National Water Week: The importance of water and human impact

Water is essential to the existence and maintenance of life on earth, all things we consider to be living rely on water to survive. This reliance might not be direct through the consumption of water but could also include the consumption of other living things that rely on water. Humans are no exception to this situation. We need water for a variety of reason for us to function biologically through our consumption of water, we use water to cook, maintain hygiene, to grow the food we eat and even to produce electricity. [1]

Due to this reliance, access to clean water is a basic human right. However, it is easily forgotten that water is not produced, cleaned or channelled through the will of humans, it is a completely natural resource which we rely on nature to provide and clean for us to use. Water is important for a healthy environment and it is also cleaned through different natural systems like wetlands and forests. [2, 9]. There are variety of ways that humans impact water quality and supply, these negative impacts and actions will be discussed.

Humans are a large contributor to soil erosion and sediment pollution, or water siltation is caused by sediment which results from soil erosion. This sediment or ‘sand’ is washed into water ways by rain and pollutes water supplies in water catchments [6], areas of collection of water created by the land [7]. The catchment areas also provide areas of outflow for the collected water, these areas are often relied on by humans, plants and other animals for freshwater supply. The outlets are usually rivers, estuaries, wetlands, lakes, or the ocean [7]. When the catchment areas are polluted, the water in the outlet areas, where we collect water, also become polluted and results in environmental damage and the consumption of contaminated water in communities which rely on rivers and streams for water supply [8].

The main form of pollution caused by mining comes through acid mine drainage. This is caused by rain water which runs over the materials in mining areas, known to be sulphur containing. When the water mixes with the sulphur in from these materials and air to create sulphuric acid in the water. This water becomes acidic, carries metals, and cannot be consumed. Like sediment pollution, water that is polluted through acid mine drainage or water from those areas is collected in catchment areas to later pollute human water sources. The pollution caused by acid mine drainage is exceedingly difficult to correct as this kind of pollution is long lasting and can continue to impact the environment through the plants and animals who are similarly impacted by the polluted water. [4]

Invasive alien plants are particularly common in areas with high levels of water such as wetlands. These plant are usually much larger than native South African plants and decrease water supply due to their relatively high consumption of water. The size of these plants also means they are able to store more nutrients, but these nutrients contribute to contamination of going water. [3]

An unexpected industry and a contributor to water pollution is the electricity industry. Electricity production relies on water through majority of it's process. The coal or gas needed to produce electricity consumes a high amount of water and is a large contributor to water pollution. The waste water produced by electricity production causes water pollution through changes in temperature of water bodies found in nature. This affects the plant and animal life found in these areas and also contributes to contamination of the water and human’s inability to consume the affected water. [5]

A few of the impacts of human behaviour on water supply and quality have been explored but these issues can only be solved by their source, humans. It is our responsibility to evaluate our personal relationships with water and our impact and to hold the relevant people responsible.

Live green, see green

Shannon

References

1. Australian Government Department of Health. (2010). Water – it’s importance and source. The Department of Health. [ONLINE] Available from: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch6~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch6.1 (Accessed: 13/03/2021).

2. Buchanan, S., Lockhart, H., Bowen, D. (2020). World Wetlands Day: 11 reasons wetlands are vital for humans and animals. Two Oceans Aquarium [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/11-reasons-why-wetlands-are-vital-for-humans-and-animals#:~:text=Not%20only%20do%20wetland%20ecosystems,protect%20our%20planet%20and%20ourselves (Accessed 01/02/2021).

3. Chamier, J., Schachtschneider, K., le Maitre, D.C., Ashton, P.J., & van Wilgen, B.W. (2012). Impacts of invasive alien plants on water quality, with particular emphasis on South Africa. Water SA, 38(2): 345-356.

4. Earthworks. (2019). Acid mine drainage. Earthworks. [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.earthworks.org/issues/acid_mine_drainage/ (Accessed: 14/03/2021).

5. Folk, E. (2021). How the energy industry contributes to water pollution. Renewable Energy Magazine. [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/emily-folk/how-the-energy-industry-contributes-to-water-20191213#:~:text=Almost%20all%20energy%20production%20relies,of%20steam%20within%20the%20plant (Accessed 15/03/2021).

6. Issaka, S. and Ashraf, M. A. (2017). Impact of soil erosion and degradation on water quality: a review. Geology, Ecology, and Landscapes, 1(1): 1-11, DOI: 10.1080/24749508.2017.1301053

7. Science Learn. (2020). Article: Water Catchments. Science Learning Hub. [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2873-water-catchments (Accessed 15/03/2021).

8. Water Wise Education Team. (No date). Water Pollution your Health. Rand Water: Corporate Responsibility. [ONLINE] https://www.randwater.co.za/CorporateResponsibility/WWE/Pages/WaterPollution.aspx (Accessed 16/03/2021).

9. World Wildlife Day (2021). World Wildlife Day 3rd March: About. World Wildlife Day. [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.wildlifeday.org/ (Accessed 02/03/2021).