{"id":116898,"date":"2023-04-04T21:55:29","date_gmt":"2023-04-05T01:55:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/?p=116898"},"modified":"2023-04-04T21:55:29","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T01:55:29","slug":"pesticides-are-polluting-drinking-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/pesticides-are-polluting-drinking-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Pesticides are Polluting Drinking Water"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By Brigitte Rodriguez, Associate Researcher &amp; Writer for Save The Water\u2122 | April 4, 2023<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pesticides are used all over the world in order to sustain the demand for food. However, the spraying of chemicals in the agricultural sector can have significant negative impacts on the environment. They especially affect the aquatic ecosystem and human life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">What are Pesticides?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pesticides are chemicals that people use to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/pesticide-pollution-five-ways-to-reduce-your-impact\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">control pests<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. A pest can be any living organism that causes economic damage or disease. For example, many insects, rodents, and fungi cause damage to domestic and agricultural spaces. Thus, they\u2019re considered pests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently, there are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.niehs.nih.gov\/health\/topics\/agents\/pesticides\/index.cfm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">800 pesticides<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> registered in the United States. However, these pesticides can cause negative health effects, contaminate the environment, and impact wildlife.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmicb.2022.962619\/full\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">effects of pesticides<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> vary according to the degree of exposure, but many of them are worrying:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cancer\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asthma<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parkinson&#8217;s disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neuropsychological and cognitive effects<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">How Do Pesticides Impact Drinking Water?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondpesticides.org\/assets\/media\/documents\/infoservices\/pesticidesandyou\/documents\/watertesting.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">multiple ways in which pesticides can impact drinking water<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 600;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Runoff from surface water can carry pesticides from land to bodies of water.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 600;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pesticides that aren\u2019t thrown away correctly can pollute soil and drinking water reserves.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 600;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When chemicals are applied, they may leak into private wells if the wells are cracked.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Soluble pesticides are carried by water, especially during rainfall, eventually polluting drinking water.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">How are Pesticides Affecting India?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In India, the region of Kashmir is characterized by the start of agricultural activities in early Spring. However, the spraying of pesticides is affecting this territory. Pesticides are being washed into natural water channels due to rainfall during the second quarter of the year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These chemical-laden waters move into <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kashmirobserver.net\/2023\/03\/13\/pesticides-a-threat-to-drinking-water-sources\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">water supply plants<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Thus, the water supplied to the people isn\u2019t properly treated before they drink it.\u00a0 This has a direct impact on the lives of people and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kashmirobserver.net\/2023\/03\/13\/pesticides-a-threat-to-drinking-water-sources\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aquatic ecosystem<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s clear that the government isn\u2019t properly controlling the quality of drinking water in Kashmir. However, with effort and cooperation, the government and citizens of India can solve this socio-environmental problem.. Doing so could ensure that water resources are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kashmirobserver.net\/2023\/03\/13\/pesticides-a-threat-to-drinking-water-sources\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free of pesticides and contaminants.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Future Perspective<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certainly, the effects of pesticides should encourage us to take action. Regulations are being put in place to reduce the use of chemicals. For instance, the EPA is managing all <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/pesticide-registration\/about-pesticide-registration#:~:text=Federal%20Insecticide%2C%20Fungicide%2C%20and%20Rodenticide%20Act%20(FIFRA)%20%2D,benefits%20of%20a%20product's%20use.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pesticides distributed and imported into the US.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, more and more eco-friendly components are being used in the production of pesticides. For example, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mindseteco.co\/eco-friendly-pesticides\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">microbial insecticides, insecticidal oils, neem oil, and many others<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hope is to reverse the effects of pesticides on water and restore the ecosystem.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">What Can You Do to Fight Pesticide Pollution?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can make a few changes to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/healthyliving\/food-pesticides-and-other-chemicals\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reduce the impact of pesticides<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/pesticide-pollution-five-ways-to-reduce-your-impact\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider using non-toxic methods to control pests.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make a garden at home and start growing your own vegetables.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peel vegetables to avoid pesticide residue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wash vegetables and fruits before eating them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">What Can You Do to Save Water From Pesticides?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a few ways that you can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teagasc.ie\/environment\/water-quality\/farming-for-water-quality-assap\/improving-my-water-quality\/protecting-drinking-water-from-pesticides\/#:~:text=Minimise%20water%20volumes%20(rain%20and,the%20coarsest%20appropriate%20spray%20quality.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">protect water from pesticides<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take part in public awareness campaigns to draw attention to the importance of the proper use of pesticides.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teagasc.ie\/environment\/water-quality\/farming-for-water-quality-assap\/improving-my-water-quality\/protecting-drinking-water-from-pesticides\/#:~:text=Minimise%20water%20volumes%20(rain%20and,the%20coarsest%20appropriate%20spray%20quality.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure that you\u2019re using pesticides away from water bodies.\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you live in a country or region where water bodies are at risk, urge your government to better manage cleaning sewage and wastewater.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Brigitte Rodriguez, Associate Researcher &amp; Writer for Save The Water\u2122 | April 4, 2023 Pesticides are&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12900,"featured_media":116900,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[92,179,547,564],"yst_prominent_words":[1383,3066,649,894,652,632,3319,1598,1810,732,1316],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116898"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12900"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116898"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116898\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":116903,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116898\/revisions\/116903"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116898"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=116898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}