Pollution And Sea

By the year 2050 it is estimated that the world's population could have increased to around 9 billion. Of these, some 60 percent will live within 60km of the sea. The agricultural and industrial activities required to support this population will increase the already significant pressures on fertile coastal areas.

Pollution & the sea - like oil and water

One significant impact of human activity upon the oceans is marine pollution. It is not just oil pollution from accidents and illegally discharged tank cleaning wastes. Despite the high visibility of oil spills upon marine environments the total quantities involved are dwarfed by those of pollutants introduced from other sources (including domestic sewage, industrial discharges, leakages from waste tips, urban and industrial run-off, accidents, spillage, explosions, sea dumping operations, oil production, mining, agriculture nutrients and pesticides, waste heat sources, and radioactive discharges).

Land based sources are estimated to account for around 44 percent of the pollutants entering the sea and atmospheric inputs account for an estimated 33 percent. By contrast, maritime transport accounts only for around 12 percent.


Dawn of the dead: Creeping Dead Zones

The impacts of pollution vary. Nutrient pollution from sewage discharges and agriculture can result in unsightly and possibly dangerous "blooms" of algae in coastal waters. As these blooms die and decay they use up the oxygen in the water. This has led, in some areas, to 'creeping dead zones' (CDZ), where oxygen dissolved in the water falls to levels unable to sustain marine life. Industrial pollution also contributes to these dead zones by discharging substances which, as they degrade, also use up the dissolved oxygen


Gone fission

Radioactive contamination in the sea has many causes. Historically the testing of nuclear weapons has contributed. The normal operation of nuclear power stations also pollute the sea, but by far the single biggest point-sources of man-made radioactive elements in the sea are the nuclear fuel reprocessing plants at La Hague in France and at Sellafield in the UK. These discharges have resulted in the widespread contamination of living marine resources over a wide area; radioactive elements traceable to reprocessing can be found in seaweeds as far away as the West Greenland Coast and along the coast of Norway


Toxic chemicals


The input of man-made chemicals to the oceans potentially involves a huge number of different substances. 63,000 different chemicals are thought to be in use worldwide with 3000 accounting for 90 percent of the total production tonnage. Each year, anywhere up to 1000 new synthetic chemicals may be brought onto the market.

Of all these chemicals some 4500 fall into the most serious category. These, known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). They're resistant to breakdown and have the potential to accumulate in the tissues of living organisms (all marine life), causing hormone disruption which can, in turn, cause reproductive problems, induce cancer, suppress the immune system and interfere with normal development in children.

POPs can also be transported long distances in the atmosphere and deposited in cold regions. As a result, Inuit populations who live in the Arctic a long distance from the sources of these pollutants are among the most heavily contaminated people on the planet, since they rely on fat-rich marine food sources such as fish and seals. POPs include the highly toxic dioxins and PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) together with various pesticides such as DDT and dieldrin. These chemicals are also thought to be responsible for some polar bear populations failing to reproduce normally.


Are you eating fish 'n' POPS tonight?

Scarily, seafood consumed by people living in temperate regions are also affected by POPs. Oily fish tend to accumulate POPs in their bodies and these can be passed to human consumers. When oily fish are rendered down into fish meal and fish oils and subsequently used to feed other animals, then this too can act as a pathway to humans. Farmed fish and shellfish, dairy cattle, poultry and pigs are all fed fish meal in certain countries, and so meat and dairy products as well as farmed and wild fish can act as further sources of these chemicals to humans.


Mining

Trace metal pollution from metal mining, production and processing industries can damage the health of marine plants and animals and render some seafood unfit for human consumption. The contribution of human activities can be very significant: the amount of mercury introduced to the environment by industrial activities is around four times the amount released through natural processes such as weathering and erosion.

Oil

The most visible and familiar form of pollution is oil pollution caused by tanker accidents and tank washing at sea, and in addition to the gross visible short term impacts, severe long term problems can also result. In the case of the Exxon Valdez which ran aground in Alaska in 1989, biological impacts from the oil spill can still be identified 15 years after the event. The Prestige, which sank off the Spanish coast late in 2002, resulted in huge economic losses as it polluted more than 100 beaches in France and Spain and effectively destroyed the local fishing industry.

http://www.greenpeace.org

Global warming

The ocean and its inhabitants will be irreversibly affected by the impacts of global warming and climate change. Scientists say that global warming, by increasing sea water temperatures, will raise sea levels and change ocean currents.

