The Facts About Water Pollution and Solutions! Simple Methods You Can Do at Home
"The river pollution I see on the news lately, is our drinking water really safe..."
"I hear that domestic wastewater is the cause, but what exactly should I do..."
Some of you may be harboring such anxieties and questions.
Water pollution is a problem that concerns not only the global environment but also our health, and it is by no means someone else's problem.
However, solving this problem begins with the small, daily efforts of each and every one of us.
In this article, for those who want to correctly understand the current state of water pollution and start with what they can do in their daily lives,
The serious current state of water pollution and its main causes
The impact on our health and ecosystems
5 simple measures you can start at home today
The above are explained in an easy-to-understand manner.
No special knowledge or tools are required.
By reading this article, you will be able to take a concrete step toward protecting the environment.
Please use this as a reference for your daily life.
The definition of water pollution and its background
Water pollution is a state in which rivers, oceans, groundwater, etc., become contaminated due to human activities, causing adverse effects on the living creatures there and our health.
The clean water we use as a matter of course in our daily lives may actually be facing serious problems out of sight.
This is an environmental problem that is deeply related to our lives and can never be ignored.
So, why does water become polluted?
The biggest cause lies in wastewater from factories and "domestic wastewater" from our homes.
Domestic wastewater, in particular, has been viewed as a problem in recent years, and in some regions, it accounts for more than 70% of the causes of pollution.
The fact that cooking oil, dishwashing detergent, and bath wastewater are discharged into the natural world without being properly treated is a major factor in worsening the water environment.
Specifically, it is said that if you pour one cup (about 200ml) of tempura oil down the drain, it takes about 1,000 bathtubs worth of water to return the water quality to a level where fish can live.
Also, just pouring out rice-washing water or miso soup consumes a large amount of oxygen in the water, which leads to the suffering of many aquatic organisms.
It is important to understand the fact that small daily actions accumulate to create a large environmental burden.
What is water pollution?
Water pollution refers to a state in which public water areas such as rivers, lakes, and oceans become contaminated due to human activities, such as industrial wastewater from factories and domestic wastewater from homes. The Water Pollution Prevention Act defines this as a "state that may cause damage to human health and the living environment," and it can also have a serious impact on the habitat and growth of aquatic organisms. Specifically, water quality deteriorates when chemical substances, heavy metals, organic matter contained in domestic wastewater, nitrogen, and phosphorus are discharged into the water. Not only can fish no longer live in rivers that were once clean, and foul odors occur, but there is also the danger that our health will be threatened by ingesting contaminated water. Thus, water pollution can be said to be a very serious problem for both the natural environment and human society.
Knowing the current state of water pollution
Japan's water quality is generally on an improving trend due to the spread of sewage systems. For example, the environmental standard achievement rate for BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), which indicates river pollution, maintained a high level of 94.1% in fiscal year 2021. However, it can be said that challenges remain in closed water areas such as lakes and inner bays. The achievement rate for COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), an indicator of lake pollution, was low at 53.2% in the same fiscal year, and eutrophication caused by nitrogen and phosphorus has become a serious problem. In addition, red tides and hypoxic water masses are occurring in closed sea areas such as Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay, and the Seto Inland Sea. In recent years, marine pollution caused by invisible microplastics has also been attracting global attention as a new threat, and it is becoming a problem close to our lives.
Main causes and effects of water pollution
Did you know that the water essential to our lives is being polluted by various causes, such as wastewater from factories and domestic wastewater from homes?
Water pollution is not a story from a distant country, but an environmental problem that is actually occurring in Japan's rivers and oceans, and it is a serious issue that directly affects our lives and health.
The background to water pollution is closely related to our social activities.
Not only the discharge of chemical substances from factories, but also the cooking oil and detergents that we casually pour down the drain are factors that worsen water quality.
By releasing this polluted water into the natural world without proper treatment, the environment is slowly but surely being eroded.
So, what specific causes lead to water pollution, and what effects do they have on ecosystems and the human body?
I will explain this in detail below.
