Effects of Water Pollution

Expensive treatment of water: Treatment of contaminated water from water bodies that serves as source of water for industrial use becomes expensive. The government and private firms would have to spend more money in purifying contaminated water which would eventually lead to increase in water prices for citizens.

Destruction of water organisms: Water pollution may also lead to death of water organisms such as fish, crab, prawns and lobsters. Contamination resulting from the use of chemicals such as DDT in fishing and oil spillage may kill these water organisms. Most fish lie dead in water bodies having consumed a lot of toxic waste which make them poisonous and harmful for consumption. Human beings and other animals that hunt for fish in these water bodies are also exposed to these fatalities.

Health Hazards: Contaminated water exposes people to a lot of health hazards as it leads to the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, guinea worm, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases.

Destruction of water bodies: Continuous pollution in the form of solid waste such as refuse, human excrete may lead to the destruction of water bodies such as lagoons, lakes, rivers and streams these water bodies may dry up. This condition may affect the rainfall pattern.

Increased growth of weeds and plants in the water bodies: Chemicals that are spilled into the water bodies decompose and give off mineral salts which are helpful in growth of weeds. Some examples of these plants are sea weed and water hyacinths which make navigation of water bodies very difficult causing boats and organisms to get tangled in the weeds. These areas are also good breeding grounds for water and sea snakes.

Contaminated water can have a serious effect on farms and plantations that use water from the water bodies for irrigation of plants. The breakdown of chemicals present in the water makes it highly acidic which is not good for all plants and soils; it destroys the crops and leaves the soil acidic and bad for cultivation.

There is a release of pungent smells into the atmosphere when refuse is dumped into water bodies and decomposed. Typical examples are the Labadi and Korle bu lagoon. When one passes by these lagoons they find it very hard to breathe because of the unpleasant smell