ABSTRACT

The stress on our water environment as a result of increased industrialization, which aids
urbanization, is becoming very high thus reducing the availability of clean water. Polluted water is of
great concern to the aquatic organism, plants, humans, and climate and indeed alters the ecosystem.
The preservation of our water environment, which is embedded in sustainable development, must be
well driven by all sectors. While effective wastewater treatment has the tendency of salvaging the
water environment, integration of environmental policies into the actor firms core objectives coupled
with continuous periodical enlightenment on the present and future consequences of
environmental/water pollution will greatly assist in conserving the water environment.

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 CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION

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 1.1 INTRODUCTION TO MAN-MADE DISASTERS

Industrialization is a major development and urbanization initiator in any society. Although the
benefits of industrialization are numerous, it has been described as a major threat to the environment
as it releases into our immediate environment various toxic chemicals, contaminants, solid waste and
microbes of various kinds— land, air, and water. Water pollution, which has become a global
challenge, is of particular interest, with developing nations being highly affected because of their
drive for development.

Pollution of our water bodies poses a major threat to humans and the aquatic ecosystem while a
marked increase in population catalyzes climate change. For example, various human activities as
well as the release of greenhouse gases by industries contribute greatly to global warming, planetary
temperature enhancement and atmospheric air quality reduction.

The push for sustainable development will carry with it strategies for mitigating water pollution.
Preventing water pollution is one way to drive effective wastewater treatment before their eventual
discharge. Some remediation measures to mitigate climate change against water pollution may also
be explored.

1.2 INTRODUCTION TO WATER POLLUTION

The contamination of water bodies is water pollution, usually as a result of human activities. The
bodies of water include streams, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater, for example. This results
in water pollution when contaminants are introduced into the natural environment. For example,
inadequately treated wastewater release into natural water bodies can lead to aquatic ecosystem
degradation. This in turn can lead to problems of public health for people living off-stream. They
may be using the same polluted river water to drink, bathe, or irrigate. Water pollution is the leading
cause of death and illness worldwide, for example from waterborne diseases.

Contamination by water can be categorized into contamination by the surface water. A sub-set of
water pollution is aquatic waste and nutrient pollution. Water pollution sources are either point
sources, or non-point sources. Point sources, such as a storm drain, wastewater treatment plant or
stream, have one identifiable cause of pollution. Non-point sources such as agricultural runoff, are

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more diffuse. Over time pollution is the product of the cumulative effect. It can affect all plants and
organisms which live in or are exposed to polluted water bodies. The effects can harm individual
species and affect natural biological populations in which they belong.

As well as physical parameters, the sources of water pollution include a wide range of chemicals and
pathogens. Contaminants can contain both organic and inorganic substances. High temperatures can
contribute to polluted water, too. One common cause of thermal pollution is the use by power plants
and industrial producers of water as a coolant. High water temperatures decrease oxygen levels,
which can kill fish and change the composition of the food chain, reduce biodiversity of organisms,
and promote invasion by new thermophilic species.

Analysis of water samples is used to measure water pollution. Physical, chemical, and biological
research may be carried out. Water pollution control includes the correct facilities and management
plans. Wastewater treatment plants can form part of the infrastructure. Sewage treatment plants are
water pollution, and industrial wastewater treatment plants are usually required to protect water
bodies against untreated wastewater. Treatment of agricultural wastewater for crops, and prevention
of erosion from construction sites can also help prevent water pollution. Nature-based solutions are
yet another approach to water pollution prevention. Active urban runoff management involves rising
velocity and flow rate. In the United States, best water waste management practices include solutions
to raising the water quantity and enhancing water quality.

British poet W. H. Auden once noted, “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.”
Yet while we all know water is crucial for life, we trash it anyway. Some 80% of the world’s
wastewater is dumped—largely untreated—back into the environment, polluting rivers, lakes, and
oceans.

This pervasive water pollution problem is putting at risk our safety. Every year contaminated water
kills more people than war, and combines all other forms of violence. Our drinkable sources of water
meanwhile are finite: Less than 1% of the earth’s freshwater is actually accessible to us. Without
action, the challenges will only increase by 2050, when global freshwater demand is projected to be
one-third bigger than it is now.