Impact of industrial wastewater
Industrial wastewater discharged from factories and businesses is one of the major factors causing water pollution. In the past, Japan experienced serious pollution-related diseases such as Minamata disease, caused by mercury in factory wastewater, and Itai-itai disease, caused by cadmium. These diseases were triggered when harmful chemical substances flowed into rivers and the sea and accumulated in the human body through fish and shellfish. The Water Pollution Prevention Act was enacted in 1970, establishing strict discharge standards for hazardous substances, including cadmium and cyanide compounds. However, even today, with strengthened legal regulations, challenges remain, such as the accidental release of hazardous substances and pollution caused by new chemical substances like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which have recently gained attention as a nationwide issue.
Problems caused by domestic wastewater
You might think of factory wastewater as the main cause of water pollution, but in terms of the total amount of pollution (BOD pollution load), about 70% actually comes from domestic wastewater from our homes. Wastewater from the kitchen is particularly serious; for example, it is said that it takes about 10 bathtubs worth of water to make one tablespoon (about 15 ml) of tempura oil safe for fish to live in. Also, it is calculated that pouring one bowl of miso soup down the drain requires about 4.7 bathtubs worth of water. Furthermore, nitrogen and phosphorus contained in detergents used for laundry and bathing are major factors that cause "eutrophication" in lakes and marshes. This leads to abnormal blooms of blue-green algae, which not only deplete oxygen in the water and kill fish and shellfish but also cause problems such as a musty odor in tap water. We must understand that our convenient lifestyles are having a serious impact on the water environment.
The relationship between climate change and water pollution
Although it may seem unrelated at first glance, climate change is actually a major factor accelerating water pollution. The guerrilla rainstorms and large typhoons that have been occurring frequently across Japan in recent years are typical examples. Powerful rain washes pollutants accumulated in urban areas and farmland, as well as sewage that exceeds treatment capacity, into rivers and the sea all at once. This causes rapid pollution of rivers and leads to a significant deterioration in water quality. The rise in water temperature due to global warming is also a problem that cannot be overlooked. It is believed that when the water temperature exceeds 25°C, phytoplankton such as blue-green algae, which cause eutrophication, are more likely to multiply abnormally. This not only depletes oxygen in the water and leads to mass fish die-offs, but can also have a serious impact on tap water sources. In this way, climate change disrupts the balance of the water environment and threatens our lives.
Serious impact on the ecosystem
Water pollution is a serious problem that directly threatens the lives of organisms living in the water. When eutrophication progresses due to nitrogen and phosphorus contained in wastewater from homes and factories, phytoplankton multiply abnormally. This leads to large-scale blue-green algae blooms like the one that occurred in Lake Biwa in 1977, or red tides seen in Tokyo Bay and elsewhere. When bacteria decompose the carcasses of the massive amount of plankton, a large amount of oxygen in the water is consumed, causing many fish and shellfish to die from lack of oxygen. In addition, hazardous substances such as mercury and cadmium contained in factory wastewater will accumulate in the bodies of organisms through the food chain (biomagnification). As a result, not only does the ecological pyramid collapse, but there is also a risk that eating contaminated fish and shellfish will cause serious damage to human health, just like the Minamata disease of the past.
Risks to human health
Water pollution poses both direct and indirect risks to our health. Drinking contaminated river or groundwater carries the risk of ingesting pathogenic microorganisms that cause digestive diseases such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Even more serious are the health hazards caused by harmful chemical substances contained in factory wastewater and the like. In the past, Japan experienced painful pollution-related diseases such as Minamata disease caused by methylmercury and Itai-itai disease caused by cadmium. When these substances accumulate in the body, they can cause serious damage to the nervous system and bones.
It has also been pointed out that harmful substances can be ingested into our bodies through the food chain by eating fish, shellfish, and agricultural products grown in contaminated water. In this way, water pollution is a very familiar and serious problem that threatens our lives and health in invisible ways.
Concrete measures against water pollution
The role played by the SDGs
The "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" set by the international community play an important role in solving water pollution. Among the 17 goals with a 2030 deadline, "Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all" clearly calls for improving water quality by preventing pollution. In addition, "Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development," which calls for the prevention of marine pollution, also aims to reduce the inflow of pollutants caused by land-based activities and is closely related to the conservation of water quality in rivers and lakes. Furthermore, the proper management of chemical substances and waste required by "Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns" is directly linked to suppressing water pollution caused by factory and domestic wastewater. In this way, the SDGs provide a multifaceted perspective on global issues and serve as a common global guideline that encourages action by countries, companies, and us as individuals.
