Considering that 70% of the Earth’s surface is comprised of water, it is without a doubt that water is the most important natural resource on the planet.[1] Without water, life on earth would not exist. Despite this fact, we continue to pollute our water sources, and in time, clean water sources will be unavailable.

Water pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems in the world. It has been stated that water pollution is the leading cause of death and disease in the world. More than 14,000 people die daily from contaminated water.[2] It is important to acknowledge that human activity is the main source of water pollution. Therefore, we are responsible for the deaths of 14,000 people a day.

Water pollution is created by industrial discharge of chemical wastes such as sulfur dioxide, untreated sewage, surface runoff containing pesticides and fertilizers, slash and burn farming practices, and spilled petroleum.[3] In addition, many people and companies illegally dump their garbage and waste into bodies of water.

In the developing world, environmental regulations are practically non-existent. Foreign companies from the developed world take advantage of the non-existent environmental regulations and do not properly dispose of their wastes. One example of this is in the Amazon River Basin. In Ecuador, foreign companies have polluted the Amazon River for centuries. One of the worst cases involves the oil company Texaco, which has spilled tons of toxic waste into the Amazon River. Water samples taken from this region contained levels of toxins many times greater than the safety guidelines set by the United States Environmental Agency. The Amazon River is home to many animals and humans who have been affected by disease or even death from the water contamination.[4] Stricter environmental regulations need to be set in place and foreign companies must not abuse the regulations. The general public needs to be more aware about the importance of water and how dangerous water pollution can be. If we do not take action now, our water sources will be so depleted and polluted that future generations will not be able to survive.