While most Americans have access to safe drinking water, potentially harmful contaminants— from
arsenic to copper to lead — were found in each nation's tap water.
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What Is Water Pollution?

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances— often chemicals or micro-organisms —

contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer or other water body, degrade the quality of the water
and make it toxic to humans or the environment.

Categories of Water Pollution

Groundwater

When rain falls and sinks deep into the ground, filling an aquifer's cracks, crevices, and porous
spaces (basically an underground water storehouse), it becomes groundwater— one of our least
visible but most important natural resources. Nearly 40% of Americans rely on groundwater for
drinking water, pumped to the surface of the earth. For some rural folks, this is their only source of
freshwater. Groundwater is polluted when pollutants–ranging from pesticides and fertilizers to waste
leached from landfills and septic systems–penetrate an aquifer, making it unsafe for human usage.
The elimination of pollutants from the soil can be both difficult and unlikely, and expensive. An
aquifer, once poisoned, can be unusable for decades or even thousands of years. As it flows into
streams, lakes and oceans, groundwater can also disperse pollution far away from the original
polluting source.

Surface water

Covering about 70% of the Planet, surface water is what fills the world map with our seas, lakes,
rivers and all those other blue bits. Freshwater surface water (that is, from sources other than the
ocean) accounts for more than 60% of the water supplied to American homes. But there's a
considerable pool of that water at risk. According to latest U.S. national water quality surveys Nearly
half of our rivers and streams, and over one-third of our lakes are polluted and unsafe for bathing,
fishing and drinking. Nutrient pollution including nitrates and phosphates is the leading type of
contamination in these sources of fresh water. Although plants and animals need these nutrients to
grow, farm waste and fertilizer runoff have caused them to become a major pollutant. Discharges of

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urban and industrial waste also contribute their fair share of the pollutants. There's also all the odd
garbage pumped directly into rivers by industry and individuals.

Ocean water

80% of ocean pollution (also referred to as marine pollution) comes from land, whether along the
coast or far inland. Contaminants like pesticides, nutrients, and heavy metals are carried by streams
and rivers into our bays and estuaries from fields, factories, and towns; from there they flow to sea.
Meanwhile, marine debris— especially plastic — is blown in by the wind, or washed in through
drains and sewers of storms. Oil spills and leaks–big and small–also sometimes spoil our seas and
consistently soak up carbon pollution from the air. As much as a quarter of man-made carbon
emissions are consumed by the sea.

Point source

When contamination comes from a single source it is called pollution from point source. Sources
include wastewater (also known as effluent) that has been legally or illegally discharged by a
supplier, oil refinery or wastewater treatment facility, as well as pollution from overflowing septic
systems, chemical and oil spills, and illegal dumping. The EPA controls point source emissions by
establishing limits on what can be directly released into a body of water by an institution. While point
source pollution originates from a particular location, it can impact miles of waterways and oceans.

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Nonpoint source

Nonpoint source pollution is contamination from dispersed sources. These may include runoff of
agricultural or storm water, or debris blown from land into waterways. Nonpoint source pollution is
the leading cause of water pollution in U.S. waters, but, since there is no single, identifiable culprit, it
is difficult to regulate.

Transboundary

It goes without saying that one line on a map can not contain water pollution. Transboundary
pollution is the result of one country spilling contaminated water into the waters of another.
Contamination can result from a disaster— such as an oil spill— or from the slow downriver creep of
industrial, agricultural, or municipal discharge.

The Most Common Types of Water Contamination

Agricultural

The agricultural sector is not only the largest consumer of global freshwater services, with farming
and livestock production using about 70 percent of the earth's surface water supply, but it is also a
serious water polluter. Agriculture is the top cause of water depletion worldwide agricultural waste in
the United States is the leading source of pollutants in rivers and streams, the second-largest source in
wetlands, and the third-largest in lakes. It's also a major contributor to estuaries and groundwater
contamination. Each time that it rains, fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste from crops and
livestock activities wash pollutants and pathogens — such as bacteria and viruses — into our rivers.
The accumulation of nutrients caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water or air is the
number one hazard to water quality worldwide and can cause algal blooms, a toxic soup of blue-
green algae that can harm people and wildlife.

