Ezer Zuniga Zuniga 1
Ms. Tompkins
World Lit Honors Period 1
3/10/15
The Effects of Water Contamination on Tanzania and Zambia
As one walks through the natural world that encircles Lake Malawi one gets
to contemplate the fauna, the beautiful green pastures, and its towering mountains. It is no surprise that this is such a popular tourist attraction.
Despite everything its ecosystem has going for it there is still one big
concern, and that is the contamination of water. Lake Malawi is an important body of water for the local nations, but its filth has affected the environment and the people that depend on it in a negative way. The outcomes of this pollution are especially visible in Tanzania and Zambia.
The pollution of Lake Malawi is a concern only to those who live near it.
Nevertheless, the contamination of water is something that can happen at any place on this
planet. Therefore, one should be aware of this issue too. By doing so we will be able to learn about its repercussions and how one can avoid them.
The first direct victims of the pollution of Lake Malawi are obviously the fish
that live in it. However, one must also consider the fact that the Tanzanian residents have always
depended on fish as a source of food. According to an article published by Africa News Service a famous civil rights activist named Rafiq Hajat states that “‘... you will be shocked to see fish of different species dead with some communities along the lakeshore collecting [the fish] …’”
(Africa News Service). As long as the lake is not cleaned more and more species will continue
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to disappear. This decreases biodiversity since there is less variety of species, and it leaves people with no food and no safe water resources. The same is happening in Zambia, which lies
near Lake Malawi too. In an article written by BBC news it is stated that “Mufulira residents,
who number about 800,000, are afraid to drink tap water”(BBC News). If Zambian residents continue to refuse drinking the tap water that comes from the lake and its local rivers many
will soon have to deal with thirst. This can then lead to deaths and civil unrest.
What is even more troubling is the effects that water pollution has on
the health of entire communities. This is clearly the case in Tanzania, which has a large industry.
In another article published by Africa News Service it is said that Tanzanian mining companies
use mercury in gold mining, but these contents are then released into the large bodies of water,
including Lake Malawi. Furthermore, they explain that “even small amounts of toxic mercury is
enough to cause serious health complications as the compound affects the nervous, digestive, and
immune systems, lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes”(Africa News Service). There is no doubt that
mercury presents many different dangers for the well-being of these communities. Thus the
Tanzanian people believe that such levels of contamination are unacceptable.
The contamination of Lake is destroying its wildlife and causing great
harm to its users. This is why some communities are taking this issue more seriously. If they act quickly enough they might be able to find an efficient solution before the problem grows into a catastrophe.
Works Cited
"Paladin Accused of Discharging Uranium-Contaminated Sludge in Lake Malawi." Africa News Service 31 Dec. 2014. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
"Water Pollution Control Conference to Be Held in Tanzania." Xinhua News Agency 5 Sept. 2002: 1008248h1116. Global Issues In Context. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
"Zambia In Water Pollution Scare." BBC News. BBC, 03 Jan. 2008. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
I found this article very interesting, good job! This connects to our community because we take water for granted. We do not realize how lucky we are to have water
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