Water Pollution in the UK
Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 6.1.6
Water Quality and Water Pollution in the UK
Polluted water cannot be drunk by humans. Polluting lots of water means that less water is available to drink.
Are there problems with water quality in the UK?
- 80% of English rivers have 'good' water quality (meaning there aren't loads of unwanted chemicals in them).
- The quality of UK water has been improving gradually since 2005.
- The quality of water in the UK's rivers can fall if pesticides or fertilisers (particularly phosphates or nitrates) are washed into rivers, if factories release pollutants into bodies of water, or if fuel spills pollute water.
How can you manage water quality?
- Water quality can be improved by regulating what factories are able to empty into rivers and what they have to do with different types of waste.
- Banning the use of chemicals and pesticides that could lower water quality is another way to improve the quality of water.
- Groundwater is pumped out of underground aquifers, whilst surface water comes from rivers, lakes, streams or springs.
Test yourself on Water Pollution in the UK
What are the main sources of water pollution in the UK?
Which of these is NOT a component of fertilisers that is reducing water quality?