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Health Perspectives: The Effects of Water Pollution
by Lea Defor
http://www.fabwater.com
Our planet is facing many problems due to our polluted
environment - one of the most worrying is the problem of
impure water. There are a number of ways our water supply
can become polluted, and what is worse is that discovering
the pollution often requires a specific test. These tests
are often only undertaken if there is a health problem
detected in the population, and sometimes the link with the
water isn't made by the medical profession. In other words,
there are often unreported water problems as well as those
cases where action is taken.
While there are many contributing factors to water
pollution, the main sources of contamination are industrial
dumping, untreated waste and the run-off from agricultural
land. These toxins can leak into the groundwater, which
can affect the water that we drink, especially in the case
of those who rely on well water. Since some viral,
bacterial and protozoal infections are water-borne, as
opposed to those that are airborne, contaminated water may
be responsible for certain illnesses which can be
transmitted through polluted drinking water.
Viral infections which may be contracted when drinking from
a contaminated water source include infectious hepatitis
(the symptoms of which include jaundice) and poliomyelitis
(more commonly known as "polio"). Those of a bacterial
nature, on the other hand, include cholera, typhoid (or
paratyphoid fever, which is similar in nature, but milder)
and bacillary dysentery, which is a form of diarrhea that~s
severe enough to sometimes become fatal. One protozoal
infection that may be encountered is amoebic dysentery,
which also causes severe diarrhea and is often caused
through the washing of salad items with contaminated water,
in addition to being congested through a normal drink of
water that's polluted by certain types of amoebae.
There are many other common water contaminants: Pesticides
that get into the water supply lead to cancers; high lead
content water leads to damage to the brain and nervous
system because the body cannot excrete this element; excess
fluoride yellows teeth and can cause damage to the spinal
cord and similar diseases; nitrates in water impair the
flow of oxygen to the brain; chlorine based solvents,
petroleum based chemical and arsenic lead to cancer; some
heavy metal elements harm the metabolism, the kidneys and
the nervous system. Less serious impurities in water can
lead to breathing difficulties, skin reactions and mild
diarrhea.
Some methods of ensuring that your drinking water is safe
include checking on the city water supply and taking steps
to make sure that it's been properly disinfected, checking
water pipes for leaks or cracks, and having your well water
tested. Further precautions can be taken, as well, such
as boiling all water before drinking it, filtering, or
both. The combination is best, since this will serve to
remove or destroy most outside agents that will have an
impact on your health.
Your local health department is a good source of
information about polluted water and the place to start
if you want to check up on your local supply. If they
cannot deal with your concerns directly they will know
where you should direct your queries.
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