Water Pollution Literature Review

Introduction

Many of South Africa’s rivers are polluted in some way and are a health risk if consumed by a human. The pollution occurs from all the urban development as well as rural development. Often in rural areas the water isn’t cleaned so many people fall sick and the government spends lots of money on cleaning water. It will be cost effective if the government could find a possible alternative which cleans the water just as effectively.

I chose this topic because of my interest in nature and the environment, and I would like to know of natural ways to clean water. It is interesting in the sense that I haven’t heard of the topic and I couldn’t find an answer when I was researching around the topic. It will also be really interesting to

My literature review explains all about how water gets polluted and how natural systems and artificial systems clean the polluted water.

Literature Review

Introduction

There are many reasons why water becomes polluted. Most of it is caused by urban areas and humans. This pollution cause many people to become ill and some even die. Also plants and animal life suffer and ecosystems deteriorate.

“South Africa has, in general, a limited supply of water and the quality of this water is being threatened by pollution and the destruction of river catchments. Water is a vital resource and it is up to ALL South Africans to act responsibly in their daily lives and look after the available water resources to ensure that this limited supply is usable by all life on earth.” (Team, n.d.)

Causes of pollution: (Team, n.d.)

• Urbanisation – ineffective sewage collection and treatment, physical disturbance of land and increase in litter.

• Deforestation – soil wasted into rivers which increases murkiness, increase in

Frequent growth of water plants and blooms of blue-green algae.

>10 Low levels of animal & plant life

Frequent growth of blue-green algae (toxic to man & wildlife)

(Employees, 2007)

3. Phosphate Test

This measures the level of Phosphate in the water and high levels of Phosphate results in a lot of algae which kills other plants. Too much plants in the water will result is more bacteria as the bacteria decompose the dead plants. The bacterium uses the oxygen in the water and decreases the plant and insect life but the oxygen is only used up in dams and rivers which do not really flow.

Results: A table showing the phosphate concentration (ppm) in water and the effect it has on water ecosystems

Phosphate concentration (ppm) Effect on water ecosystems

<0.005 Moderate levels of animal and plant life. No growth of water plants. No presence of blue-green algal blooms.

0.005 – 0.025 High plant & animal life

Few blooms of algae (seldom toxic)

>0.25 Very low levels of plant & animal life

Frequent growth of water plants & algae (toxic to man & wildlife)

(Employees,