quickly runoff from roads and towns which contain pollutant
such as oil. this causes 18% of water pollution in England we also have chemicals from old underground mine workings which have been leeched into waterways we’ve got industrial sites that discharge waste into waterways power stations that release the water used in the cooling process back into waterways we’ve got poorly maintained set IC tanks in an adequate Plumbing which causes sewage to run into the rivers and finally we have microplastics which are tiny pieces of any kind of plastic debris like the ones that you
can see on the screen which are often found in our drinking water supplies and the fish that we eat.
Ocean Noise Pollution | Silent Killer of Marine Life | The Planet Voice
Marine life is a complex and diverse ecosystem that relies on various sensory cues to survive from the smallest plank into the largest whales Marine creatures depend on a finely tuned Orchestra of natural sounds to survive and thrive sound is the lifeblood of the ocean unlike US Marine animals rely on sound more than sight to communicate navigate find food and avoid Predators whales sing complex songs to attract mates and establish territory Dolphins use echolocation to hunt and interact even shrimp create clicking noises to stun
prey this intricate Symphony of natural sounds is crucial for their survival but this delicate balance is being disrupted human activities are generating unprecedented levels of noise creating an invisible threat known as ocean noise pollution the main culprits are numerous commercial shipping with its constant drone of engines and propellers seismic surveys blasting powerful air guns to explore underwater oil and gas reserves offshore drilling with its Relentless pounding and Machinery noise military sonar exercises emitting intense bursts
of sound and recreational activities like boating and jet skiing these noises travel vast distances underwater often drowning out the natural sounds that marine life depend on imagine trying to have a conversation in the middle of a construction site that’s what our oceans have become for many creatures the effects are profound for whales and dolphins noise pollution can cause disorientation leading to strandings it interferes with their ability to communicate and echolocate at affecting their feeding and breeding fish and
invertebrates also suffer experiencing stress and physical harm from intense noise bursts the entire Marine ecosystem is thrown off balance specifically the Quest for oil and gas beneath the seabed adds a significant layer of noise pollution seismic surveys involve loud repetitive air gun blasts that can disrupt marine life for miles around drilling operations with their constant mechanical noise further contribute to the underwater cacophony affecting Marine habitat and behaviors but there is hope by taking action we can mitigate.
the impact of ocean noise pollution and help restore Harmony to our oceans firstly adopting quieter ship designs and propeller Technologies can significantly reduce noise emissions implementing speed limits in key areas can also help secondly establishing Marine protected areas where noisy activities are restricted gives marine life safe havens to communicate and Thrive developing quieter drilling techniques and using alternative methods for underwater exploration can lessen the impact and finally raising awareness
and supporting policies that protect our oceans are steps we can all take by reducing our noise footprint we can give marine life the peace they need to prosper let’s work together to protect the Symphony of the sea ensuring that future Generations can Marvel at the wonders of a healthy vibrant ocean help us to educate others by sharing this with your friends family and the rest of the world.