Sewage and wastewater

Wastewater is used. This comes from our sinks, baths, and toilets (think sewage), and from
commercial, manufacturing, and agricultural (think chemicals, solvents, and radioactive sludge)
practices. The word also encompasses storm water runoff, which happens as rainfall brings into our
rivers road salts, gasoline, grease, chemicals and debris from impermeable surfaces.
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According to the United Nations, more than 80 percent of the world's wastewater flows back into the
environment without being processed or reused; in some less developed countries, the figure exceeds
95%. Wastewater treatment plants in the US process about 34 billion gallons of wastewater per day.
These facilities reduce the amount of pollutants in sewage as well as heavy metals and toxic
chemicals in industrial waste, such as pathogens, phosphorus, and nitrogen, before discharging the
treated waters back into waterways. That is when everything is going well. But according to EPA
estimates, aging and easily overwhelmed sewage treatment systems in our nation also release more
than 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater annually.

Oil pollution

Big spills that dominate the headlines, but customers pay for the vast majority of our seas ' oil
emissions, including oil and gasoline that drips every day from millions of cars and trucks. However,
almost half of the approximate 1 million tons of oil making its way into marine environments each
year comes not from tanker spills but from land-based sources such as mines, farms and towns. At
sea, tanker spills account for about 10 per cent of the oil in waters around the world, while daily
shipping industry activities contribute about one-third through both legal and illegal discharges. Oil is
also emitted naturally from under the ocean floor through cracks known as seeps.

Radioactive substances

Radioactive waste is any pollution which emits radiation beyond what the environment naturally
releases. It is produced from uranium mining, nuclear power plants, and military weapons
development and testing, as well as from universities and hospitals that use radioactive materials for
research and medicine. For thousands of years radioactive waste can persist in the environment
making disposal a major challenge. Consider Washington's decommissioned nuclear weapons
production site, where the disposal of 56 million gallons of radioactive waste is expected to cost over
$100 billion and last until 2060. Contaminants which are accidentally released or improperly
disposed of endanger groundwater, surface water and marine resources.

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 CHAPTER 2:

LITERATURE REVIEW

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Water bodies are said to be polluted by the human activity of adding or causing the adding of matter
to the water bodies or change the physical, chemical or biological features of the water bodies to such
an extent that its use for any reasonable purpose or its value in environment is reduced.

The standard of physicochemical and biological characterizations of the water is an index to provide
a complete and good picture of the conditions occurring for tropic status in the water bodies. Recently
study following were published literatures have been reviewed through water pollution causes, effects
and control studies by (Goel, 1997). In this the authors have presented different kinds of water
pollution and the major sources and control of pollution.

“Pollution and Biomonitoring of Indian Rivers” (Trivedy, 2000) which was also reviewed
regarding the “Introduction to water pollution Biology” was presented by (Schmitz, 1995),
(Tripathi and Pandey, 1995) in “water pollution” viewed the effect of heavy metal on algae and
correlation was observed between nutrient ad phytoplankton.

(Will Rich and William Hines, 1967) “Water pollution control and Abatement” (Gower, 1980)
“water quality in catchments Ecosystem” (Khopkar, 2004), “Environmental Pollution monitoring
and control” has also been viewed.

(Manahan, 1997) viewed on certain algal forms grow in some special kind of polluted water and the
species and their characteristics for the particular environment. Such forms are the indicators of
polluted water (Palmer, 1969) in the valuable review on algae as biological indicators of pollution
found few algae tolerant to relatively raw sewage or organic waste.

Same studies regarding the utility of algae as indicator of river water quality and pollution has been
focused by (Venkatswarlu, 1981) and (Kant, 1985).

Cyanobacterial biodiversity of the Tributaries of the river Kaveri by (Sankaran, 2006) were viewed.
“Seasonal Variation in Primary Production of Two Freshwater Rock” pool of Kollam, Kerala
District by (Danielkutty and Sobha, 2006) was viewed. He also reviewed on Chlorophyll-a exhibited
a direct relation with the Difference in the Phytoplankton Biomass and productivity.

