In some of the regions in Kurdistan, environmental protection has become a cultural element but unfortunately, in some other areas, it is ignored! Protecting the environment consists of various stages, and damaging the environment is also the same. I would like to take a look at polluting the water resources in this article and discuss the effects of this act on people and the environment. The reason for choosing this topic is that unfortunately in most of the regions in Kurdistan, people do not pay enough attention to the water resources so these resources are about to be destroyed. We need to remember the fact that Kurdistan is rich in possessing water resources among the neighboring countries and there are many who would want to extract them.

What does it mean to pollute water resources?

Polluting water resources is one of the most significant threats to the water ecosystem. Water pollution can end in serious damage such as destroying the environment or even economic loss.

Water resources can be classified into three groups generally: surface water like rivers and lakes, underground water, and seas and oceans.

Generally speaking, polluting the water also consists of the damages to the environment which happen due to the harmful elements that are mixed with the water. Those harmful materials and elements that are mixed with the water can change the water components which can be physical, chemical, environmental, or physiological pollution.

Water pollution does not happen suddenly but it is rather a constant damage. For instance, pouring sewage into the clean water and the effects of the acid rainfalls. In polluted waters, the number of ecosystem creatures will decrease, too.

Every kind of pollution comes from a particular source which includes these: "the sewage system, metals, halogenic hydrocarbons, the material extracted from dredging, elastics, heat, and oil, …"

What are the effects of polluted water on the environment and animals?

When chemical elements are mixed with the water like a lake, it can easily destroy the life cycle of those creatures living in that lake because they need clean water to stay alive. When the sewage or the chemical waste from factories pour into rivers, the living creatures of that river will die eventually and the environment of that area will be destroyed. Those animals that eat the dead or half dead fish of such rivers can also die. All of these are linked together. When the water is polluted, the animals in the water or even out of the water will be harmed directly. The polluted water can destroy the plants quickly and leave dry land with dead and dried trees.

Sometimes polluted water can make the fish sick but not dead so, if an animal or a person eats these fish, they get sick severely. Thus, as clean water is a source of life, polluted water can be a source of damage and death. As the clean water leaves green lands with colorful flowers, the polluted water mixed with chemical elements leaves dried and dead lands.

What are the effects of polluted water on human beings' health?

As it is known, water is the main source of life and the environment. Without water, there will be no forms of life. Of course, we mean clean water here, because polluted water is one of the reasons for destroying growth and fertility. Human beings need clean water in order to have a healthy life.

"Nitrate" is one of those toxic elements that exists in polluted water and it can prevent oxygen to reach the organs. This is a severe condition for children and sick people.

"Massicot" is the second threatening element in the water that can diminish the red blood cells in the blood and damage the kidneys and heart. "Massicot" can make children restart mentally.

Polluted water also carries bacteria which can result in stomach and intestine diseases.

On the other hand, "Carbon" is found in nature numerously. If it is combined with the elements in water, it can make Calcium Carbonates and Magnesium Carbonates that are very harmful to the kidneys.

 How much of the world’s water resources is polluted?

The statistics show that about one and a half million people in the world do not have access to clean water and less than 5 million people die of consuming polluted water or related diseases annually.

More than 70 percent of the earth is covered with water but sewage and oil pollution are threatening the seas and most of the beaches are polluted by them. These pollutions endanger the animals' lives, and they can have a direct effect on humans' lives, too.