Water is the essential element that makes life on earth

possible. Without water there would be no life. We usually

take water for granted. It flows from our taps when they
are turned on. Most of us can bathe when
we want to, swim when we choose and water our gardens.
Like good health we ignore water when we have it.

Although 71% of the earth’s surface is covered

by water only a tiny fraction of this water is available
to us as fresh water. About 97% of the total water
available on earth is found in oceans and is too salty for
drinking or irrigation. The remaining 3% is fresh water. Of
this 2.997% is locked in ice caps or glaciers. Thus only
0.003%of the earth’ total volume of water is easily
available to us as soil moisture, groundwater, water
vapour and water in lakes, streams, rivers and
wetlands.

In short if the world’s water supply were only

100 litres our usable supply of fresh water would
be only about 0.003 litres (one-half teaspoon).
This makes water a very precious resource. The
future wars in our world may well be fought
over water. By the middle of this century, almost
twice as many people will be trying to share the same
amount of fresh water the earth has today. As freshwater
becomes more scarce access
to water resources will be a major factor in
determining the economic growth of several
countries around the world.

When the quality or composition of water changes directly

or indirectly because of man’s activities such that it
becomes unfit for any purpose it is said to be polluted.
When a source of pollution can be readily identified
because it has a definite source and place where it enters
the water it is said to come from a point source.
Eg. Municipal and Industrial Discharge Pipes.

When a source of pollution cannot be readily identified,

such as agricultural runoff, acid rain, etc, they are said to
be non-point sources of pollution.

Sources of Water Pollution

(i) Domestic sewage
This includes household’s wastes like food wastes,
synthetic detergents used for washing clothes and
cleaning bathrooms and latrines and water-based paints.
(ii) Industrial effluents
The industrial wastes are discharged in the adjoining
rivers and streams through flush lines of factories. The
textiles, sugar and fertilizers factories, oil refineries,
drugs manufacture, rubber, and rayon fibers, the paper
industries, and the chemical factories all produce
Chemical pollution.
(iii) Agricultural source
Increased use of fertilizers has become essential for high
yielding crop plants. Excess of nitrates used as fertilizers
seep into ground water is carried into lakes and pond. On
entering the drinking water supply system these create
several health problems.
(iv) Pesticides
These include insecticides, fungicides, nematicides,
rodenticides, herbicides, and soil fumigants. These
contain chlorinated hydrocarbons, organophosphates,
metallic salts, carbonates, acetic acid derivatives etc.
many pesticides are non-degradable. They pass through
the food chains and accumulate in fatty tissues thus
causing several health hazards.
(v) Thermal pollution
Power plants and nuclear power stations are the main
sources of thermal pollution of water where water is used
for cooling and becomes hot. The hot water on entering
the main water body raises its temperature, which kills
fishes and other aquatic animals and increases
the rate of respiration in aquatic plants.
(vi) Pathogenic organisms
Sewage and domestic waste from houses introduces
pathogenic organisms viz., protozoa, worms-eggs and
bacteria into water. This contaminated water if consumed
causes jaundice, typhoid, dysentery, cholera, tuberculosis
etc.
(vii) Mineral oils
Oil from oil spills and washings of automobiles finds way
into river water through sewers.
(viii) Underground water pollution
Underground water particularly in cities and industrial
areas is no purer and safer. The sources of underground
water pollution are sewage, seepage, pits, industrial
effluents, septic tanks, fertilizers and pesticides, garbage
etc.
(ix) Marine water pollution
River and stream network sources of water ultimately end
up ocean and seas. Thus, these acts as the sink of all
natural and man-made water-based pollutants. The main
sources of oceanic pollution are discharges of oil,
greases, petroleum products, detergents, sewage, and
garbage including radioactive wastes.
Effect of Water Pollutants
The main effects of water pollutants are:
1. Compounds of mercury, arsenic and lead are poisonous
and chemically harmful as they even affect water
treatment plants e.g. organic sulphur compounds interfere
with nitrification.

2. Mercury when dissolved in water is absorbed by aquatic

plants and enters the food chain. Lead impairs metabolism
and brings about congenital deformities, anaemia etc.
3. Cadmium damages kidneys and liver.
4. Inorganic nitrates and phosphates promote growth of
oxygen-consuming algae,which result in the death of
fishes and other aquatic animals.
5. Presence of dyes and compounds in the discharged
water changes the colour of water.
6. Soap, detergents and, alkalis result in foam formation.
7. Industrial effluents containing iron, free chlorine,
phenol, manganese, oils, hydrocarbons, ammonia, algae
and microorganisms impair the taste and odours of
water.
8. The nitrates and phosphates dissolved in water
accelerate the growth of microorganisms, which consume
much of the dissolved oxygen depriving fish and
other aquatic life (Eutrophication).

Groundwater pollution:
While oil spills are highly visible and often get a lot of
media attention, much greater threat to human life
comes from our groundwater being polluted which is used
for drinking and irrigation. While groundwater is easy to
deplete and pollute it gets renewed very slowly and hence
must be used judiciously. Groundwater flows are slow
and not turbulent hence the contaminants are not
effectively diluted and dispersed as compared
to surface water. Moreover, pumping groundwater and
treating it is very slow and costly. Hence it is extremely
essential to prevent the pollution of groundwater in the
first place.

Ground water is polluted due to:

• Urban run-off of untreated or poorly treated
waste water and garbage
• Industrial waste storage located above or
near aquifers
• Agricultural practices such as the application
of large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides,
animal feeding operations, etc. in the rural sector.
• Leakage from underground storage tanks containing
gasoline and other hazardous substances

• Leachate from landfills

• Poorly designed and inadequately maintained septic
tanks
• Mining wastes.

CONTROL OF WATER POLLUTION

(i) Separate ponds and tanks to be used for cattle and
animals.
(ii) Use of pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers should be
done judiciously. Rapid biodegradable substitutes for
pesticides should be employed.
(iii) In towns where sewage facilities are not available,
septic tanks should be made in the houses.
(iv) Rivers and lakes should not be used for bathing or
washing as it contaminates water.
(v) Domestic sewage and industrial wastes should be
treated before discharging them into drain.
Treatment of waste Water
Domestic sewage and industrial wastes should be
properly treated before these are drained in the
mainstream water. Treatment involves the following two
steps:
(i) Sewage treatment
It involves following steps:
Primary treatment. - It involves physical processing of
sedimentation, flotation, and filtration where sewage
water is passed through screens to remove larger
particles and then through grinding mechanism to reduce
the larger particles to smaller size. The sewage is
finally passed through settling tanks to remove suspended
impurities.

Secondary treatment. -Sewage obtained after primary

treatment is sent to aeration tank where it is mixed with
air and sludge laden with bacteria and algae. The algae
provide oxygen to the bacteria and decompose organic
matter into simple compounds. Chlorination is finally done
to remove bacteria.
Tertiary treatment. - In the third and last step water is
passed through ion exchangers to remove dissolved salts.
(ii) Treatment of industrial effluents
Treatment of industrial effluents involves neutralization of
acids and bases, removal of toxic compounds, coagulation
of colloidal impurities, precipitation of metallic
compounds and reducing the temperature of effluents to
decrease thermal pollution.