The species composition of phytoplankton communities differs dependant on the local climatic
conditions, Soil and the sewage like environmental factors might be related with the variants among
the species include the availability of nutrients and the degree of mixing or stratification which was
reviewed by ( RajkumarandRitakumari, 2004). The result of this study that there exist different in
species composition and in relative abundance of the different Phytoplankton community of
ecosystems.

Heavy Metal are taken into consideration as the major environmental pollutants and regarded to be
Cytotoxic, Mutagenic, and Carcinogenic. These Heavy Metals pollution of natural environment has
been consistently rising through effluents, sedimentation of rocks and mining activities. High
concentrations of the heavy metals are harmful to biological systems and negative effects of some
heavy metal compounds on development and differentiation in a blue green and green algae by
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(Ahluwalia and Manjit, 1988) were reviewed. And some of the work on the same was done
by(Raiet al., 1981) in “Phycology and Heavy Metal Pollution”.

Review on the effect of different industrial effluents on Damodar River Ecosystem by ( Ghatak and
Konar, 1992) were studied. In the Physico-Chemical and Biological Features of river water was
found gradually changed due to sewage of various industrial effluents.

The concentration of Dissolved oxygen, Phosphate of waste was drastically decreased but carbon
dioxide was increased at different sites and it resulted in fall of Phytoplankton communities of the
water in rivers.

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 CHAPTER 3:

DETAILS OF THE WATER

POLLUTION ISSUE

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HISTORY

With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, water pollution intensified, when factories started
releasing pollutants directly into rivers and streams. In 1969, toxic waste dumped into the Cuyahoga
River in Ohio caused it to burst into flames, and the waterway became a symbol of how industrial
pollution ruined the natural resources of America.CNN reported in 2007 that "up to 500 million tons
of heavy metals, solvents and toxic sludge slip into the worldwide water supply each year. In the
developing world, as much as 70 percent of industrial waste is dumped into rivers and lakes
[According to UNESCO] just untreated. China is a perfect example in this regard. According to
Greenpeace, about 70 per cent of China's lakes and rivers are now polluted with industrial waste,
leaving 300 million citizens ' forced to rely on polluted water resources. ' "Water sources are also
contaminated with rain runoff from such items as oil-slick roads; manufacturing, mining and dump
sites; and animal waste from farm operations. Other sources that can contaminate groundwater
include leaky septic tanks, pesticides, and fertilizers. According to The Groundwater Foundation,
which also notes that the greatest use for groundwater is crop irrigation, over half of the American
population (including the majority of those living in rural areas) relies on groundwater for drinking
water.

Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, in order to reduce water pollution. Water pollution
remains a problem though. The Environmental News Service (ENS) reported in 2006 that "more than
62 per cent of industrial and municipal facilities across the country released more waste into U.S.
waters than approved by their Clean Water Act between July 2003 and December 2004."The ENS
also noted that, for swimming and fishing, over 40 percent of American rivers were dangerous.
Furthermore, water resources face a continuing threat from man-made environmental disasters such
as the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, during which about 11 million gallons of crude oil were
mistakenly spilled off the Prince William Sound of Alaska into the sea. The catastrophe that
produced an oil slick of 3,000 square miles instantly killed hundreds of thousands of birds, fish and
other wildlife and ravaged the area for years afterwards.

Water is being attacked by many kinds of waste. Human beings unknowingly poisoned drinking
water supplies with raw sewage for decades, which led to diseases like cholera and typhoid. One
gram of human excrement contains around "10 million viruses, 1 million bacteria, 1,000 parasite
cysts and 100 parasite eggs," according to a CNN article. More than 1 billion people around the
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world today lack access to safe water and every 15 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease
somewhere on the planet, according to Water Partners International.

CAUSES

Water is unique in its susceptibility to pollution. Water is regarded as a "common solvent" and can
dissolve more substances than any other liquid on earth. This is why we've got Kool-Aid and brilliant
blue waterfalls. It is also the explanation why water is poisoned so quickly. Toxic substances from
fields, towns and factories are readily dissolved and mixed with it, causing contamination of water.

