What urban problem results when sewage is not properly treated, harming water quality?

What urban problem results when sewage is not properly treated, harming water quality?

• A. Noise Pollution
• B. Sprawl
• C. Water Pollution
• D. Air Pollution

Answer: (C)

When sewage is not properly treated, it introduces contaminants into water bodies, causing water pollution and a drop in water quality. Untreated sewage carries pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, plus nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. When these enter rivers, lakes, or coastal waters, they can make water unsafe for drinking and recreation, harm aquatic life, and lead to problems like algal blooms that deplete oxygen and create dead zones. This direct impact on water quality is why water pollution is the correct choice. Noise pollution relates to sound levels harming the sense of hearing or comfort; sprawl describes the spread of development into new areas; air pollution involves contaminants in the air. These are separate urban problems and don’t capture the specific way untreated sewage degrades water quality.

When sewage is not properly treated, it introduces contaminants into water bodies, causing water pollution and a drop in water quality. Untreated sewage carries pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, plus nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. When these enter rivers, lakes, or coastal waters, they can make water unsafe for drinking and recreation, harm aquatic life, and lead to problems like algal blooms that deplete oxygen and create dead zones. This direct impact on water quality is why water pollution is the correct choice.

Noise pollution relates to sound levels harming the sense of hearing or comfort; sprawl describes the spread of development into new areas; air pollution involves contaminants in the air. These are separate urban problems and don’t capture the specific way untreated sewage degrades water quality.