The water, considered the universal solvent, is extremely important for the life of all species, being responsible for the transport of nutrients, considered a regulator of body temperature, among other factors.
However, despite all the beneficial aspects provided by water, the man has drastically changed the quality of this natural resource. The release of industrial, agricultural (pesticides and chemical fertilizers), garbage and domestic sewage effluents are the main responsible for water pollution.
When a water body receives these substances without proper treatment, there is a change in the chemical composition of the water, a fact that impairs its quality. The groundwater (groundwater) is also polluted, as this contaminated water infiltrates.
Water pollution caused by the release of untreated effluents
Domestic sewage, basically composed of human feces and food waste, is rich in nitrogen, causing the death of several aquatic species. Another negative aspect is that this sewage has a large amount of bacteria that can cause different types of diseases: diarrhea, cholera, etc.
One way to minimize this problem is through the services of environmental sanitation, which include the garbage and sewage collection and treatment. However, the absence of this service is very large in several countries. In Brazil, for example, more than half of sewage is released into rivers, lakes and the sea without undergoing adequate treatment.
It is also important that there is inspection in industries, reduction in the use of chemical products in mining and agriculture, in addition to raising the population's awareness of the importance of preserving life's most precious natural asset, Water.
By Wagner de Cerqueira and Francisco
Graduated in Geography
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