Urbanisation

As more and more people move into towns and cities, a number of factors cause pollution:

 physical disruption of land by building houses, factories, highways, etc.; 
 chemical emissions from plants, mines, etc.;
 insufficient storage and treatment of wastewater;
 Boost fertilizers to produce more food. This results in an increase in nutrients (nitrates and
phosphates) in the water causing increased growth of the plants (algal blooms). When this
plant material dies and decays the bacteria will use the water's oxygen. This drop in oxygen
levels contributes to the death of other aquatic life that needs oxygen to survive, eg. Fish,
etcetera.
 Litter causing illness and having negative visual effect.

Deforestation

Land clearing for agriculture and urban growth also results in water pollution. It becomes prone to
soil erosion when soil is deprived of its protective vegetation. This leads to an increase in te waer’s
turbidity which may cause the following:

 Fish gills can be blocked; 

 low dwelling plants can not photosynthesize as the sun's rays can not penetrate them; 

 and, disease rises as soil particles are used by bacteria and viruses as a mode of transport.
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Damming of rivers

River damming can have an impact on water in the following ways: 

 water flowing from dams: 
o reduced suspended material as a large quantity settles down to the bottom of dams; 
o depleted nutrients; 
o and is often more saline.
For detrimental effects on downstream cultivation and fisheries. 

 Increased eutrophication can result from a longer time spent in the dam by the water. 

 Increased evaporation also occurs in dams, especially those with large surface area such as the 
Vaal Dam.

Destruction of wetlands

Wetlands are a way of cleaning water from nature as well as damming water (they hold water back in
summer and release it in winter).

Wetland destruction:

 Destroys many birds and fish habitat;

 Removes natural filters capable of storing and degrading many pollutants, such as phosphorus
and heavy metals;
 Destroys natural dams and causes further downstream flooding.

Industries

Industries produce waste that may affect:

 Water pH (whether acidic, neutral or alkaline); water colour;

 Quantity of nutrients (increase in nutrients may cause eutrophication);
 Temperature (increase or decrease in temperature may affect water-borne organisms sensitive
to temperature);
 The amount of minerals and salts (too much can cause health problems);

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  The turbidity of the water (can obstruct the gills of fish;
 The underlying plants can not photosynthesize as the rays of the sun can not penetrate them;
 The rise in diseases as bacteria and viruses use soil particles as transport method).

Mining

Mines produce waste that:

 can increase the quantity of minerals and salts in the water (too much can cause health
problems);
 can affect the water's pH (whether acidic, neutral or alkaline);
 can increase the water's turbidity.

Agriculture

 Increases soil erosion due to physical soil and vegetation disturbance due to ploughing,
overgrazing, logging, and development of roads. This influences the turbidity and quantity of
salts and minerals in water;
 Raises nutrients due to fertilizers and excreta, adding excessive quantities of nitrates and
phosphates to water supplies (this can cause eutrophication);
 Increased use of pesticides.

Energy use

As humans grow, more energy is needed for human activities such as cooking, lighting etc. Most of
our electricity in South Africa comes from coal burning at power stations which results in
significantly increased air emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides. These gasses are the principal
cause of acid rain. Likewise the release of carbon dioxide from coal burning increases global
warming.

Accidental water pollution

Accidental water pollution can occur from many causes (such as burst pipes and tanks, major leaks,
fires and oil spills) and can cause various degrees of damage, depending on the pollutant's quantity,
toxicity and persistence, and water body size and adaptability.

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IMPACT

What Are the Effects of Water Pollution?

On human health

To put it bluntly: Pollution from water destroys. In fact, it caused 1.8 million deaths in 2015, a study
published in The Lancet suggests. Contaminated water can get you sick too. The unsafe water sickens
around 1 billion people every year. Yet households with low incomes are especially at risk as their
homes are often nearest to the polluting industries.

