Water Management Solutions Is The Need Of The Hour - Why?

By Author: Arush Keerthi
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Water being an indispensable element for sustenance should be conserved. Sources of water have soon begun to deplete at an alarming rate. Increase in population and depletion of water resources calls for a greater trouble in future, we are already experiencing shortage of this life saving element. Hence, there is a greater need to treat waste water.

The other need for treating this life saving element is to avert any damages the contaminated water may cause. For example industrial waste must be treated before it is discharged out as it may affect other living creatures on earth. Some of it may have chemicals and poisonous elements which may contaminate precious water sources which are naturally found on earth. By treating them, we can eradicate chemical, physical and biological contaminants from waste water and make it safe for usage.

Industrial waste and fertilizers used in the agricultural field if seeped in to marine habitats such as lakes and rivers will cause a lot of problems. Hence they must be treated before discharging them out. If not it leads to the growth of algae which consumes the oxygen in the water ...
... leaving behind nothing for the rest of the living creatures. It may lead to the death of other marine creatures. It further produces toxins which pose risk to life. It may cause problems to living creatures which may feed on them such as fish, and other aquatic creatures. It is said to block sunlight from photosynthetic marine plants under the water surface.

Biological treatment of this waste liquid is important. There is a lot of urban waste and industrial waste which needs to be treated. This has to adhere to the Community Directives and must meet the quality standards and objectives. The enrichment of waters by inorganic plant nutrients is called eutrophication. This phenomenon can be caused by various sources, both artificial and natural. Eutrophication has relevant effects on water bodies: the main are algal blooming, excessive aquatic macrophyte growth and oxygen depletion. Further consequences for human activities are: the decrease of water quality, aesthetic flow and navigation water problems and extinction in some water bodies of some oxygen depending organisms or animals.

Other after effects of discharge of contaminated water:

"Toxic" gases (ammonia, H2S) in bottom water (more loss of fish habitat)
Excessive organic matter production (smothering eggs and bugs)
Low dissolved oxygen (loss of habitat for fish and fish food)
Blue-green algae inedible by some zooplankton (reduced food chain efficiency).

Arush Keerthi, Expert author. Information on Sewage treatment: Sewage TreatmentGet more information on: Water Management Solutions