I. Introduction
Water plays a big role in all living things. In fact, everything cannot exist without water. The statistics estimate that there were about 1,500 liters of water for industry, 2,500 liters for agriculture, and 250 liters for daily activities (UK essays, 2018)…We know how essential water is; however when the living standard is improving, one of the most serious environmental problems faced in Vietnam is water pollution. “Water is typically referred to as polluted when it is impaired by anthropogenic contaminants”(Wikipedia, “Water pollution,” 2020). According to the media, water quality in this country has deteriorated and particulate matter (PM) is at high levels. This research paper is aimed at providing an overview of the causes, and negative effects of water pollution and suggesting some possible solutions to best limit water contamination in Vietnam.
II. Discussion of findings.
- What are the causes of water contamination?
Human activities are the main cause of this problem. Many people throw rubbish indiscriminately into canals, lakes, and rivers without being aware of the seriousness of their actions. Also, humans bury the carcass without treatment which may lead to groundwater pollution as this chemical waste even may seep into the underground water or flow to nearby water bodies when it rains. The utilization of pesticides and herbicides in agriculture additionally causes water contamination particularly when the use of synthetic compounds is uncontrolled. Some pesticides and herbicides have high draining potential and they pollute the underground water. The leaching of these chemicals causes the accumulation of Selenium, a heavy metal in the soil that is toxic and unsafe when it reaches the water body (Chaudry and Malik, 2017).
Also, the lack of technology in rubbish treatment is one of the matters creating water pollution. It means that some types of waste will not be treated if there is no technical service and those waste may get into the water and cause serious effects to the water. Take the example of To Lich River in Hanoi, it could be the most polluted river and this can only be solved with technology interventions, specifically by Nano-Bioreactor technology. Furthermore, not all wastewater from a few manufacturing plants is treated before dumping to the water bodies and this contaminates the water.
Another element of this problem is the Government's policies. As an illustration, factories are allowed to build massively without being strictly controlled on measures to treat waste as well as wastewater during production. Furthermore, the government sometimes cannot manage such many factories, so factories have been able to abuse that and start ignoring waste treatment before releasing it into the environment. For instance, Formosa company, during the commissioning of the factory complex, had violations and incidents, resulting in wastewater containing untreated phenol and cyanide toxins meeting environmental standards. (Xuan Long, “Formosa đứng đầu các vụ gây ô nhiễm năm 2016,” 2017). “Accordingly, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and other relevant units have checked and discovered violations regarding Formosa discharging toxic waste into the sea wastewater containing toxins exceeding the permitted level.” ( Wikipedia, “Vietnam marine life disaster,” 2016). And these have caused a serious impact on water resources.
2. The negative effects of water pollution.
Firstly, ecosystems could be severely changed or destroyed by water pollution. As expressed before notwithstanding being harmful to people water contamination additionally plays a major factor in the endurance of creatures, vegetation, and different environmental variables. The serious problem is the disappearance of fish. For instance, in 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency under the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment discovered that a Flour and Seasoning Powder Factory in Vedan Vietnam discharged a large of wastewater that contained high substances of molasses and toxic chemicals into the Thi Vai River. Consequently, the river became dirtier and it never again had fish or oceanic life. Like animals, plants need water to live. Plants died when they were irrigated with water containing toxic chemicals or when their roots absorbed polluted underground water.
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Besides, water pollution was a serious effect on human health in many ways. There were many serious infectious men to man due to water contamination such as respiratory disease, cancer, neurological,...(Mehtab Haseenna, 2017). Dirty or polluted water is the preferred breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests. Mosquito bites adversely impact on human health and can cause diseases such as Malaria, Dengue, and Chikungunya. Water animals, plants, and animals that humans consume also be badly affected by water pollution. If we eat foods that have already been infected, we are bound to fall ill. Mehtab Haseene, Department of Zoology said, “Hepatitis is a viral disease caused by contaminated water and infects the liver”. When you drink polluted water, bacteria will break into your body and damage parts inside. Then you feel tired, lose appetite, and fatigued,… which are some symptoms of hepatitis. If not treated promptly, it can lead to cancer. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam had bout 37 “cancer villages” with a total of 1,136 people dying from cancer in the past 20 years ( Nguyen Quang Thong, 2015). Especially, many families in Thach Son - Phu Tho province had 2 to 3 members die of cancer. It is worth mention is that 814 water samples collected which have been found in both ground and underground were contaminated. Therefore, if this issue goes on, the consequences could get worse.
Besides, livelihoods also are affected by contaminated water. In particular, the mass death of fish greatly affects the production and daily life of fishermen. A series of dead fish in Vietnam in 2016, also known as the Formosa Incident refers to the phenomenon of dead fish in the waters of Vung Ang (Ha Tinh) and then spread to the waters of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue (Wikipedia, “Vietnam marine life disaster,” 2016. ). According to a survey of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, 263,000 workers were affected, of which 100,000 were directly affected due to this issue. The unemployment rate increased greatly in four provinces, the largest one was Ha Tinh (15.7 times) and then Quang Binh (7.9 times), Quang Tri (2.8 times), and Thua Thien-Hue (1.6 times). The number of fishermen in Ha Tinh decreased by 74% while in Quang Binh 83.2% of people had reduced income compared to the time before the disaster( Wikipedia, “Mass deaths of fish in Vietnam,” 2016).
3. How can we tackle this issue?
To prevent this issue, the Government needs to take action. The Government should focus its attention on updating the laws to reflect current conditions to solve this problem. Besides, the litterers will be fined to prevent this from happening, and if the person littering continues throwing rubbish, not at the prescribed places need for more severe sanctions than the previous. Another way to overcome this concern is for the Government to invest more funds in finding out the method for the best reduction of water contamination. Furthermore, the Government can develop and apply preferential policies on finance, taxes, and exports to encourage environmentally-friendly businesses.
On the other hand, each citizen should raise their awareness in many ways such as propagandize about water pollution, educating when being young, and learning how to use water wisely. Moreover, when humans do agricultural activities, they should not waste chemical waste randomly to reduce runoff of the chemical into nearby water sources. One possible idea to lower chemical toxicity in the water environment is looking at options of composting and using organic manure instead. About domestic waste, throwing away garbage right place rule and avoid littering plastic, bags, persistent items….and so on into the rivers, canals, and beaches, …. By joining a water association, a small but positive influence, we can keep our waters protected and preserved.
Last but not least, when being built, factories should make a sewage treatment system and use the wastewater treatment process in some steps such as mechanical, biological, and advanced wastewater treatment. This situation could be improved if factories and organizations near the water source have a strategic plan to periodically clean the water. Also, factories and industrial facilities should be built far away from ecologically and socially sensitive areas as well as developing technologies for waste treatment and industrial environmental pollution treatment. What is more, companies should enhance cooperation with international organizations, companies, and countries with advanced environmental industries to learn experiences and take advantage of financial and technological resources in pollution control and environmental protection.
III. Conclusion.
Every individual, and organization uses water, and water also has an impact on all aspects of life. When water quality decreases, everything will be adversely affected and vice versa. We can choose to live in a clean water environment or live in an environment where the water is polluted. Obviously, no one wants to live in such a polluted environment, so every action needs to be taken immediately to control water pollution. Facing pollution, the Government needs to set laws and conduct periodic inspections to avoid discharging untreated wastes into the environment as well as invest in building technological advances that will support wastewater treatment and so on. Also, individuals also need to raise their awareness of environmental protection responsibilities such as strictly complying with requirements and avoiding harming the environment.
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