Cause 1) Drinking out of polluted water.

Effect 1) Person may become infected by waterborne disease such as cholera, diarrhea, or typhoid.

Definition:

      Waterborne: an infection that is transmitted by water.

      Cholera: an intestinal bacteria disease, which causes vomiting, dehydration, diarrhea, and gastric pain transfer by contaminated food or water.

      Typhoid: an infection in the stomach cause by bacteria.

Cause 2) Drinking harmful chemicals in polluted water.

Effect 2) May cause heart and kidney failure

Cause 3) Pesticides spray from people's homes and chemicals from industries flowing into rivers.  

Effect 3) Can kill aquatic life and spread bacteria.

Cause 4) Algal bloom

Effect 4) Waste of urea, animal's manure; vegetable peeling provides a whole mass of food for tiny plants such as algae. Bacteria feed on these plants causing loss of oxygen for aquatic animals.

Cause 5) Soil Waste into rivers.

Effect 5) Clogs up waterways causing floods, especially during raining seasons.

Cause 6) Oil Spills into waterways and rivers.

Effect 6) Birds' feathers cannot be waterproof after diving into oily water, and their feathers get heavy, causing their feathers to lost their insulating properties.

(Environmental Protection Agency)

Surface water pollution caused by:

  • Mining periods during the gold rush (toxic levels of mercury) effects fish we eat.
  • Agricultural industry, pesticide, herbicide, fungicide runoff, effects health
  • Runoff pollution, non-point source pollution: a bunch of little problems becoming a large one in a small area.
  • Residential sources: litter, automotive fluids, household hazardous waste, organic waste, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers

  • Business sources:
    • Carpet cleansers (toxic cleaning products)
    • Landscape contractors and nurseries (pest, excess soil)
    • Bars, coffee shops, restaurants (cigarette butts, litter)
    • Power Washers (street litter into storm drain system)
    • Painters and general contractors (paint, thinners, toxic chemicals)

(Oman)

Photographs by Thao

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