Ocean Currents

The water in our world's oceans is always moving – pulled by tides, blown by waves, and slowly circulating around the globe by the force of the Great Ocean Conveyor Belt (also called thermohaline circulation). The Conveyor is powered by differences is water temperature and salinity, and one of its most well known parts, the Gulf Stream, is what gives Europe it's relatively mild climate.

Aside from keeping Europe warm, and playing an important role in the global climate, the Conveyor provides an up welling of bottom ocean nutrients, and increases the oceanic absorption of carbon dioxide.


What could go badly wrong

Worryingly, recent studies warn that we may already have evidence of a slower Conveyor circulation over the Scotland-Greenland deep ocean ridge. And while the Conveyor appears to have operated fairly reliably over the past several thousand years, an examination of ice cores from both Greenland and Antarctica shows that this has not always been the case. In the more distant past, changes to the Conveyor circulation are associated with abrupt climate change.

In short, dilution of the ocean's salinity - from melting Arctic ice (such as the Greenland ice sheet) and/or increased precipitation - could switch off, slow down or divert the Conveyor. This dramatic cooling would mean a massive disruption to European agriculture and climate, and impact other sea currents and temperatures around the globe.


Sea Level Rise

A global average sea level rise of 9-88 cm (3.5–34.6 inches) is expected over the next hundred years, thanks to the greenhouse gasses we have emitted to date and likely future emissions. This will come in roughly equal measure from melting ice and from thermal expansion of the oceans (water expands as it heats up).

Even this comparatively modest projected sea level rise will wreak havoc. Coastal flooding and storm damage, eroding shorelines, salt water contamination of fresh water supplies, agricultural areas, flooding of coastal wetlands and barrier islands, and an increase in the salinity of estuaries are all realities of even a small amount of sea level rise. Some low lying costal cities and villages will also be affected. Resources critical to island and coastal populations such as beaches, freshwater, fisheries, coral reefs and atolls, and wildlife habitat is also at risk.


The West Antarctic ice sheet

Only four years ago, it was commonly accepted that the West Antarctic ice sheet was stable, but unexpected melting in the region is causing scientists to re-think this assumption.

In 2002, the 500 billion tonne Larsen B ice shelf, which covered an area twice the size of greater London, disintegrated in less than a month. This did not directly add to sea level rise since the ice shelf was already floating, but it was a dramatic reminder of the effects of warming in the area.

Then in 2005, the British Antarctic Survey released findings that 87 percent of the glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula have retreated over the past 50 years. In the past five years, the retreating glaciers have lost an average of 50 metres (164 feet) per year.

Potentially, the West Antarctic ice sheet could contribute an additional six metres (20 feet) to sea level rise. Although the chances of this are considered low in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Third Assessment report, recent research indicates new evidence of massive ice discharge from the ice sheet.

The entire Antarctic ice sheet holds enough water to raise global sea levels by 62 metres (203 feet).


The Greenland glaciers

In July 2005, scientists aboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise made a stunning discovery - evidence that Greenland’s glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate. It's just more evidence that climate change is no longer on the horizon, it has arrived at our doorstep, and if you live in a coastal city, that's not just a figure of speech.

Findings indicated that the Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier on Greenland's east coast could be one of the fastest moving glaciers in the world with a speed of almost 14 kilometres per year. The measurements were made using high precision GPS survey methods. In addition, the glacier unexpectedly receded approximately five kilometres since 2001 after maintaining a stable position for the past 40 years.

Greenland’s massive ice sheet locks up more than six percent of the world’s fresh water supply, and it is melting much faster than expected. If Greenland were to melt fully, it would cause sea levels around the globe to rise by nearly 20 feet. Even measurements of four to five feet of sea level rise could mean that places like New York, Amsterdam, Venice and Bangladesh will experience flooding in low lying areas.

The alarming retreat of the Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier suggests that the entire Greenland ice sheet may be melting far more rapidly than previously believed. All current scientific forecasts for global warming had assumed slower rates of melting. This new evidence suggests that the threat of global warming is much greater and more urgent than previously believed.


Habitat Loss

Temperature rises are impacting on the entire marine food web. For example, phytoplankton, which feeds small crustaceans including krill, grow under sea ice. A reduction in sea ice implies a reduction in krill - and krill feeds many whale species, including the great whales.