Waterborne infections are a major cause of illness from polluted drinking water, in the form of
disease-causing bacteria and human and animal waste viruses. Unsafe water-borne illnesses include
cholera, giardia and typhoid. Even in wealthy nations, unintended or illegal discharges from sewage
treatment plants as well as pollution from farmland and urban areas lead to rivers through harmful
pathogens. Every year, thousands of people across the United States suffer from the disease of
Legionnaires (a severe form of pneumonia contracting from water sources such as cooling towers and
piped water), with cases ranging from Disneyland in California to Upper East Side in Manhattan..

Meanwhile, the plight of residents in Flint, Michigan— where the recent lead contamination crisis
has created cost-cutting measures and aging water infrastructure — offers a keen look at how
dangerous chemical and other industrial pollutants can be in our water. The problem goes far beyond
Flint and includes much more than lead, as a wide range of chemical contaminants-from heavy
metals such as arsenic and mercury to pesticides and nitrate fertilizers-get into our water supply.
These toxins, once ingested, can cause a host of health problems, from cancer to hormone disruption
to altered brain function. Especially the children and pregnant women are at risk.

Also swimming can pose a danger. Each year, according to EPA figures, 3.5 million Americans
develop health problems such as skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections and hepatitis from
sewage-laden coastal waters.

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On the environment

To thrive, healthy ecosystems rely on a complex web of animals, plants, bacteria and fungi— all of
which interact with each other, directly or indirectly. Chain effect can result in harm to any of these
organisms, imperiling entire aquatic environments. If water pollution in a lake or marine environment
triggers an algal bloom, the accumulation of newly introduced nutrients promotes the growth of
plants and algae, which in turn reduces oxygen levels in water. A dearth of oxygen, known as
eutrophication, suffocates plants and animals, and can create "dead zones," where water is effectively
life-less. Such toxic algal blooms can also in some cases contain neurotoxins that damage wildlife,
from whales to sea turtles.

Chemicals and heavy metals derived from industrial and urban wastewater often contaminate
waterways. Such pollutants are harmful to aquatic life— most often decreasing the life span and
reproductive capacity of an organism— and are working their way up the food chain as predator
consumes prey. That's how the tuna and other large fish accumulate high amounts of toxins, like
mercury.

There is also a threat to marine ecosystems from marine debris, which can strangle, suffocate and
starve animals. Much of this solid debris, such as plastic bags and soda cans, gets swept into sewers
and storm drains and finally out to sea, turning our oceans into trash soup and sometimes
consolidating to form floating garbage patches. Discarded fishing gear and other types of debris are
responsible for damaging the marine life of more than 200 different species.

Moreover, ocean acidification makes survival of shellfish and coral more difficult. Because they
consume about a quarter of the carbon pollution produced by burning fossil fuels each year, oceans
become more acidic. This process makes shellfish and other animals more difficult to create shells,
and can affect sharks, clownfish, and other marine life nervous systems.

In order to thrive, healthy ecosystems rely on a complex web of animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi—
all of which interact, directly or indirectly, with each other. Harm to any of these organisms can
create a chain effect, imperiling entire aquatic environments.

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When water pollution causes an algal bloom in a lake or marine environment, the proliferation of
newly introduced nutrients stimulates plant and algae growth, which in turn reduces oxygen levels in
the water. This dearth of oxygen, known as eutrophication, suffocates plants and animals and can
create “dead zones,” where waters are essentially devoid of life. In certain cases, these harmful algal
blooms can also produce neurotoxins that affect wildlife, from whales to sea turtles.

Chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater contaminate waterways as
well. These contaminants are toxic to aquatic life—most often reducing an organism’s life span and
ability to reproduce—and make their way up the food chain as predator eats prey. That’s how tuna
and other big fish accumulate high quantities of toxins, such as mercury.

Marine ecosystems are also threatened by marine debris, which can strangle, suffocate, and starve
animals. Much of this solid debris, such as plastic bags and soda cans, gets swept into sewers and
storm drains and eventually out to sea, turning our oceans into trash soup and sometimes
consolidating to form floating garbage patches. Discarded fishing gear and other types of debris are
responsible for harming more than 200 different species of marine life.

