| Home | Français | ||
|---|---|---|
WATER QUALITY
Water quality is closely linked to water use and to the state of economic development.In industrialized countries, faecal contamination of surface water caused serious health problems (typhoid and cholera) in large cities in the mid-1800's. At the turn of the century, cities in Europe and North America began building sewer networks to route domestic wastes downstream of water intakes. Development of sewage networks and waste treatment facilities in urban areas has expanded enormously in the past two decades. However, the rapid growth of urban population, especially in Latin America and Asia, has outpaced the ability of governments to expand sewage and water infrastructure. While water-borne diseases have been virtually eliminated in the developed world, outbreaks of cholera and other gastro-enteric diseases still occur with alarming frequency in the developing countries. (Water Quality Issues)
Since World War II and the dawn of the 'chemical age', water quality has been heavily impacted worldwide by industrial and agricultural chemicals. Eutrophication of surface waters from human and agricultural wastes, and nitrification of groundwater from agricultural practices has affected large parts of the world. Acidification of surface waters by air pollution is a recent phenomenon and threatens aquatic life in many areas. In developed countries, these general types of pollution have occurred sequentially with the result that most developed countries have successfully dealt with major surface water pollution. In contrast, newly industrialized countries such as China, India, Thailand, Brazil, and Mexico, are now facing all these issues simultaneously.
| Home | Français |
|---|
