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Basic 5 · Science · Earth Science

Keeping Water and Air Clean

In this topic you will identify human activities that pollute water and learn how to make and keep the air clean.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Identify activities that make water unsafe
  • Explain the effects of polluted water and air
  • Suggest ways to keep water and air clean

What you already know

  • Carbon dioxide and its effects

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand
Cycles
Sub-strand
Earth Science
Indicator
B5.2.1.5.1-2 – Identify human activities that make water unsuitable for human use and know how to make and keep air clean in our environment

Introduction

The Pra, Ankobra and Offin rivers once had clear water. Today, in many places they are brown and muddy because of illegal mining, known as galamsey. Clean water and clean air are needed for good health.

1. Human Activities That Pollute Water

Water pollution: Making water dirty and unsafe by adding harmful substances.

Causes of water pollution
ActivityEffect on water
galamsey (illegal mining)mud and poisonous mercury enter rivers
dumping refuse into gutters and riversplastics block water and spread disease
open defecation near watergerms that cause cholera and typhoid
washing and bathing in riverssoap and dirt pollute the water
using too much fertiliser and pesticidechemicals wash into rivers and kill fish
factory wasteharmful chemicals enter the water

Polluted water causes diseases such as cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea and bilharzia. It kills fish and other water animals. It also makes water treatment very expensive, and in some towns water supply has been cut because the rivers are too dirty to treat.

A muddy brown river polluted by mining next to a clear river
Figure 1: Clean and polluted rivers Draw a clean river and a polluted river and list the differences.Photos: Treysam, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Efo Komla, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2. Air Pollution

Air pollution happens when smoke, dust and harmful gases enter the air. Sources include smoke from vehicles, burning rubbish and tyres, bush fires, charcoal production, dusty roads and factories. Polluted air causes coughing, asthma, eye irritation and lung disease.

3. Keeping Water and Air Clean

What we can do
For clean waterFor clean air
stop galamsey and report itdo not burn rubbish or tyres
put refuse in bins, not guttersplant trees around homes and schools
use toilets, not open spacesservice vehicles to reduce smoke
boil or filter drinking wateruse cleaner stoves (gas instead of charcoal)
use less fertiliser near riverswater dusty roads and compounds

Each person can help. Keep your surroundings clean, separate plastic waste for recycling, tell adults about pollution and join clean-up exercises in your community.

Tip: Clean water is clear, has no smell and no taste. But clear water can still contain germs, so treat it before drinking.

New words

pollution
Making the environment dirty and harmful.
galamsey
Illegal small-scale mining in Ghana.
mercury
A poisonous metal used in illegal gold mining.
cholera
A disease spread by dirty water.
refuse
Rubbish or waste.
recycle
To make used materials into new products.

Summary

  • Galamsey, refuse dumping and chemicals pollute water.
  • Polluted water causes diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
  • Smoke, dust and gases pollute the air.
  • We can keep water and air clean by proper waste disposal and planting trees.

Class activity: Pollution Concept Map

  1. On manila paper, draw a concept map with "Pollution" in the centre.
  2. Add branches for causes, effects and solutions for water and air.
  3. Present your map to the class.

You need: Sealed local water samples in clear bottles, Printed photographs of local water, Air pollution, Manila pollution concept-map sheets

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. Which activity pollutes rivers in Ghana?

    • A. Galamsey
    • B. Planting trees
    • C. Using toilets
    • D. Boiling water
    Show answer
    Answer: GalamseyMining adds mud and mercury.

  2. 2. Which disease is spread by dirty water?

    • A. Cholera
    • B. Malaria
    • C. Measles
    • D. Asthma
    Show answer
    Answer: CholeraIt is a water-borne disease.

  3. 3. Which action helps keep the air clean?

    • A. Planting trees
    • B. Burning tyres
    • C. Bush burning
    • D. Burning refuse
    Show answer
    Answer: Planting treesTrees clean the air.

  4. 4. Clear water is always safe to drink.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: FalseIt may still contain germs.

  5. 5. Mercury from mining is poisonous.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueIt harms people and fish.

  6. 6. Illegal small-scale mining in Ghana is called ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: galamseyIt pollutes rivers.

  7. 7. State two effects of polluted air on people.

    Show answer
    Answer: Coughing/asthma and eye irritation or lung disease.Any two.

  8. 8. Explain why galamsey affects people who live far from the mining site.

    Show answer
    Answer: Polluted rivers flow to other towns, making water unsafe and expensive to treat for those who use it.Rivers carry pollution downstream.

Homework

  1. Write a short letter to your assembly member about one pollution problem in your community and how to solve it.