Freshwater Degradation: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions

Freshwater Degradation
Student’s Name
Department
University
City

2
Summary
Pollution spreads and alters the contents of freshwater through the earth’s hydrological cycles.
Degradation of water by pollution occurs when its condition or composition is interfered with.
This makes water unsuitable for all or any of its purposes and functions it could have served in
its natural condition. Freshwater degradation consists of the changes in the biological, chemical
and physical components of water which can cause the water to be a threat to the public welfare,
health and safety [1].
The Australian government has a policy stating that it is mandated to facilitate easy access to
sufficient and clean water to all Australians as a way of catering for basic needs. Pollutions
emerging from either non-point or point sources prevents the efficiency of this policy. The
estimations provided by the World Health Organization shows that millions of people die every
year from illnesses brought about by contaminated water and lack of water for hygiene and
sanitation. Therefore, the government of Australia protects, restores and monitors freshwater
environments and rivers as a way of safeguarding future prosperity and natural heritage [2].
Triple Bottom Line Description
The triple bottom line theory adds the environmental and social consideration to the traditional
framework that focused on economic effects when developing ideas. This leads to the integration
of the economic, people (social) and planet (environmental) sustainability goals [3].
The three bottom lines are usually known as the three P’s:
 People
Individuals are human capital. The Triple bottom line advocates beneficial and fair practices in
regards to region, labour and community in which a company operates its businesses. Any entity
upholding triple bottom line intends for the community to benefit and not endanger or exploit

3
them. Thus an enterprise will do the actions that give back by offering support to the growth and
strength of the community [4].
 Planet
The planet is capital by nature. Triple bottom line seeks for sustainable planet practices. A
corporation that embraces triple bottom line looks forward to benefiting nature by every possible
means or at least prevent environmental effects and not harm it. A triple bottom line enterprise
minimizes its ecological impacts through keen management of non-renewables and energy use,
lowering industrial wastes as well as producing less toxic wastes before releasing it in a legal and
safe way [5].
 Profit
The economic bottom line or profits refers to the economic value obtained by a corporation after
subtracting the input costs. Profit in the old concept is regarded as the real economic effect an
organization carries on its environmental economy. Thus an old triple bottom line mechanism
cannot be simply be said to be original corporate profit accounting plus environmental and social
effects lest profits of other organizations are added as a social benefit [6].
Applying the triple bottom line
 Social
Social bottom line evaluates long-term human capital sustainability. This becomes a success by
appreciating that environmental approaches are suitable when they govern resources of water by
offering sources of water that are safe in living places for a united workforce and future
operations. It is possible to unite the human capital to contribute towards the management of
freshwater systems by the public responsibility towards water resources. The government states

4
that water is a fluctuating and scarce resource, the main water supplies in Australia should be
managed by a regulated system for water allocations and owned by the public [7].
Being by the public cultivates coordination and participation of citizens and consumers, as well
as Strait Islanders and Aboriginal. Such participation deepens and boosts the supply of
freshwater sustainability, collective security and demand of the population. Hence this is in line
with the common water catchment management and planning policy by the government.
 Economic
The economy bottom line demands that dealing with fresh water degradation using the
multidisciplinary way and the equitable goal of maximizing social and environmental concerns
without interfering with the functioning of the economic ecosystem.
For instance, increasing the price of water has proved to be a way of minimizing water pollution
and wastage. This can play a role in funding towards improving freshwater infrastructure.
However, increasing prices is politically and publicly rare in many areas thus lawmakers must be
keen to consider the impact of a price increase to the poor. Imposing a tax on heavy consumers
may prevent wasteful consumption of water in agriculture and industries whereas the water
prices for the household should not be affected [8].
 Environmental
Looking at the policy of the government on recycling and water efficiency approaches before
water management measures that are expensive and harm the environment, the theory of the
triple bottom line seeks to restore and preserve the ecosystem. These ecosystems store, filter,
release and collect water naturally. The restoration and preservation of freshwater ecosystems
render many benefits such as protection from floods and recycling of nutrients which helps in
water refreshing. An ecosystem is able to sustain all the ecological processes consisting of social