Control of Water Pollution : Sources, Effect and Prevention

                                                                                                                                    Water Pollution 

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What is Water Pollution?

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Water pollution refers to the contamination of the water bodies by contaminants thereby degrading their quality and making it unfit for human use and marine life. It is caused by improper waste management, industry dumpage, and day-to-day human and animal activities. 

• Controlled use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides can also help to control water pollution.
• The toxic chemicals released by hospital, industrial, radioactive, and agricultural wastes degrades the quality of water. 
• This type of pollution negatively impacts all the lifeforms that are dependent on it.

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Types of Water Pollution

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It is essential to understand the different types of water pollution to improve the quality of water. The flowchart below shows the various types of water pollution that affect all life forms:

Types of Water Pollution 

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Control Measures of Water Pollution

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Some of the control measures of water pollution are mentioned below:

• Instead of releasing sewage waste directly, treat it before discharge to reduce initial toxicity.
• If secondary water treatment is done, the treated water can be reused in sanitary systems and agriculture.
• Growing Water Hyacinths that absorb dissolved toxic chemicals like cadmium, mitigating adverse effects.
• Use chemical methods like precipitation, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, and coagulation to control water pollution.
• Practice the 3Rs - Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle to contribute individually to overcoming water pollution effects.

Prevention and control of water pollution can be done by planting more trees around water bodies and using natural fertilizers. In this section, we will disscus the four steps to control water pollution. 

What are the Steps to Control Water Pollution?

Due to water pollution, 70% of surface water has now become unfit for consumption. Thus, prevention and control of water pollution has now become a global objective. Here are four important steps to control water pollution are mentioned below in detail: 

Steps to Control Water Pollution

Step 1: Implementing Control measures 

Initiate strict measures to control activities causing water pollution, such as reducing plastic usage and sewage dumping.

Step 2: Wastewater treatment

Reduce the proportion of wasted water by employing chemical, biological, or physical treatments to remove pollutants.

Step 3: Purification

Thoroughly purify water to eliminate pollutants and harmful elements significantly. 

Step 4: Spreading awareness

Spread awareness and encourage public participation to collectively reduce water pollution for long-term water quality improvement.

Five Ways to Reduce Water Pollution in Surroundings

Water pollution in the surroundings can be controlled by – 

1. Waste Management

• Disposal of all waste, including plastic, flowers, and broken items, in designated bins to prevent water pollution.
• Reduce plastic use and promote responsible waste disposal practices.

2. Controlling Air Pollution

• Cut down on CO₂ emissions by reducing fossil fuel usage and conserving energy.
• Addressing air pollution helps prevent acid rain, which can harm water quality and aquatic life.

3. Preventing Soil Erosion

• Plant more trees to prevent soil erosion, which can degrade water quality.
• Forestation is effective in reducing the movement of soil into water bodies.

4. Plastic Waste Reduction

• Minimize the use of plastic to prevent its entry into water bodies.
• Increase awareness about proper plastic waste management to protect water quality.

5. Implementing Regulations

• Establish community rules through mutual discussions to prevent activities that degrade water quality.
• Increase awareness by using signboards and warnings to discourage improper waste disposal in water.

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Sources of Water Pollution

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The sources of water can be divided into two categories - point source pollution and nonpoint source pollution.

• If the origin of the pollution is recognized as a specific place, it is known as point source pollution. Examples of point source pollution are factories (such as oil refineries, paper mills, etc.), and sewage treatment plants.
• The non-point source pollution is when the water is getting contaminated from several places. Examples of nonpoint source pollution are pesticides, oil grease, fertilizers, sediment, bacteria, etc.
• If the pollution is not restricted to a specific country and can affect different places as well, it is known as transboundary contamination.

Causes of Water Pollution

Some common causes of water pollution include deforestation and some religious or social practices. The other causes of water pollution are:

• Urbanization: Increasing water demand with the growing population has led to water degradation and its overuse.
• Industrial Waste: Industrial activities lead to the emission of toxic chemicals such as mercury that affect biodiversity.
• Sewage and Waste: Dumping of sewage in water bodies leads to water pollution and releases pathogens that spread diseases.
• Mining: The process of mining leads to the release of harmful chemicals buried in the Earth’s surface. 
• Marine Dumping: Waste dumped the water bodies – from oil spills, offshore drilling, industrial mining, and submarine nuclear testing can give rise to garbage islands. 
• Agricultural Activities: Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides can lead to rapidly increasing water pollution.