Japan's efforts to improve water quality
In Japan, various measures have been taken, taking lessons from the serious water pollution that occurred during the period of rapid economic growth. At the core of this is the Water Pollution Prevention Act, enacted in 1970. Based on this law, strict uniform standards were established nationwide for wastewater from factories and workplaces. In addition, the development of sewage systems has been strongly promoted as a measure against domestic wastewater from homes, and Japan's sewage coverage rate reached 81% by the end of fiscal year 2022. Furthermore, there are special systems to protect specific water areas, such as the Act on Special Measures for Water Quality Conservation in Lakes and Reservoirs, which targets Lake Biwa and others. As a result of these comprehensive efforts, the water quality of public water bodies in Japan has improved significantly. Looking at the achievement status of environmental standards, a very high level of over 99% is maintained for items that protect human health, showing that the continuous efforts by the national and local governments are bearing fruit.
What are the uniform national effluent standards?
Uniform national effluent standards are those established by the government based on the Water Pollution Prevention Act to protect human health and the living environment. Please understand that these are minimum regulatory values applied nationwide to water discharged from factories and workplaces into public water bodies such as rivers. These standards are broadly divided into two categories: "health items," which include hazardous substances such as cadmium and lead, and "living environment items," which include BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) and COD (chemical oxygen demand), which cause water turbidity. This plays a role in preventing health damage caused by hazardous substances and stopping the deterioration of the water environment. In addition, each prefecture can also set its own stricter "additional standards" by ordinance according to local circumstances, beyond the standards set by the national government.
Significance of the designated lake and reservoir system
The designated lake and reservoir system is designed to designate lakes and marshes with particularly serious water pollution based on the Act on Special Measures for Water Quality Conservation in Lakes and Reservoirs and to promote intensive water quality improvement. Under this system, prefectural governors formulate lake and reservoir water quality conservation plans and promote comprehensive measures in cooperation with the national government, municipalities, and local residents. Specifically, a wide range of initiatives are being carried out, such as strengthening regulations on pollution loads from factories and workplaces, promoting the development of sewage systems, and restoring natural purification functions by protecting vegetation zones on lake shores. So far, 11 lakes and marshes nationwide, including Lake Kasumigaura, Lake Biwa, and Lake Suwa, have been designated, and water quality conservation measures tailored to the characteristics of each region are being implemented. This system has great significance in protecting the environment of lakes and marshes, which are closed water bodies, and passing on a rich ecosystem to the next generation.
The Importance of Water Day and Water Week
In Japan, special days and weeks are established to raise public awareness about the finiteness and preciousness of water resources. With the Basic Act on the Water Cycle enacted in 2014, August 1st was designated as "Water Day" every year. Furthermore, the one-week period from this day to August 7th is designated as "Water Week." During this period, the national government, local public entities, and related companies collaborate to carry out various events nationwide to convey the importance of water quality conservation. For example, poster contests about water, lectures, and tours of dams and water purification plants that are usually off-limits are held. These activities play a very important role in helping us feel closer to the problem of water pollution and raising awareness for protecting the water environment. Water Day and Water Week can be said to be important opportunities for society as a whole to share an awareness of protecting a healthy water cycle.
5 Water Pollution Countermeasures You Can Do at Home
Faced with the major problem of water pollution, some people may feel, "Is there anything I can do?"
However, in reality, domestic wastewater from our homes is a major cause of water pollution, and small efforts in our daily lives become very effective measures for protecting rivers and the ocean.
Your individual actions are an important step toward creating a clean water environment for the future.
This is because if the dish soap, laundry detergent, cooking oil, and food scraps we use every day flow directly into rivers and the ocean, they deplete oxygen in the water and create an environment where living creatures struggle to survive.
In particular, it is said that it takes about 330 bathtubs worth of water to return 500ml of tempura oil to a water quality level where fish can live.
In this way, our daily habits have a direct impact on the water environment.
So, what specific things should we practice?
Here, we have carefully selected 5 highly effective measures that anyone can start today.
We will explain in detail below methods that are useful in various situations, from the kitchen to the bathroom.