Whales and dolphins strand themselves in high temperatures. The great whales also risk losing their feeding grounds, in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, because of the melting and collapse of ice shelves.

Whole species of marine animals and fish are directly at risk due to the temperature rise - they simply cannot survive in warmer waters. Some penguin populations, for example, have decreased by 33 percent in parts of Antarctica, because of habitat decline.

An increasing occurrence of disease in marine animals is also linked to rising ocean temperatures.

Defending our Oceans

We now know that human activity can have serious impacts on the vital forces governing our planet. We have fundamentally changed our global climate and are just beginning to understand the consequences of that.
Seen from space the Earth is covered in a blue mantle. It is a planet on which the continents are dwarfed by the oceans surrounding them and the immensity of the marine realm.

A staggering 80 percent of all the life on Earth is to be found hidden beneath the waves and this vast global ocean pulses around our world driving the natural forces which maintain life on our planet.

The oceans provide vital sources of protein, energy, minerals and other products of use the world over and the rolling of the sea across the planet creates over half our oxygen, drives weather systems and natural flows of energy and nutrients around the world, transports water masses many times greater than all the rivers on land combined and keeps the Earth habitable.

Without the global ocean there would be no life on Earth.

It is gravely worrying, then, that we are damaging the oceans on a scale that is unimaginable to most people.

We now know that human activity can have serious impacts on the vital forces governing our planet. We have fundamentally changed our global climate and are just beginning to understand the consequences of that.

As yet largely unseen, but just as serious, are the impacts we are having on the oceans.

A healthy ocean has diverse ecosystems and robust habitats. The actual state of our oceans is a far cry from this natural norm.

A myriad of human pressures are being exerted both directly and indirectly on ocean ecosystems the world over. Consequently ecosystems are collapsing as marine species are driven towards extinction and ocean habitats are destroyed. Degraded and stripped of their diversity, ocean ecosystems are losing their inherent resilience.

We need to defend our oceans because without them, life on Earth cannot exist.


Dead oceans, dead planet

We need to defend them now more than ever, because the oceans need all the resilience they can muster in the face of climate change and the potentially disasterous impacts this is already beginning to produce in the marine world.

The Greenpeace Defending our Oceans campaign sets out to protect and preserve our oceans now and for the future by setting aside swathes of the global oceans from exploitation and controllable human pressure, allowing these areas the respite they so desperately need for recovery and renewal.

Building on a protection and recovery system established to manage land based over-exploitation, Marine Reserves are the ocean equivalent of national parks.

Marine Reserves are a scientifically developed and endorsed approach to redressing the crisis in our oceans which work alongside a range of other measures designed to ensure that the demands we make of our oceans are managed sustainably.

Beyond Marine Reserves we need to tackle a great many threats to the oceans' viability and find better ways of managing their resources. To this end, while Greenpeace campaigns for Marine Reserves, we also campaign against the acts which have brought the oceans to this point - we expose the countless pressures, reveal the threats, confront the villains and point to the solutions and measures necessary to create sustainable oceans.


The key threats we address are:


Industrial fishing

Giant ships, using state-of-the-art equipment, can pinpoint schools of fish quickly and accurately. These industrial fishing fleets have exceeded the ocean's ecological limits. As larger fish are wiped out, the next smaller fish species are targeted and so on. (Canadian Fisheries expert Dr Daniel Pauly warns that if this continues our children will be eating jellyfish.)

Simply put, more and more people are competing for less and less fish and worsening the existing oceans crisis. More


Bycatch

Modern fishing practices are incredibly wasteful. Every year, fishing nets kill up to 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises globally. Entanglement is the greatest threat to the survival of many species. Moreover, some fishing practices destroy habitat as well as inhabitants. Bottom trawling, for example, destroys entire ancient deep-sea coral forests and other delicate ecosystems. In some areas it is the equivalent of ploughing a field several times a year. More


Unfair fisheries

As traditional fishing grounds in the north have collapsed, fishing capacity has increasingly turned to Africa and the Pacific. Pirates that ignore regulations and effectively steal fish are denying some of the poorest regions of the world much needed food security and income, and those fleets fishing legally are only giving a small percentage of the profit to African or Pacific States. More


