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Causes and Effects of Water Contamination and Shortage

Water is an essential need for all living things such as human beings, animals, and plants

to survive. Living organisms only go for few days without water and then die. Moreover, some

aspects affect the quality of water in the environment. For example, water contamination and

scarcity. Contamination of water affects many areas worldwide. As a result, it has become a

significant concern to many countries. Conversely, water shortage is a growing issue for many

countries globally since drinking water is enormous for governments and individuals. This paper

discusses the effects and causes of water scarcity and contamination that people across the globe

experience.

Firstly, there are some of the causes of water contamination. The sources of water

pollution endanger the life of human beings and wildlife. Moreover, human beings create the

problem of water contamination through their activities such as industrialization. As

industrialization spread worldwide, water quality reduces since most industries discharge their

waste into the water sources. As a result, safe water for drinking becomes limited. Besides,

sewage disposal causes water pollution because most regions do not have sewage treatment

plants (Brika, Bashir, Huda & Hanan 32). Wastes from the toilets and latrines influence the value

of water for consumption. For example, in developing countries, disposes the toilet wastes to the

water bodies, increasing water pollution. Also, the lack of straightforward ways of sewage waste
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control enhances water pollution. Nearly three billion individuals cannot access clean and safe

water. Nevertheless, pesticides and fertilizers cause water contamination because when it rains,

the chemicals move deep to the ground. The chemicals pollute the groundwater, which

contaminates water sources such as lakes, oceans, and rivers. Consequently, oil spills pollute

ocean water and endanger aquatic animals.

Furthermore, there are various causes of water shortage. The scarcity of water is increase

as the world population increases. Water is a basic necessity that human beings need for survival.

Also, a human cannot create water in case of shortage. Therefore, countless people suffer

worldwide due to a lack of water. When the population increase, developments such as

industrialization and construction increase (Dos Santos et al. 502). Moreover, the usage of water

increase in those developments, which result in scarcity of water. The agricultural sector has also

expanded because of the population increase. Similarly, the farm sector's expansion leads to

increased water use in irrigation, which results in a water shortage. Domestic purposes, for

instance, house chores, utilizes a lot of water. The world population that is about 7.5 billion

people who use water daily reduces the amount of water. Additionally, climate change leads to

adverse weather conditions. For example, dry seasons increase water scarcity because most water

sources dry up and others reduce. People overharvest the groundwater for consumption. Also,

farmers use the groundwater for irrigation of their large farms. Generally, the water supply

across the globe is in danger. Both the countries and international agencies consider it a global

concern. Water misuse is another huge issue that leads to scarcity of water. Sometimes

individuals over-utilize water on activities such as recreation and sports.

Consequently, water shortage causes several effects on people across the world. One of

the effects of water scarcity is hunger because where there is lower crop yield. As a result, the
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lower crop yield causes food shortages among individuals. The need for water also leads to

domestic animals' death, which is the source of many people's food. Livestock and crops are the

primary sources of food for human beings. Besides, hungry children may not go to school.

Therefore, water shortage and food scarcity influence the education sector. Water shortage

affects energy output such as hydroelectric power. The hydroelectric power industries use fresh

water to generate electricity. Moreover, a lack of water disrupts the energy supply, leading to a

deficiency of electric power in hospitals, factories, and schools requiring a consistent power

supply. It also affects the health of individuals since people consume unsafe water because of the

scarcity of water. The water-borne diseases include cholera and bilharzia, which affect people

who drink unclean water. Nonetheless, individuals migrate to places that have water. As a result,

some regions become less suitable for living. These regions cannot support farming and livestock

keeping. Water shortage also leads to conflicts between two countries which are sharing a

common water source. As a result, the countries may engage in war.

Nonetheless, water contamination has effects on the environment. Many people get ill

due to polluted water. Individuals with low income are at risk because they are close to dirty

areas. Polluted water is directly associated with the spread of diseases (Chen et al. 5). Besides,

swimming in contaminated poses risks such as breathing problems, skin rashes, and hepatitis.

Moreover, the effects of water pollution focus on health problems ignoring its economic impact.

For instance, in Japan, the government announced that they were running low on contaminated

water storage capacity for the Fukushima power plant disaster (Shigeoka et al. 2). Also, study

reports show that the government will need approximately 600 billion to manage the incidence

completely. The aquatic animals depend on water for survival, making them vulnerable when

water is contaminated. Also, heavy metals and chemicals from the industries contaminate the
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water, reducing the water's oxygen. Thus, the aquatic animals suffocate. For example, oil spills

kill most animals such as fish, turtle, and marine mammals. Consequently, water contamination

destroys the ecosystem and habit for aquatic organisms killing the whole species simultaneously.

Dirty water affects agricultural activities, which results in food shortages among people in the

community.

In conclusion, both water scarcity and contamination have various causes and impacts on

the environment and human life. Everyone has the responsibility to ensure that the water quality

is good. The problem of water pollution and shortage comes as a result of human activities.

Consequently, water is essential in an individual’s life because it is essential for survival. The

widespread challenge of water contamination is threatening our health. Water is uniquely

susceptible to pollution. Nevertheless, water helps in domestic chores, power supply, agriculture,

a habit for aquatic animals, and industrialization. Almost half of the world population cannot get

clean water.
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Works cited

Brika, Bashir, Huda Ghuila, and Hanan Mosbah. "Municipal Water Shortage and Related Water

Issues In The City Of Tajoura: A Case Study To Raise Public Awareness." Water

Conservation & Management (WCM) 2.2 (2018): 31-33.

Chen, Hongsheng, et al. "Does where you live matter to your health? Investigating factors that

influence the self-rated health of urban and rural Chinese residents: evidence drawn from

Chinese general social survey data." Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 15.1 (2017): 1-

11.

Dos Santos, Stéphanie, et al. "Urban growth and water access in sub-Saharan Africa: Progress,

challenges, and emerging research directions." Science of the Total Environment 607

(2017): 497-508.

Nabi, Ghulam, et al. "The crisis of water shortage and pollution in Pakistan: Risk to public

health, biodiversity, and ecosystem." Environmental science and pollution research 26.11

(2019): 10443-10445.

Shigeoka, Yu, et al. "Temporal variation of radionuclide contamination of marine plants on the

Fukushima coast after the East Japan nuclear disaster." Environmental science &

technology 53.16 (2019): 9370-9377.