Question

What impact do nuclear power plants have on water resources? (Site 1)

Answer 1

Most nuclear power plants are located along lakes, rivers or seacoasts because the facilities use water to cool the reactors. Cooling water discharged from a plant can affect the ambient habitat conditions for aquatic species

Answer 2

Nuclear power plants impact the water resources by making them inhabitable for the survival of aquatic species.

Explanation:

• Nuclear power plants need huge amounts of water in order to cool the reactors down.

• This water is fetched from nearby resources of freshwater resulting in an imbalance in the availability of water in the resources.

• Secondly, the water that is cooled down and used to keep the reactors cold is released back in the same resources of water.

• This addition of excessively cold water makes it hard for the aquatic species to sustain the drastic change in the temperature of the water.