How to avoid water pollution

One of the most important tasks when it comes to preventing water pollution is that the Public Administrations prohibit the use of both products that pollute water , whether they are chemical or physical.

It is necessary that these initiatives come from the competent authorities, since many citizens are not aware of the danger that these products pose to both aquifers and seawater. In this sense, a good example of products that are harmful to water would be pesticides used indiscriminately in extensive agriculture, as well as microplastics , which end up in the drains of our houses and, finally, in the oceans.

Some of the most dangerous pollutants in our waters are those derived from oil. In this sense, another of the measures to avoid water pollution is to make a transition towards cleaner and more environmentally friendly energies, which would serve to avoid the presence of these pollutants in the different ecosystems. So it is in the hands of governments, companies and citizens to use more these renewable and clean energies and leave behind those that are highly polluting.

Likewise, another of the problems that water pollution presents is due, to a large extent, to untreated gray water . Greywater is all household wastewater. On many occasions, these waters are dumped directly into the rivers, which causes their contamination, as well as the subsequent contamination of the seas where they flow. Thus, another tip to avoid water contamination is to purify the waters before they are returned to the environment. This, in addition, provides water that, although it is not drinkable, it does serve to irrigate green and agricultural areas.

To learn more about it and about the techniques to decontaminate water in general, not just gray water, we recommend this video from our YouTube channel about water decontamination and how contaminated water is purified.

Another problem of water pollution is due to the overexploitation of aquifers , especially in agricultural settings. This overexploitation ends up causing the aquifers to dry up, which entails damage to the entire environment, not only at the agricultural level, but also damage to the biodiversity of the ecosystem.

For this reason, one of the ways to avoid water pollution is to avoid this overexpilation and to pursue it, especially when it is done illegally, so governments must intervene again.

While it is true that it does not reduce water pollution, using water responsibly allows this natural resource to be consumed more efficiently, which in turn has a positive impact on society and the environment as a whole. In this sense, we should take into account such everyday elements as showering instead of bathing, turning off the tap while brushing our teeth, not turning on the dishwasher until it is full, etc. Thus, in addition, the volume of gray water is reduced .

Currently, we have at our disposal a wide range of ecological products , both for domestic and personal use. These ecological cleaning products and soaps are formulated from natural ingredients, which means that, when their components reach the environment, they disappear without causing great damage to the environment as they are biodegradable products.

In this other AgroCorrn article we show you how to make homemade soap without caustic soda , an element that pollutes water and the environment in general.

What else can be done to prevent water pollution? Another good option to add to the list is to reduce packaging since, especially plastics, are materials that pollute water and take decades to disappear.

In this sense, a reduction in heavily packed products helps to reduce the impact that this type of consumption has on water. A good starting point is to use reusable bags at the grocery store and to buy food in bulk.

Both oils and heavy metals , as well as the mercury present inside batteries , are two of the elements that have the most polluting capacity in the environment. For this reason, it is essential that we never throw oil down the drain or the batteries or electronic devices in the trash. Instead, we must take them to a clean point or a recycling container, where they will be properly treated to avoid the environmental damage they cause.

One of the most polluting industries in general, and water in particular, is the livestock industry . This industry produces a large waste of water , since it is estimated that, to obtain 1 kilo of meat, it will be necessary to consume at least 7,000 liters of water. While in the case of 1 kilo of rice the consumption will be reduced to approximately 2,000 liters of water.

In addition, the livestock industry is responsible for producing a large amount of polluting waste , so a lower consumption of animal feed will considerably reduce water pollution.

To finish with these tips on how to avoid water pollution we mention awareness and education. This aspect is essential when dealing with any matter related to the conservation of the environment . It is one of the most important aspects because it is the starting point of any action aimed at conserving it, including also what is related to water pollution.

Many people are not truly aware that, with small gestures, we can avoid very important damage to our water resources and ecosystems. By raising awareness in society , and educating it so that it knows how to act in each case, we can significantly reduce water pollution, both for human consumption and for terrestrial and marine ecosystems.