Today, one of the greatest threats comes from oil..........from agricultural areas into streams and rivers.

Today, one of the greatest threats comes from oil ...

Today, one of the greatest threats comes from oil. Very often, the discharge of oil is deliberate. Sometimes, however, it is accidental, as when an oil tanker is involved in a collision. One of the worst oil tanker mishaps occurred when the Torrey Canyon ran aground. Thousands of liters of thick crude oil had to be poured out before she was destroyed by flames. The effect of this was that a huge oil slick spread over the sea gradually drifting towards the coast. Great damage was caused to marine life, not only by the oil itself, but also by the detergents used against it. This disaster was also untimely. There was a steady stream of sea birds making for the British breeding grounds. Many of them were alight on the water during the journey. Their feathers became badly clogged with oil. Thousands of birds died as a result. Many of them never reached land. How do we go about controlling or minimizing water pollution ? The task is by no means easy. Effective pollution control systems depend on policies that combine technical, economic, social and aesthetic considerations. This means the role of the Government is all the more important. The Government can combat water pollution in several ways. One way is to treat waste water to make water reusable and of high quality. Another measure is to enact and enforce regulations prohibiting and limiting pollution of waters. Next, adopt new effective techniques that will prevent or limit the natural runoff of pollutants, for example, from agricultural areas into streams and rivers.

Summary: Today, one of the greatest threats to pollution is oil discharged accidentally or deliberately. Accidental discharge from oil tankers like the Torrey Canyon caused oil slick to spread over a wide area. This together with the detergent used to clear it caused great damage to marine life. Sea birds crossing the affected area had their feathers clogged by oil and thousands died. Controlling water pollution requires well-planned policies from the Government, that encompass various aspects. One way is to treat waste water to make it reusable and of high quality. Another measure is to enact and enforce regulations prohibiting or limiting pollution of waters. Finally, new preventive techniques should be adopted to check natural runoff of pollutants into rivers.