Meanwhile, ocean acidification is making it tougher for shellfish and coral to survive. Though they
absorb about a quarter of the carbon pollution created each year by burning fossil fuels, oceans are
becoming more acidic. This process makes it harder for shellfish and other species to build shells and
may impact the nervous systems of sharks, clownfish, and other marine life.

EFFECT IN INDIA

Water pollution is one of India's biggest problems right now. Untreated sewage, as can be evident, is
India's largest source of such type of pollution. Many sources of pollution also exist. There are other
emission sources such as agricultural runoff, as well as unregulated units belonging to the small-scale
industry. There are other emission sources such as agricultural runoff, as well as unregulated units
belonging to the small-scale industry. The situation is so extreme that, in India, there may be no water
source that is not contaminated to some degree or the other.

Yes, it is said that nearly 80 per cent of India's water bodies are highly polluted. This is particularly
applicable to those who live in their immediate vicinity in some form or another of human habitation.
Ganga and Yamuna form India's most polluted rivers.

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Water pollution can have a profound adverse effect on the health of any and every form of life living
in the vicinity of the contaminated body of water or using to some degree polluted water. Polluted
water can be harmful to crops at a certain level and reduce soil fertility thereby harming both the
overall agricultural sector and the nation as well. When the sea water is poisoned, the ocean life can
also be badly affected. However, the most important impact of water pollution is on the water quality,
consuming which can lead to several ailments.

Nevertheless, polluted water, as far as India is concerned, is one of the major factors behind India's
general low health levels, especially in rural areas. Contaminated water can contribute to cholera,
tuberculosis, dysentery, jaundice, diarrhea, etc. In fact, about 80 per cent of stomach ailments occur
in India due to the consumption of polluted water.

For thousands of years humans have wrestled with water quality, as far back as the 4th and 5th
centuries BC when Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, linked impure water to illness and
invented one of the first water filters. Increasing the toxic water bodies economic and human cost.
Despite India rising and urbanizing, its bodies of water are becoming toxic. It is estimated that some
70 percent of India's surface water is unfit for use. About 40 million liters of wastewater reach rivers
and other water bodies every day with only a tiny fraction being properly treated. A recent World
Bank report suggests that such an upstream release of emissions would reduce downstream economic
growth, decreasing GDP growth in those regions by as much as a third. To make matters worse, the
effect increases to a loss of nearly half of GDP growth in middle-income countries like India where
water pollution is a bigger problem. Another study estimates that being downstream of contaminated
stretches in India is correlated with a 9 percent decrease in agricultural income and a 16 percent
reduction in downstream agricultural yields.

A severe drought is affecting 330 million people— a quarter of the country's population— after two
consecutive years of poor monsoons. To nearly 50% of India dealing to drought-like conditions, this
year in western and southern states that received below-average rainfall, the situation has been
especially grim.

According to the 2018 Niti Aayog report on the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI), 21
major cities (Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and others) are racing to hit zero groundwater
levels by 2020, impacting 100 million people's access.

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WORLDWIDE EFFECT

Current Global Situation

 40 per cent of the world's population lacks adequate water for life and hygiene.
 India has only 4 percent of the world's freshwater capital despite 16 percent of the population.
 By the year 2025 two out of three people on earth will have to live in stressful water
conditions.
 Every year, 3.4 million people die from water-related disease, i.e., equal to almost all of Los
Angeles.
 780 million people lack access to clean water, that is to say more than 2.5 times the
population of the United States.

Water Pollution in Asian Countries

 Driven by population growth and the need for increased agricultural output, Asia's water
resources are under intense pressure. Annual flows of water withdrawal and return are greater
than in any other area.
 The amount of wastewater produced annually, excluding agricultural drainage. The
inadequate provision of sanitation, sewerage and wastewater treatment results in large
quantities of this wastewater entering water bodies that can serve human consumption.
 Non-point source pollution, mainly agricultural pollution, is also of concern, especially given
the rise in agrochemical consumption. Industrial waste plays its part in rising and developing
economies in Asia too.
 The impacts are experienced by design and people: 42 per cent of deaths in Asia resulting
from unhealthy or insufficient water supply, sanitation and hygiene. Asian countries are
making concerted efforts to address these issues but urgently need to increase the pace and
scope of this policy response.

