Question

What are the reasons for the pollution of rivers? How can it be prevented?

Answer 1

Instructions:

• Discuss what river pollution is.
• List out the reasons for river pollution.
• List the preventive measures taken to protect the water resources.

Solution:
Water/ River pollution occurs when harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms—contaminate the water resources like a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment.

Reasons for River Pollution:

• Inadequate sewage and wastewater collection and treatment are sources of water pollution.
• Industries produce a lot of waste containing toxic chemicals and pollutants. A vast amount of industrial waste is drained into the freshwater, which then flows into canals and rivers.
• Every day, garbage such as plastic, paper, aluminium, food, glass, or rubber is deposited into the river. These items take weeks to hundreds of years to decompose; thus, they are a significant cause of water pollution.

River Pollution: Preventive Measures

• Wastewater treatment consists of removing pollutants from wastewater through a physical, chemical, or biological process. The more efficient these processes are, the cleaner the water becomes.
• 80% of plastic in our oceans is from land sources. To reduce the amount of plastic entering our ocean, we need to reduce our use globally and improve plastic waste management.
• Implementation of Water Purification Projects – The projects help increase access to clean, affordable water and improve overall community health, which has positive social implications.
• Strict rules by the government to safeguard the water resources in the country play an important role in preventing water pollution.