Water pollution

Introduction

Water pollution can be defined as contamination of water or bringing forth any changes to the pH value of the water bodies. Such alteration may occur due to the augmentation of certain substances to the water through physical phenomenon, chemical properties, sewage discharge, and trade effluent (discharging any liquid, solid or gaseous substance to the water resources). This act may cause pollution by degrading the quality of available water resources, which genuinely raises vexation among the health and safety of living organisms, including either terrestrial or aquatic.

Sources of water pollution

• Domestic sewage
• Decaying animals and plants, domestic sewage, animal excreta and waste, discharge from food processing factories
• Synthetic fertilizers
• Chemical factories 
• Erosion of soil by strip mining and agriculture 
• Substances used for destroying pests, and unwanted plants
• Mining of minerals that contains uranium.
• Water utilized for cooling purposes in industries

Causes of water pollution

• Urbanisation
• Industrial water waste
• Agricultural source
• Nuclear waste 
• Underground water pollution
• Marine pollution

Urbanisation

Urbanisation subsumes roads, houses, commercial spaces, and skyscrapers. Sometimes, to accommodate buildings, the channel of the streams is diverted, which disturbs the flow of water instead. Such areas are prone to water lags during the monsoon season.

Though urbanisation is considered advancement made towards the growth of the society, the same shall be mounted with responsibility which requires supplying and distributing the demand of basic needs to the localities. However, with rapid growth in population raises the potentiality of groundwater pollution, which shall be caused due to dumping of waste material (inclusive of human excretes and chemicals)

Industrial Waste

Some of the water pollution caused by industries discharges several toxic chemicals from the factories, which may affect water sources, aquatic life forms, and terrestrial animals and humans when such toxic water is consumed.

Agricultural source

The chemicals used in agriculture, such as pesticides and insecticides, are rich in nitrogen, potassium, hydrocarbon, metallic salts, and phosphorus. When such fertilisers are used in excess, it reaches the groundwater through micro-organisms or roots of the crops or trees and mixes with the surface water such as lakes, rivers, or streams.  

Nuclear waste

Nuclear power plants, hospitals, and science processes discharge massive radioactive waste daily. Nuclear waste consists of several reactive chemicals such as uranium, and it comes with no permanent disposal system. Such waste shall remain for decades without perishing. When this waste gets merged with the surface water, it gets highly reactive and loses its pH value for purity for consumption and may lead to –

• Cancer (Carcinogenic)
• Damage in the chromosome (mutagenic)
• Congenital disabilities (Teratogenic)

Thermal pollution

When heat is released in water, it decreases the capacity of water to hold dissolved oxygen in solution, and with low levels of oxygen, aquatic species shall seize to survive.

Marine pollution

The ocean acts as the ultimate sink of all-natural and artificial pollutants and has grown to be an immediate remedy for dumping the garbage. The ocean holds –

• Sewage and garbage of the coastal cities
• Rivers eventually carries all the toxins and impurities and merges with the ocean
• Navigational discharges
• Oil spills

January 28th, 2017 Ennore oil spill

The collision of two ships, the Dawn Kanchipuram and the BW Maple caused 251.46 tons of oil spill covering 35 KM of the coastal line. The cleaning of oil was held for three months involving 2000 volunteers.

The outcome of the Oil Spill

The oil spill disturbed aquatic life and resulted in the demise of 100 Olive Ridley Turtles.

Effects of water pollution

• Effects on aquatic ecosystem
• Effect on human health
• Effects on groundwater
• Effects on ecosystem

Effects on aquatic ecosystem

The ecosystem is prone to respond to small changes in the environment. Thus, the increase of the chemicals in the water body shall effectively grow algae upon such water bodies, which increases bacteria, decreasing the percentile value of the oxygen present in the water.

Result   

• Oxygen level decreases in polluted water and eliminates aquatic life species.
• Heavy metals/ wrecks affect the growth of hydrophytes or aquatic plants.
• Thermal heat discharged from industries has low dissolved oxygen levels.

Effects on human health

If humans consume such polluted water, it may cause adverse effects on their health, which may result in –

• The contaminated water contains viruses, bacteria, and other chemicals which cause severe diseases such as cancer, jaundice, various other diseases, etc.
• Mercury mixed with water produces methyl mercury, and the same problems such as numbness in limbs, birth issues, blurring of vision shall be caused. (Ex. Minamata Disease)  
• Water mixed with cadmium causes diseases in bones and joints.
• Components of lead in the water shall result in anaemia, loss of muscle power, etc.

Effects on groundwater

Exposure to groundwater may lead to the leaching of arsenic from soil and rock sources and contaminate the groundwater. As a result, chronic exposure may cause black foot, cholera, skin cancer, etc.

Control measures

The best way to avoid water pollution is to reduce the discharge of harmful substances in such water bodies. There are several measures which we can take to protect the water resources. They are as follows –

• Conserving water
• Better treatment of sewage
• Eco-friendly products

Conserving water- Wastage of water is a global issue. Thus, domestic conservation can make a huge difference.

Better treatment of sewage – treating the toxic waste product before disposing it to the water body reduces water pollution to a greater extent, resulting in reutilization of such water.

Eco-friendly products – having or utilising soluble products in the water shall reduce the danger of water pollution and diminish the effects on aquatic life.

Further, the government has laid down various measures to check and balance the water pollution by providing relief and guidelines enacted under –

• National Acts and controlling bodies
• International declarations
• General measures

National control measures

• Indian parliament enacted the “Water prevention and control pollution Act, 1974” to deal with the rising exploitation of the water.
• There are both Central and State pollution control boards respectively and they are known as –

1. a) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
2. b) State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)

• Further, the government passed –

1. a) National Lake Convention Plan
2. b) National wetland conservation programme
3. c) National plan for the conservation of aquatic ecosystem

• The following board and Acts are enacted to preserve the natural resources and not abiding with the same results in heavy fines.

International control measures

• Environmental protection Act, 1972
• Environment Impact Assessment, 1986

• EIA started as a mandatory regulation with the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• EIA was included through Principle 17 of RIO DECLARATION

• Environmental protection Act, 1972 –

• The enactment was made to protect and improve the human environment
• To prevent hazardous to human beings, other living creatures, plants.

General control measures

• Excessive use of fertilisers should be avoided
• Sewage water should be treated before being released into the ocean
• Cooling of hot water to be done in the power plant
• Organic farming should be practised

Conclusion

Since water is one of the significant sources of survival, it is essential to protect the water bodies. When the water is prone to exposure to hazardous gases, it becomes less suitable for consumption as the quality of water deteriorates. Pollution can occur due to domestic sewage, farms, industries, etc. We humans cannot live by having contaminated surface water or poisonous aquatic animals. Thus, to remain healthy, it is necessary to keep the environment clean. It is required to follow the quality standard for public water set by WHO and EU.