Final answer:
Population growth, agriculture, and industrialization are all linked to the increase in water pollution because they contribute to contamination through waste, chemicals, and nutrient runoff. As population density increases, more pollutants are introduced into waterways, affecting ecosystems and human health.
Step-by-step explanation:
The link between population growth, agriculture, and industrialization and the rising amount of water pollution is significant. These factors contribute to water pollution through various means. Population growth leads to denser human settlements, and with increased density, the amount of untreated or partially treated human waste, chemicals, radioactivity, and heat that ends up in water sources frequents increases. This can create 'dead zones' where aquatic life cannot survive.
Agriculture often involves the use of nitrogen and pesticides, which often find their way back into our water supply, further polluting them. Likewise, industrialization introduces a variety of pollutants, including industrial discharge and waste, into water bodies. Furthermore, industrial activities like fracking might pose a trade-off between economic growth and environmental health, with potential water pollution being a side effect.
Overall, these activities result in the degradation of water quality, affecting both ecosystems and human health. As pollutants move along food chains, they accumulate in higher concentrations, eventually affecting the food that humans consume, including potentially carcinogenic substances like mercury.