Page 44 - Issue No.9

AADC
Publication
AADC
Publication
34 35
Water pollution and legal aspects
Water pollution became a very
dangerous issue last few years. When it
reaches the body through water, there
are many bad effects happen. There are
two different types of water pollutions
and sources. These sources of water
pollutions come from the flow of the
pollutants directly to a source of water
such as insecticide and manures. Then
it flows away in the near river current
stream. The other type is made by
drainage of toxic materials in the river.
Therearemanytypesofwater pollutions.
The pollution is made through toxic
materials that came from chemical
pollutants drained to water through
herbicides, insecticides and industrial
compounds. The organic pollution is the
last type of water pollution as its effect
is in water networks usually come from
manures and sanitary drainage. Most of
the organic pollutants come from many
sources and main agricultural exercises
that result in a lot of wastes. When
these pollutants fall in water, water
begins to lose oxygen the matter which
kills fishes and animals. The higher level
of nitrogen and phosphate leads also to
loss of oxygen that creates “dead areas”
where algae grow up and fishes die.
The thermal pollution is another type
of water pollution. It happens when
water is used in cooling systems near a
power plant or industrial building. The
water becomes more hot which leads
to lose of oxygen that hurts plants
and maritime life. There is also the
environmental pollution compared to
chemical contamination, organic and
thermal pollutions. It is one of pollutions
that cased by nature resulted from
landslides, dead animal bodies drowned
in water resources and volcanoes.
There are different types of water
pollutions caused by many reasons like
the farms which use large amounts of
insecticide and manures that increases
the level of nitrate and phosphate rate
in water and pollutions that come from
companies and houses.
AADC with one company that affiliated
toADWEA play a major role in water and
electricity distribution to consumers.
Because water is the most important
element to life as God says “We made
from water every living thing”, the
general tendency was for saving it and
making sure of its purity. That is why
the country has passed the necessary
laws needed for keeping water clean
and pure.
The pollution may also happen
because of natural factors or and may
result from bad conducts of persons,
companies or institutions whether in
good or bad faith. Law no. 2 of 1998
regarding regulating sectors of water
and electricity in Abu Dhabi stipulates
in its IV section that the Regulation
and Supervision Bureau shall play the
role of monitoring and gave it powers
and authorities necessary to keep the
water quality through the ordinary
investigations by taking samples to be
chemically tested and determined to
be clear of germs that are harmful to
health of consumer. The lab stems its
powers from rules and provisions of
Regulation and Supervision Bureau.
The lab also tests tankers that carry
potable water and make sure of their
validity to carry water.
As water pollution is an environmental
danger as it harms hygiene and exposes
lives of consumers to danger, It was
necessary to pass a law that limits
that kind of danger and criminalizes
polluting water intentionally. It is
worthy to say that the Arabic legislator
adopted in most of laws issued in
1990s with regard to environment,
the principle of toughening sanctions
imposed on environmental criminal,
relying on that the protection of
environment and natural resources
was a new concept in the Arab world
to double what should be given to that
law. So most of amendments focused
on imposing fines only. Later, after the
development of international intents in
linking environment with sustainable
development, it became more
necessary for these laws to include
more toughened punishments to stop
the deterioration and make the right
arrangements that give the court rights
to tighten sanctions imposed on who
those who pollute the environment.
The clause no. 15 of Article IV of the
federal law no. 7 of 1993 in UAE,
stipulating the establishment of the
federal authority of the environment,
states that the authority is obliged
“to work on developing the concern
towards the educational, informative,
social, and cultural concepts to enable
the society to effectively participate in
achievement of “targets of saving and
development of environment”.
Law no. 24 and the executive
regulations issued according to the
decree of cabinet no. 37 of 2001, for
all sides of environmental protection
related to projects, and maritime
environment, including pollution and
responsibility and compensation against
environmental damages and protecting
potable water and underground water,
air pollution, disposal of hazard wastes,
and getting rid of medical waste,
insecticide manures, nature reserve and
protecting wild life as well as sanctions
imposed against any violation to the
abovementioned provisions. There are
many rules and international accords
signed in this regard.
Communication with
our Children
Keturah, is a cartoon character adopted
by AADC, to deal with children in simple
funny way. It looks like the drop of
water, teaches kids information about
right behaviors to deal with water and
electricity. It aims to spread culture
of rationalization in a special way
appropriate for their ideas encouraging
them to correct some daily bad habits
replacing them with good ones that
urge them to save water and electricity
and rationalize consumption.
By the companies’ approval of this
character, it would have communicated
with an important layer of public
targeted by the guidance campaigns.
It chose the right technique in talking
with these kinds of audience, children
and pupils as the success of campaign
is measured by understanding the
audience to this character through a
group of techniques and methods fit for
them.
This reflects the extent of the the
companies being aware of the
importance of concentrating on kids,
spreading the rationalization of water
consumption among them and trying to
change some wrong behaviors in using
water and electricity, guiding them to
make their daily habits.
Results of these efforts will be seen in
the future when children become the
base of community. If the community
is aware of saving natural resources and
practices rationalization in the daily
habits without resorting to hardships,
we can guarantee keeping the most
important resource for coming
generations
A fun and nice character,
cares to environment,
visits kids in schools,
and meets with them in
exhibitions and shopping
malls. Share with them
information, play with
them funny games, cares
of saving water and
electricity, as it looks like
the drop of water, did
you know it?
Legal Affairs - AADC
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Written by: Reema Al-Saadi