Unsustainable aquaculture


Aquaculture (fish and shellfish farming) is often put forward as the future of the seafood industry, but it is not a solution to overfishing. Many modern aquaculture practices emphasise the unsustainable production of species for high-value export markets. Rapid expansion of intensive aquaculture has resulted in widespread degradation of the environment and the displacement of coastal fishing and farming communities.More

Shrimp aquaculture industry is perhaps the most destructive, unsustainable and unjust fisheries industry in the world. Mangrove clearances, fishery destruction, murder and community land clearances have all been widely reported. More

The salmon farming industry also proves farming is no solution - it takes approximately 4kgs of wild caught fish to produce 1kg of farmed salmon. More



Global warming


The ocean and its inhabitants will be irreversibly affected by the impacts of global warming and climate change. Scientists say that global warming, by increasing sea water temperatures, will raise sea levels and change ocean currents. The effects are already beginning to be felt. Whole species of marine animals and fish are at risk due to the temperature rise - they simply cannot survive in the changed conditions. For example, increased water temperatures are thought to be responsible for large areas of corals turning white and dying (bleaching). More


Pollution

Another significant impact of human activity on the marine environment is pollution. The most visible and familiar is oil pollution caused by tanker accidents. Yet despite the scale and visibility of such impacts, the total quantities of pollutants entering the sea from oil spills are dwarfed by those of pollutants introduced from other sources. These include domestic sewage, industrial discharges, urban and industrial run-off, accidents, spillage, explosions, sea dumping operations, mining, agricultural nutrients and pesticides, waste heat sources, and radioactive discharges. More


Defending our oceans

Fundamental changes need to be made in the way our oceans are managed. This means that we must act to make sure that human activities are sustainable, in other words that they meet human needs of current and future generations without causing harm to the environment. Accordingly, governments must set aside 40 percent of our oceans as marine reserves. Marine reserves can be defined as areas of the ocean in which the exploitation of all living resources is prevented, together with the exploitation of non-living resources such as sand and gravel and other minerals.

http://www.greenpeace.org

Treating Water Pollution

Before raw sewage can be safely released back into the environment, it needs to be treated correctly in a water treatment plant. In a water treatment plant, sewage goes through a number of chambers and chemical processes to reduce the amount and toxicity of the waste.

The sewage first goes through a primary phase. This is where some of the suspended, solid particles and inorganic material is removed by the use of filters.
The secondary phase of the treatment involves the reduction of organic, this is done with the use of biological filters and processes that naturally degrade the organic waste material.
The final stage of treatment is the tertiary phase; this stage must be done before the water can be reused. Almost all solid particles are removed from the water and chemical additives are supplied to get rid of any left-over impurities.

Septic tanks treat sewage at the place where it is located, rather than transporting the waste through a treatment plant or sewage system. Septic tanks are usually used to treat sewage from an individual building.

Untreated sewage from a property flows into the septic tank and the solids are separated from the liquid.
Solid material is separated depending on their density. Heavier particles settle at the bottom of the tank whereas lighter particles, such as soap scum, will form a layer at the top of the tank.
Biological processes are used to help degrade the solid materials.
The liquid then flows out of the tank into a land drainage system and the remaining solids are filtered out.

Denitrification is an ecological approach that can be used to prevent the leaching of nitrates in soil, this in turn stops any ground water from being contaminated with nutrients.

Fertilisers contain nitrogen, and are often applied to crops by farmers to help plant growth and increase the yield.
Bacteria in the soil convert the nitrogen in the fertilizer to nitrates, making it easier for the plants to absorb.
Immobilization is a process where the nitrates become part of the soil organic matter.
When oxygen levels are low, another form of bacteria then turns the nitrates into gases such as nitrogen, nitrous oxide and nitrogen dioxide.
The conversion of these nitrates into gas is called denitrification. This prevents nitrates from leaching into the soil and contaminating groundwater.

Ozone wastewater treatment is a method that is increasing in popularity. An ozone generator is used to break down pollutants in the water source.

The generators convert oxygen into ozone by using ultraviolet radiation or by an electric discharge field.
Ozone is a very reactive gas that can oxidise bacteria, moulds, organic material and other pollutants found in water.
Using ozone to treat wastewater has many benefits:
Kills bacteria effectively.
Oxidises substances such as iron and sulphur so that they can be filtered out of the solution.
There are no nasty odours or residues produced from the treatment.
Ozone converts back into oxygen quickly, and leaves no trace once it has been used.
The disadvantages of using ozone as a treatment for wastewater are:
The treatment requires energy in the form of electricity; this can cost money and cannot work when the power is lost.
The treatment cannot remove dissolved minerals and salts.
Ozone treatment can sometimes produce by-products such as bromate that can harm human health if they are not controlled.

