Name:  Malcolm Schembri

School: Giuseppi Despott Boys Junior Lyceum, Verdala

OBSERVATION OF WATER POLLUTION

I have done this observation at (Tal-maghluq) M’scala. Let us take a trip and look at this place.

Is this water polluted?

If you go and look at this place, you will know at once that, this water is polluted. You will know by the color of the water that is greenish. Yes, this water is polluted but from where it is polluted? This place has ducks living in it so it can be polluted by the excrement and by the fertilizers of the surrounding fields. However, if you just say that it is polluted there isn’t any proof to show this so I have made an experiment to show this. I used a test-tube, ph indicator and water that I collected from here. When I made the experiment, the result was ph 7.5 (slightly alkaline).

 Does life live in the water and surroundings?

If you find the shallow part of this place, you will notice that there are insects in the water and small fish too. If you find the deepest part of this place if you pay attention, you see flying fish. I do not have the answer yet why people go fishing in that place. In the surroundings, there are plants. I have noticed that there are three types of plants. There are Inula Crithmoides, Juncus Actus and Dittrichi Visiosa.

How is the bottom of this place? 

To observe the bottom of this place is difficult because it is hard to see because its color is greenish as we just said. I found the clearest part and I noticed these things. I noticed bottles of beer, a tyre of a bicycle and a shoe. All the things I noticed are not good to keep the water clear because all of them produce a substance that poisons the water.

Suggestions for Improvements.

To improve thing in this place people must not throw things that contaminate the water. Every one of us must make an effort to do this. I suggest more dustbins are installed and a law be passed that if someone is noticed throwing things in this place he has to pay a fine.