It’s not a secret that there’s a serious problem in the form of wastewater. Many experts believe that if management of wastewater is not done in our cities, the repercussions will be irreversible. In India, untreated wastewater is the major polluter of water sources, resulting in a variety of ailments such as diarrhoea (which kills 350,000 Indian children every year), agricultural pollution, and environmental damage. The urban poor frequently dwell near filthy drains and canals where mosquitoes and viruses thrive. While it may be tempting to just delegate responsibility to others, the unavoidable truth is that an effort is required to properly avert an impending disaster on the environment and human health.
Here’s why it is imperative to Wastewater Treatment:
Water Scarcity
The planet we live in contains 70 percent water. But only a small percentage is available for humans to use. There is not enough water on the planet for all the people living here. It has an impact on up to 783 million people who do not have access to safe drinking water around the world. This situation worsens every year, with the UN predicting that by 2025, nearly 14% of the world’s population will require desalination technology. That’s why it is important that waste water goes through a recycling process at treatment facilities.
Hazards to Health
Wastewater, although an absolute necessity for life, is one of the most dangerous carriers of diseases. The contaminations present in wastewater result in in sickness and sometimes death. Diseases like cholera, typhoid and giardia can be extremely life threatening. According to a research conducted by World Health Organization, more than 3.4 million people die each year from a waterborne disease. Aside from the pathogens that wastewater carries, the mixture of human waste, solvents, and paints produce fumes that are not only nasty but also cause imminent danger to people.
Removal of Toxic Substances
The composition of wastewater includes heavy metals, pathogens, sediments, toxic chemicals, oil and grease, solids, nutrients, sludge, acids and bases, poisonous organic compound, organic and inorganic materials. This effluent is hazardous to humans, animals, and the environment in general. It’s poisonous, corrosive, reactive, acidic, and flammable. Therefore, it must undergo treatment before being reused or redirected into another water source.
Contamination of water sources
A rise in the number of bacteria in the environment is another result of growing wastewater levels. It is not only dangerous to drink, but it also has the potential to contaminate other water sources. Dirty water, for example, creeps into rivers, polluting them. Contamination spreads even more when water moves downstream and combines with other water sources, such as rivers.
Conservation of Natural Resource
Water is a precious but stressed resource. It is not limitless as it appears; careless usage of water can result in its shortage within few decades which is a grave concern among people all over the world. With India’s population and industrial environment both growing at rapid speed, the amount of wastewater produced is likewise rising at an alarming rate. When freshwater sources such as rivers, wells, and groundwater are depleted, you have a potentially disastrous situation. Some people believe that water will soon become a scarce resource. Given the current scenario, it is more crucial than ever to implement sustainable means of reducing water shortages in today’s fast changing world.
Impairment of water quality
Water scarcity is one of the key issues that many nations and countries confront, and it has an impact on global food security. It is estimated that agriculture uses roughly 70% of the world’s water. One answer to this problem could be to use wastewater for irrigation. However, it is well recognised that wastewater is high in pathogens, organics, salt, and chloride, all of which can cause impairment of water quality with respect to its use in agriculture, industry or other economic activities. So, it has become vital to improve the quality of wastewater by treating it with appropriate technologies in order to meet irrigation standards.
Harmful effect on marine life
Plants and animals that live in water require clean water to survive. This is critical for the fishing industry, recreational anglers, and future generations.
Aquatic Environment
All wastewater discharged directly to water bodies has impacts on the quality of the aquatic environment. Our rivers and oceans are teeming with species that relies on shorelines, beaches, and marshes for survival. Hundreds of species of fish and other aquatic life rely on them for survival. The habitats are used by migratory water birds for resting and feeding.
Recreation And Life Quality
Water is a fantastic playground for each one of us. Many individuals prefer to live where they do because of the beauty and recreational appeal of our waters. Swimming, fishing, boating, and picnics are popular water activities for visitors.
Disruption of food chain in species
Clean water is essential for aquatic plants and animals. Wastewater kills species that live in these bodies of water, such as fish, crabs, birds, sea gulls, and dolphins. It also poses a major threat to the food chain. Tiny organisms eat pollutants in the water, such as lead and cadmium, and when fish and shellfish eat these small animals, the food chain is disrupted at higher levels as well. By treating wastewater, you not only safeguard the organisms that live on it, but you also safeguard
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