Groundwater, especially shallow groundwater, in many sites in South Asia is contaminated with
dangerously-high levels of arsenic
(12). Long-term exposure to the high levels of arsenic in drinking-water reduce child survival (13), and lead to cognitive impairment (14), cardiovascular diseases (15), and cancer (16).
Why is water pollution a problem in South Asia?
The natural water resources in Southeast Asia are
under intense pressure
because of population growth, urbanisation and climate change. … Many rivers in the region are highly polluted with domestic, industrial and agricultural waste, causing the Water Quality Index (WQI) to reach unsafe levels.
What are the effects of water pollution in Asia?
Exceedingly high levels of nutrients were found in 50% of rivers in the region and moderate levels in 25%. High nutrient levels cause
eutrophication
, including algal blooms that severely damage freshwater ecosystems and hinder their provision of vital environmental services to people.
How does polluted water affect humans?
Contaminated water can
harbor bacteria
, such as those responsible for diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A, and polio. According to the UN, every year, approximately 297,000 children under five die from diseases linked to poor sanitation, poor hygiene, or unsafe drinking water.
How does water pollution affect water in Southwest Asia?
Many countries in Southwest Asia are experiencing the increasing problem of water pollution. Per-capita availability of safe drinking water here is the worst of any region in the world.
Contaminated water sources have greatly reduced the amount of clean water available for drinking
.
What problems affects many rivers in Asia?
Rapid economic development and urbanisation has resulted in degradation and depletion of natural resources, including water and related ecosystem services. Many rivers in the region are highly polluted with
domestic, industrial and agricultural waste
, causing the Water Quality Index (WQI) to reach unsafe levels.
Why is India’s water so polluted?
Around 80% of India’s water is severely polluted
because people dump raw sewage, silt and garbage into the country’s rivers and lakes
. This has led to water being undrinkable and the population having to rely on illegal and expensive sources.
What are the 10 causes of water pollution?
- 1- Sewage or wastewater: The waste from households, factories, or agricultural land gets discharged into rivers or lakes. …
- 2- Dumping: …
- 3- Oil pollution: …
- 4- Acid rain: …
- 5- Industrial waste: …
- 1- Diseases: …
- 2- Ruination of the ecosystem: …
- 3- Eutrophication:
What are the 10 effects of water pollution?
- Destruction of biodiversity. Water pollution depletes aquatic ecosystems and triggers unbridled proliferation of phytoplankton in lakes — eutrophication —.
- Contamination of the food chain. …
- Lack of potable water. …
- Disease. …
- Infant mortality.
What happens when we drink polluted water?
If drinking water contains unsafe levels of contaminants, it can
cause health effects
, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous system or reproductive effects, and chronic diseases such as cancer.
Why is water important in Southwest Asia?
Because
water is in short supply in so many parts of Southwest Asia
, irrigation has been necessary for those who want to farm and raise animals for market. … As countries in Southwest Asia have worked to modernize their systems of agriculture, water pollution has been a growing problem.
What is the main consumer of water in Southwest Asia?
What is the main consumer water in Southwest Asia?
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
– begin in Turkey and travel through Syria and Iraq before emptying into the Persian Gulf. They are the largest rivers in Southwest Asia and are an essential source of water for the nations they pass through.
What are the two most valuable natural resources in Southwest Asia?
Two of the most important natural resources found in Southwest Asia are
natural gas and oil
. These two resources bring wealth into the region because they are needed for much of the world’s economy.
What is the dirtiest river in the world?
Citarum River, Indonesia
– The Citarum River is known as the most polluted river in the world and is located in West Java, Indonesia.
Which is the largest river of Asia?
Yangtze River, Chinese (Pinyin) Chang Jiang or (Wade-Giles romanization) Ch’ang Chiang, longest river in both China and Asia and third longest river in the world, with a length of 3,915 miles (6,300 km).
What is the most important river in Southeast Asia?
The Mekong
, Southeast Asia’s most important river, has for millennia supported the rise and fall of empires and is responsible for the livelihood of over 65 million people who live directly on its riverbanks, relying on the river for food, accommodation and employment.