• Radioactive wastes: When these wastes are dumped in the water bodies, they mix with water when the temperature increases.​

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Effects of Water Pollution

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Water pollution can have adverse effects on the environment such as – 

Effects of Water Pollution 

• Dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and jaundice are caused when wastes containing pathogen microorganisms are mixed with water.
• Garbage dumping and toxic chemicals by industries can cause the water bodies near urban areas to be extremely polluted.
• Water pollution affects the metabolism and behavior of aquatic life and can lead to death.
• Dioxin causes reproductive issues and cancer and bioaccumulates in fish, chicken, and meat.
• Water pollution affects the food chain, with toxic substances like cadmium and lead entering through animals.
• Pollution leads to diseases like hepatitis through contaminated water sources. Poor treatment can cause cholera outbreaks.
• Water pollution critically affects and disrupts ecosystems, leading to modification and destruction.
• It can lead deposition of nutrients in water bodies resulting in the massive growth of microorganisms, this process is called eutrophication.

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Minamata Incident – Water Pollution Case Study

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In 1932, a Japanese factory in Minamata City discharged toxic Methylmercury into the bay, causing severe environmental pollution. Thus, it was concluded from the incident that the minamata disease was caused by sudden mercury poisoning. 

• Methylmercury is a highly toxic substance that leads to neurological disorders in humans and animals.
• Methylmercury accumulated in shellfish and fish in Minamata Bay, entering the food chain.
• Local residents, unaware of the same, consumed contaminated fish, leading to health issues.
• Initially observed in animals (cats), symptoms of this included convulsions, referred to as "dancing cat disease."
• People had signs of acute mercury poisoning: ataxia, muscle weakness, and coordination loss.
• Severe cases had paralysis, coma, and death.
• Diseases and deaths continued for 36 years before being officially acknowledged by the government.
• Japan implemented water pollution control measures to prevent future environmental disasters.

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Sewage Water Treatment for Domestic Use

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The different type of processes that involves removing the pollutants from contaminated water and making it safe for domestic use are:

• Coagulation/flocculation
• Sedimentation
• Filtration
• Disinfection
• Sludge drying
• Fluoridation
• Ph correction
• Removal of iron and arsenic

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Ganges Pollution

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Despite its important role in the lives of living beings, the Ganges is considered one of the planet’s most polluted rivers.

• Urban sewage, pesticides, fertilizers, industrial metals, animal waste, and ashes from cremations flow untreated into the river.
• Water pollution harms the ecosystem and causes waterborne diseases like diarrhoea due to direct exposure to faecal matter.
• The government launched the Namami Ganges program in 2014 with a budget of Rs 20,000 crore to conserve the Ganges.
• Achievements of the program include sewage treatment infrastructure and river surface cleaning.
• Water Pollution in the Ganges contributed to the endangerment of the Ganges shark and threatened the Ganges River dolphin.
• A survey projects that by 2026, around 4 billion people will face water shortages.
• Currently, 1.2 billion people lack access to clean water.
• Water pollution contributes to nearly 1,000 child deaths yearly in India.

Groundwater, a crucial water source, is also susceptible to pollution. This highlights the importance of addressing water pollution as a significant social issue.

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Things to Remember

• Water pollution is the introduction of harmful substances into water bodies, adversely impacting ecosystems and human health.
• Pollution originates from industrial discharges, agricultural runoff, untreated sewage, oil spills, and improper waste disposal.
• Common pollutants include chemicals, heavy metals, nutrients, pathogens, and plastics.
• Water pollution disrupts ecosystems, causing biodiversity loss, and algal blooms.
• Contaminated water leads to waterborne diseases, endangering human health.
• Implementing water treatment technologies, such as sewage and industrial effluent treatment can remove pollutants from water.​

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Previous Years Questions

1. Which is wrong with respect to our responsibility as a human being to protect our environment? [JEE Mains 2019]
2. BOD stands for? [JEE Mains 2016]
3. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) value can be a measure of water pollution caused by the…? [JEE Mains 2016]
4. Ozone is destroyed by CFCs in the upper stratosphere Ozone holes increase the amount of UV…? [JEE Mains 2019]
5. Addition of phosphate fertilisers to water bodies causes? [JEE Mains 2015]
6. A water sample has ppm level concentration of the following metals…? [JEE Mains 2019]