Dangers Of Water Pollution

Virtually all types of water pollution are harmful to the health of humans and animals. Water pollution may not damage our health immediately but can be harmful after long term exposure. Different forms of pollutants affect the health of animals in different ways:

Heavy metals from industrial processes can accumulate in nearby lakes and rivers. These are toxic to marine life such as fish and shellfish, and subsequently to the humans who eat them. Heavy metals can slow development; result in birth defects and some are carcinogenic.
Industrial waste often contains many toxic compounds that damage the health of aquatic animals and those who eat them. Some of the toxins in industrial waste may only have a mild effect whereas other can be fatal. They can cause immune suppression, reproductive failure or acute poisoning.
Microbial pollutants from sewage often result in infectious diseases that infect aquatic life and terrestrial life through drinking water. Microbial water pollution is a major problem in the developing world, with diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever being the primary cause of infant mortality.
Organic matter and nutrients causes an increase in aerobic algae and depletes oxygen from the water column. This causes the suffocation of fish and other aquatic organisms.
Sulfate particles from acid rain can cause harm the health of marine life in the rivers and lakes it contaminates, and can result in mortality.
Suspended particles in freshwater reduces the quality of drinking water for humans and the aquatic environment for marine life. Suspended particles can often reduce the amount of sunlight penetrating the water, disrupting the growth of photosynthetic plants and micro-organisms.

The causes of Water Pollution

Domestic households, industrial and agricultural practices produce wastewater that can cause pollution of many lakes and rivers.

Sewage is the term used for wastewater that often contains faeces, urine and laundry waste.
There are billions of people on Earth, so treating sewage is a big priority.
Sewage disposal is a major problem in developing countries as many people in these areas don’t have access to sanitary conditions and clean water.
Untreated sewage water in such areas can contaminate the environment and cause diseases such as diarrhoea.
Sewage in developed countries is carried away from the home quickly and hygienically through sewage pipes.
Sewage is treated in water treatment plants and the waste is often disposed into the sea.
Sewage is mainly biodegradable and most of it is broken down in the environment.
In developed countries, sewage often causes problems when people flush chemical and pharmaceutical substances down the toilet. When people are ill, sewage often carries harmful viruses and bacteria into the environment causing health problems

Dumping of litter in the sea can cause huge problems. Litter items such as 6-pack ring packaging can get caught in marine animals and may result in death. Different items take different lengths of time to degrade in water:

Cardboard – Takes 2 weeks to degrade.
Newspaper – Takes 6 weeks to degrade.
Photodegradable packaging – Takes 6 weeks to degrade.
Foam – Takes 50 years to degrade.
Styrofoam – Takes 80 years to degrade.
Aluminium – Takes 200 years to degrade.
Plastic packaging – Takes 400 years to degrade.
Glass – It takes so long to degrade that we don’t know the exact time.

Industry is a huge source of water pollution, it produces pollutants that are extremely harmful to people and the environment.
Many industrial facilities use freshwater to carry away waste from the plant and into rivers, lakes and oceans.
Pollutants from industrial sources include:
Asbestos – This pollutant is a serious health hazard and carcinogenic. Asbestos fibres can be inhaled and cause illnesses such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer, intestinal cancer and liver cancer.
Lead – This is a metallic element and can cause health and environmental problems. It is a non-biodegradable substance so is hard to clean up once the environment is contaminated. Lead is harmful to the health of many animals, including humans, as it can inhibit the action of bodily enzymes.
Mercury - This is a metallic element and can cause health and environmental problems. It is a non-biodegradable substance so is hard to clean up once the environment is contaminated. Mercury is also harmful to animal health as it can cause illness through mercury poisoning.
Nitrates – The increased use of fertilisers means that nitrates are more often being washed from the soil and into rivers and lakes. This can cause eutrophication, which can be very problematic to marine environments.
Phosphates - The increased use of fertilisers means that phosphates are more often being washed from the soil and into rivers and lakes. This can cause eutrophication, which can be very problematic to marine environments.
Sulphur – This is a non-metallic substance that is harmful for marine life.
Oils – Oil does not dissolve in water, instead it forms a thick layer on the water surface. This can stop marine plants receiving enough light for photosynthesis. It is also harmful for fish and marine birds.
Petrochemicals – This is formed from gas or petrol and can be toxic to marine life.

