The Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) has been working to develop a global water quality monitoring network, which now consists of 344 monitoring stations measuring more than 50 water variables.
| Title | Freshwater pollution |
| Publication Type | Miscellaneous |
| Year of Publication | 1991 |
| Authors | Wheal, C |
| Secondary Title | UNEP environment library |
| Volume | no. 6 |
| Pagination | 36 p.: tab., fig., map, photogr. |
| Date Published | 1991-01-01 |
| Publisher | UNEP, United Nations Environment Programme |
| Place Published | Nairobi, Kenya |
| Keywords | air pollution, minadv, policies, pollutants, pollution control, quality control, raw water, water quality |
| Abstract | The Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) has been working to develop a global water quality monitoring network, which now consists of 344 monitoring stations measuring more than 50 water variables. From the last assessment in 1989, it was found that sewerage, nutrients, toxic metals and industrial and agricultural chemicals were the main pollutants, of which organic matter present in domestic sewage was the most prevalent. Freshwater pollution was found to be strongly related to socio-economic development. The industrialized countries, for example, are more concerned with industrial and agricultural pollution, while developing countries are more concerned with microbiological pollution causing waterborne diseases. Atmospheric emissions that acidify freshwater resources by means of acid rain are ten times greater in industrialized countries than in developing countries. Deforestation, river damming and the destruction of wetlands destroy natural filtering systems for freshwater. It is recommended that assessments such as these be made accessible to the public and policy makers to aide responsible decision-making concerning this renewable resource. |
| Notes | Bibliography: p. 35-36 |
| Custom 1 | 244 |
