EFFECTS OF ACTIVITIES ON QUALITY AND AVAILABILITY OF

WATER

“WATER QUALITY COMPRISES THE PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND

BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A WATER BODY… HUMAN

ACTIVITIES AFFECT BOTH WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY.” (PETERS, N., MEYBECK, M.,

CHAPMAN, D., 2006)

COMMERCIAL FORESTRY

PLANTING FORESTS NEAR WETLANDS AND

STREAMS CAN RESULT IN THE WATER FLOW

BEING RESTRICTED AND EVENTUALLY DRYING

UP.

WETLAND DESTRUCTION

THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE OF STORING LARGE

AMOUNTS OF RAINWATER THAT FEED THE

GROUNDWATER AND STREAMS DURING DRY TIMES.

IF DESTROYED, THERE WILL BE FEWER WETLANDS

THAT ACT AS SPONGES OR NATURAL FILTERS OF

RIVER SYSTEMS.

POLLUTION

IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF WASTE CAN POLLUTE

BODIES OF WATER. THE DISCHARGE OF WASTE

OF SOME INDUSTRIES INTO NEARBY STREAMS IS

ALSO A CONTRIBUTOR TO POLLUTION.

POLLUTION

CLEANING WATER SOURCES ONCE POLLUTED IS

MORE COSTLY AND IT TAKES A LONGER TIME TO DO SO.

AGRICULTURE

THE CHEMICALS FARMERS SPRAY ON THEIR

CROPS CAN SEEP INTO THE GROUND AND

COULD LATER ON FLOW ON STREAMS OR

RIVERS.

EXCESS WATER WITHDRAWAL

AROUND THE WORLD, LAKES, RIVERS AND

INLAND SEAS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DRYING

UP BECAUSE TOO MUCH WATER IS BEING

DRAWN FROM THEM.

SEDIMENTATION

ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FARMING, CLEARING

FORESTS, BUILDING ROADS, AND MINING

INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF SEDIMENTS IN THE

WATER. THESE SEDIMENTS COULD CARRY TOXIC

CHEMICALS.

SEDIMENTATION

THEY COULD DAMAGE EQUIPMENT USED IN

WATER SUPPLY INSTALLATIONS AND IN

HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS.

SEDIMENTATION CAN ALSO LIMIT RESERVOIRS’

CAPACITY.

URBAN GROWTH

CAUSES SCARCITY OF WATER DUE TO

INCREASING POPULATION

INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN AREAS AROUND WATER

SOURCES USUALLY BATHE, WASH CLOTHES, OR EVEN

DEFECATE, AT THE SAID WATER SOURCE, THUS,

CONTAMINATING IT. THIS INCREASES THE CHANCE OF PEOPLE CATCHING WATER-BORNE DISEASES.

CLIMATE CHANGE

OBSERVED THAT LAND AND MOUNTAIN

GLACIERS ARE SHRINKING, AND THIS TREND

HAS ACCELERATED CONSIDERABLY IN RECENT

YEARS.