Unveiling The Hazards: Understanding Water Pollution's Impact

Water pollution is the addition of substances or energy forms that alter the nature of water bodies in such a way that negatively affects their uses. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants mix with these water bodies. Contaminants can come from sewage discharges, industrial activities, agricultural activities, and urban runoff. Water pollution can be caused by a plethora of different contaminants, including toxic waste, petroleum, and disease-causing microorganisms.

Pathogenic microorganisms

Water pollution is the addition of substances or energy forms that directly or indirectly alter the nature of the water body in such a manner that negatively affects its legitimate uses. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants mix with these water bodies. Contaminants can come from one of four main sources: sewage discharges, industrial activities, agricultural activities, and urban runoff including stormwater. Water pollution may affect either surface water or groundwater.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that polluted water is water whose composition has been changed to the extent that it is unusable. In other words, it is toxic water that cannot be drunk or used for essential purposes like agriculture, and which also causes diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and poliomyelitis that kill more than 500,000 people worldwide every year. The main water pollutants include bacteria, viruses, parasites, fertilisers, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, nitrates, phosphates, plastics, faecal waste and even radioactive substances. These substances do not always change the colour of the water, meaning that they are often invisible pollutants.

Putrescible organic waste

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines polluted water as water whose composition has been changed to the extent that it is unusable. This includes water that is toxic and cannot be drunk or used for essential purposes like agriculture. Putrescible organic waste can also cause diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and poliomyelitis that kill more than 500,000 people worldwide every year.

To prevent water pollution caused by putrescible organic waste, it is important to treat and dispose of waste properly and to reduce the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides. Additionally, improving sewage treatment systems and reducing industrial and agricultural runoff can also help to reduce the amount of putrescible organic waste that enters water bodies.

Sewage discharges

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that polluted water is water whose composition has been changed to the extent that it is unusable. In other words, it is toxic water that cannot be drunk or used for essential purposes like agriculture, and which also causes diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and poliomyelitis that kill more than 500,000 people worldwide every year. The main water pollutants include bacteria, viruses, parasites, fertilisers, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, nitrates, phosphates, plastics, faecal waste and even radioactive substances. These substances do not always change the colour of the water, meaning that they are often invisible pollutants.

Water bodies can be polluted by a wide variety of substances, including pathogenic microorganisms, putrescible organic waste, fertilizers and plant nutrients, toxic chemicals, sediments, heat, petroleum (oil), and radioactive substances. Sewage can reach water bodies via raw sewage or even treated sewage discharges. Several types of water pollutants are considered below. Water pollutants come from either point sources or dispersed sources. A point source is a pipe or channel, such as those used for discharge from an industrial facility or a city sewerage system.

Industrial activities

Water pollution is the addition of substances or energy forms that directly or indirectly alter the nature of the water body in such a manner that negatively affects its legitimate uses. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants mix with these water bodies. Contaminants can come from one of four main sources: sewage discharges, industrial activities, agricultural activities, and urban runoff including stormwater. Water pollution may affect either surface water or groundwater. This form of pollution can lead to many problems. One is the degradation of aquatic ecosystems. Another is spreading water-borne diseases when people use polluted water for drinking or irrigation.

Water bodies can be polluted by a wide variety of substances, including pathogenic microorganisms, putrescible organic waste, fertilizers and plant nutrients, toxic chemicals, sediments, heat, petroleum (oil), and radioactive substances. Several types of water pollutants are considered below. (For a discussion of the handling of sewage and other forms of waste produced by human activities, see waste disposal and solid-waste management.)

Water pollutants come from either point sources or dispersed sources. A point source is a pipe or channel, such as those used for discharge from an industrial facility or a city sewerage system. Industrial activities are a major source of water pollution. Industrial wastewater gushing from a pipe into a wetland is an example of a point source.

In addition to the direct release of pollutants, industrial activities can also cause water pollution through the release of heat. This can occur when industrial processes generate excess heat that is discharged into nearby water bodies. This can have a negative impact on the aquatic ecosystem and disrupt the natural balance of the water body.

Agricultural activities

Water pollution is the addition of substances or energy forms that directly or indirectly alter the nature of the water body in such a manner that negatively affects its legitimate uses. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants mix with these water bodies. Contaminants can come from one of four main sources: sewage discharges, industrial activities, agricultural activities, and urban runoff including stormwater. Water pollution may affect either surface water or groundwater. This form of pollution can lead to many problems, one of which is the degradation of aquatic ecosystems.

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