Question

The quality of water is deteriorating. Give reasons.

Answer 1

Hint: About 80% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water and only a small portion of it is actually portable. Use of water is not done with precaution but further polluted by toxic elements.

Complete answer: Only about 33,400 km is available for the purpose of drinking, agriculture and domestic and industrial consumption. Water is not just being used injudiciously but also polluted at a large scale. Whatever potable water is available, its quality is getting worse day by day. The main reason behind the water quality deteriorating is the use of excessive pesticides, insecticides, toxic and hazardous wastes, garbage and rubbish and decayed organic materials. The major harm is caused because of chemicals that are shoved from the industries and factories into the water bodies. The industrial effluents and untreated water of industries get mixed into nearby water bodies like streams and rivers. Furthermore, sewerage water also gets mixed into these water bodies. As a consequence, the quality of water is deteriorating each day. The presence of nitrogen in water shortens peoples’ lives. Salinity in water traverses to decrease the fertility of agricultural yields.

Note: It is known that around 20% of the population in the world suffers through water-borne diseases. Portable water should be odourless, colourless and tasteless.