Nuclear waste is produced from industrial, medical and scientific processes that use radioactive material. Nuclear waste can have detrimental effects on marine habitats. Nuclear waste comes from a number of sources:

Operations conducted by nuclear power stations produce radioactive waste. Nuclear-fuel reprocessing plants in northern Europe are the biggest sources of man-made nuclear waste in the surrounding ocean. Radioactive traces from these plants have been found as far away as Greenland.
Mining and refining of uranium and thorium are also causes of marine nuclear waste.
Waste is also produced in the nuclear fuel cycle which is used in many industrial, medical and scientific processes.

Oceans are polluted by oil on a daily basis from oil spills, routine shipping, run-offs and dumping.

Oil spills make up about 12% of the oil that enters the ocean. The rest come from shipping travel, drains and dumping.
An oil spill from a tanker is a severe problem because there is such a huge quantity of oil being spilt into one place.
Oil spills cause a very localised problem but can be catastrophic to local marine wildlife such as fish, birds and sea otters.
Oil cannot dissolve in water and forms a thick sludge in the water. This suffocates fish, gets caught in the feathers of marine birds stopping them from flying and blocks light from photosynthetic aquatic plants.

A tank or piping network that has at least 10 percent of its volume underground is known as an underground storage tank (UST). They often store substances such as petroleum, that are harmful to the surrounding environment should it become contaminated. Many UST’s constructed before 1980 are made from steel pipes that are directly exposed to the environment. Over time the steel corrodes and causes leakages, affecting surrounding soil and groundwater.

Atmospheric deposition is the pollution of water caused by air pollution.
In the atmosphere, water particles mix with carbon dioxide sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, this forms a weak acid.
Air pollution means that water vapour absorbs more of these gases and becomes even more acidic.
When it rains the water is polluted with these gases, this is called acid rain.
When acid rain pollutes marine habitats such as rivers and lakes, aquatic life is harmed.

An increase in water temperature can result in the death of many aquatic organisms and disrupt many marine habitats. For example, a rise in water temperatures causes coral bleaching of reefs around the world. This is when the coral expels the microorganisms of which it is dependent on. This can result in great damage to coral reefs and subsequently, all the marine life that depends on it.

The rise in the Earth's water temperature is caused by global warming.

Global warming is a process where the average global temperature increases due to the greenhouse effect.
The burning of fossil fuel releases greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere.
This causes heat from the sun to get ‘trapped’ in the Earths atmosphere and consequently the global temperature rises.

Eutrophication is when the environment becomes enriched with nutrients. This can be a problem in marine habitats such as lakes as it can cause algal blooms.

Fertilisers are often used in farming, sometimes these fertilisers run-off into nearby water causing an increase in nutrient levels.
This causes phytoplankton to grow and reproduce more rapidly, resulting in algal blooms.
This bloom of algae disrupts normal ecosystem functioning and causes many problems.
The algae may use up all the oxygen in the water, leaving none for other marine life. This results in the death of many aquatic organisms such as fish, which need the oxygen in the water to live.
The bloom of algae may also block sunlight from photosynthetic marine plants under the water surface.
Some algae even produce toxins that are harmful to higher forms of life. This can cause problems along the food chain and affect any animal that feeds on them.

To Prevent Pollution

What Can You Do?
If you want to help keep our waters clean, there are many things you can do to help. You can prevent water pollution of nearby rivers and lakes as well as groundwater and drinking water by following some simple guidelines in your everyday life.

Conserve water by turning off the tap when running water is not necessary. This helps prevent water shortages and reduces the amount f contaminated water that needs treatment.
Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet. Don't throw paints, oils or other forms of litter down the drain.
Use environmentally household products, such as washing powder, household cleaning agents and toiletries.
Take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilisers. This will prevent runoffs of the material into nearby water sources.
By having more plants in your garden you are preventing fertiliser, pesticides and contaminated water from running off into nearby water sources.
Don't throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean up any litter you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes, make sure it is safe to collect the litter and put it in a nearby dustbin.