IELTS Task 2

Pollution of rivers, lakes and seas is a major concern for people who seek to protect the environment.
What are the possible causes of water pollution, and what effects does this have on animal life and human
society?

It is an undeniable fact water plays a vital role in human life. Nowadays, one of the main concerns of the human beings is water pollution which can threaten both humans and the environment. In this essay, I will explore some of the issues and negative effects associated with this type of pollution.

One of the main causes of water pollution is emissions produced by cars. In other words, these emissions including damaging chemical particles, such as carbon and sulphur dioxide, can contaminate rainwater, run-off and water supplies. For example, it is confirmed by many scientists that the rate of water contamination in urban areas is often far more that of than other places, such as suburbs or rural areas, as many people in large cities tend to use their private cars, and this can ultimately release a huge amount of emissions into the air. In spite of the fact that air pollution in itself can produce a lot of health-related problems, such as respiratory diseases and eye irritation, it can also cause many water-related diseases like cholera and typhoid affecting people's lives in the long run.

Another obvious cause of water contamination is dumping wastes into the ocean. That is to say, sewage and trashes released into the ocean can lead to marine pollution. Many poor countries, for instance, dump household garbage into the seas as there are not enough landfills, and this can eventually pollute the ocean. Dumping these pollutants can have knock-on effects on sea species such as fish, dolphins and sharks, and therefore, it can threaten the life of these type of animals, leading to the extinction of them. In addition, as many people consume seafood, this contamination can transmit to the human's body and produce serious problems such as poisoning.

To sum up, while human activities are the main cause of water pollution and produce many problems for both humans and the sea environment, these problems are not insurmountable and can easily be addressed. If the governments prohibited sea dumping and imposed stricter laws on the usage of private cars, this problem would be perfectly solved.