ENV 110: Assitant Director Of The World Bank - Water Resource Threats

Water Resource Threats
[Student’s name]
Course
Institution
Date
MEMORANDUM
TO: DIRECTOR OF WORLD BANK
FROM: ASSITANT DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD BANK
DATE: 14TH DECEMBER 2017.
SUBJECT: WATER RESOURCE THREATS
The purpose of this memo is to identify major threats to water resources which pollute both ground and surface water. Egan (2017) stated that water resources usually face two major threats which are caused by either natural means or by human beings. When it comes to the natural threats, they entail causes realized due to climate change and hydrological extremes. On the other hand, the human-made threats include practices by human beings. The major human threats to water sources include discharge of industrial wastes to water sources, effluents and spillage of oil into water sources. Besides, agricultural practices such as overutilization of fertilizers and also salinization are major threats to water sources. Egan (2017) further elaborated that these water resources are majorly polluted by human-made activities; the main one being the discharge of untreated industrial wastes into resources of water such as lakes, rivers, and seas hence causing water pollution. The untreated sewage from the industries is the major threat to water resources that have affected the environment, the aquatic life and also human life at large. Proper solutions need to be put in place to curb this problem since its effect is so profound to the environment.
Lacey (2009) showed that industrial effluents are major threats to water resources. Discharge of wastes from production plants into water resources such as rivers without proper treatment is a threat to water resources. For instance, in Nigeria less than 10% of the industries treat their wastes before discharging them into water bodies, while the remaining ones directly discharge wastes into water resources without treating them. Continued discharge of raw sewage from production plants has increased the load of inorganic metals such as Chromium, Lead, and Iron into the water bodies. These inorganic metallic substances make it difficult for the aquatic creatures to survive and also at the same time dangerous for human consumption. These substances are solely responsible for the increased cases of typhoid which is increasing the human mortality rates out of these diseases. The instances of raw sewages being directed into water systems are prevalent in the urban centers which usually lack proper sewage disposal systems. Once water resources are polluted it provides a breeding ground for pathogens which affects not only the aquatic life but also the human life (Lacey, 2009).
Gleick (2014) reveals that when wastes products are discharged into water bodies, some of them usually dissolve in water forming a solution that is harmful to both human life and aqua...