Tips for Reducing Food Waste
The act of pouring leftover food or drinks down the drain is a major cause of water pollution. This is because the abundant nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus contained in food lead to eutrophication when they flow into rivers and the ocean. This eutrophication causes abnormal growth of phytoplankton, leading to the occurrence of blue-green algae and red tides, which causes serious damage to the aquatic ecosystem. For example, to return one bowl of miso soup (about 150ml) to a water quality level where fish can live, it would take about 1,050 liters of water, which is equivalent to about 35 bathtubs. As a tip for what you can do at home, it is important to get into the habit of checking the refrigerator before shopping and buying only what you need. When cooking, be mindful of the amount you can finish, and if there are leftovers, you can reduce food loss by finding ways to not waste ingredients, such as repurposing them the next day. Each person's small consideration leads to protecting a clean water environment for the future.
Thoroughly Wipe Off Oil Stains
Are you pouring tempura oil or oil used for stir-frying directly down the drain? Oil stains are one of the major causes of water pollution. For example, it takes about 3,000 liters of water, which is equivalent to about 10 bathtubs, to return just one tablespoon (about 15ml) of oil to clean water where fish can live. Oil does not dissolve in water, and not only does it cause clogging of sewage pipes and foul odors, but it also weakens the work of microorganisms in sewage treatment plants, reducing their treatment capacity. Before washing, please carefully wipe off oil stains remaining on dishes and frying pans with kitchen paper, newspaper, or a rubber spatula. Dispose of the paper or cloth used for wiping as combustible waste. This extra effort leads to a big step toward protecting the water in rivers and the ocean.
Review Your Use of Detergents
The laundry and dish detergents we use every day can also cause water pollution depending on how they are used. The surfactants contained in detergents take time to be broken down by microorganisms in the water and may affect the ecosystems of rivers and the ocean. Therefore, it is important to first follow the appropriate amount indicated on the product. Using more detergent does not significantly increase cleaning power, but rather leads to an increased burden on the environment.
Choosing eco-friendly detergents made with plant-derived ingredients or renewable resources is also an effective measure. Traditional soap is considered to have less environmental impact than synthetic detergents. For light stains, you can also use baking soda or sesquicarbonate to reduce the amount of detergent used. Such small daily reviews lead to protecting a clean water environment for the future.
Frequently Asked Questions About Water Pollution
What are the causes of water pollution?
There is not just one main cause of water pollution. In the past, "industrial wastewater" from factories and the like was considered the main cause. However, as a result of strengthened legal regulations, such as the enactment of the Water Pollution Prevention Act in 1970, pollution from industrial wastewater is on an improving trend.
Currently, the biggest cause of water pollution in Japan is "domestic wastewater" from our daily lives. Domestic wastewater is a general term for wastewater from kitchens, baths, laundry, toilets, etc. In particular, wastewater from the kitchen, which contains oil used in cooking, food scraps, and detergent used when washing dishes, is a major factor in pollution.
In addition, "agricultural and livestock wastewater," where pesticides and chemical fertilizers used on farmland, as well as livestock manure, flow into rivers along with rainwater, is also cited as a cause. In this way, water pollution is caused by various factors intricately intertwined.
What are the effects of water pollution?
Water pollution has a wide-ranging impact on ecosystems and our lives. When eutrophication progresses due to nitrogen and phosphorus contained in domestic wastewater, red tides and blue-green algae occur, leading to a situation where oxygen in the water is depleted and fish and shellfish die in large numbers. In addition, harmful chemical substances discharged from factories and the like have also caused serious pollution-related diseases such as Minamata disease and Itai-itai disease. Biomagnification, where harmful substances are concentrated through the food chain, can pose a danger even to organisms at the top of the ecosystem. Furthermore, it is a very serious problem that leads to economic losses, such as damage to fisheries and agricultural water, and damage to the tourism industry due to the deterioration of the landscape.
What are some water pollution countermeasures you can take at home?
There are many water pollution countermeasures you can take in your daily life at home. First, in the kitchen, it is effective to wipe off oil stains from dishes and cooking utensils with paper before washing them. Waste oil, such as tempura oil, should never be poured down the drain; the correct disposal method is to solidify it with a coagulant and dispose of it as burnable trash, or take it to a local government collection point. Additionally, pouring leftovers or unfinished drinks down the drain also causes pollution in rivers and the ocean. It is easy to use too much detergent, shampoo, or soap, so try to stick to the recommended amounts indicated on the products. These small efforts by each individual turn into a great force for protecting the water environment.