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Domestic Pollution

 Throughout Asia rivers are heavily contaminated by household waste. Some rivers in the area
produce up to three times the world average of bacteria originating from human wastes
(measured in faecal coliforms, or FC). Inadequate access to sanitation services (such as
connections to public sewers and septic systems) is already a contributing factor today; yet the
need for more of this infrastructure will also be as urban centers expand further.
 Demand will continue to outstrip supply on the basis of current trends, increasing the
emissions. Though strong efforts are being made to equip the expanding cities, a plethora of
rising Asian cities remain totally unserved.

Agricultural Pollution

• Agricultural production in the region increased by 62% between 2015 and 2019, and mineral
fertilizer consumption increased by 15%.
• Extremely high nutrient levels were found in 50 percent of the region's rivers and moderate
levels in 25 percent. High levels of nutrients cause eutrophication, including algal blooms,
which severely damage freshwater habitats and obstruct the delivery of critical environmental
services to humans.

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 • Pesticides pose another region-wide problem. In India, for example, pesticide use has
increased by 750 percent from the mid-1900s to the present day and even prohibited
pesticides have been found in the Ganga River beyond international guidelines.
• Pesticide bans have brought changes in China, but there is still little regulation of nutrients.
• The use of small quantities of illegal goods poses a serious danger in Central Asia. Further
south, Sri Lanka has described the dumping of unused chemicals, washing machines, and
inadequate storage as contributing factors to the contamination of the surface water.
• In many countries in Central Asia, as well as in Pakistan, Iran and India, salinity of soil and
surface water caused by poor agricultural drainage systems remains a problem.

Industrial Pollution

THE FUTURE OF WATER POLLUTION

If that is the current water condition, what about the future? South Africa should construct more dams
and water transport schemes; desalinate sea water; spring water from neighboring countries, such as
Zimbabwe's Zambezi River; reclaim effluent water; or treat wastewater from mine. But all these
solutions are costly for the country, and not sustainable. South Africans should clean up rivers in
terms of water quality, and impose fines on those people / companies that pollute rivers. But those

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remedies resolve the problem's symptoms. We will tackle the cause of the problem, that is our
attitude toward water.

South Africa's future is up in our minds. May we make a difference. We just need to consider the
surrounding water and how we humans fit into it. Let's all become "Water Smart!" Still, what does
"Water Wise" mean?

Being "Water Wise" means a person will:

 Have the utmost RESPECT for water and all life;

 Use water wisely and not WASTE it;
 Not POLLUTE rivers with liquid and solid waste;
 Pay for water services;
 Take ACTION to solve any water problems;
 Preserve water, and thus CONSERVE nature.

South Africa usually has a small supply of water, and pollution and the depletion of river catchments
are undermining the quality of this water. Water is a vital resource and it is up to ALL South Africans
to act responsibly in their daily lives and look after the available water resources to make sure all life
on earth uses this limited supply. It's very important for everyone to become Water Wise.

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 CHAPTER 4:

CURRENT MITIGATION
AND PREVENTION
STRATEGIES

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CHAPTER 5:

CONCLUSION

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 CHAPTER 6:

RECOMMENDATIONS

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With your actions

It’s easy to tsk-tsk the oil company with a leaking tanker, but we’re all accountable to some degree
for today’s water pollution problem. Fortunately, there are some simple ways you can prevent water
contamination or at least limit your contribution to it:

 Reduce your plastic consumption and reuse or recycle plastic when you can.

 Properly dispose of chemical cleaners, oils, and non-biodegradable items to keep them from
ending up down the drain.

 Maintain your car so it doesn’t leak oil, antifreeze, or coolant.

 If you have a yard, consider landscaping that reduces runoff and avoid applying pesticides and
herbicides.

 If you have a pup, be sure to pick up its poop.

 Turn off running water

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 Be cautious of what you pour in your sink/flush down your toilet
 Fertilize correctly
 Participate in a clean up activity
 Spread awareness about the effects of polluting water

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