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1
INTRODUCTION
Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of water
bodies, usually as a result of human activities, in such a manner that
negatively affects its legitimate uses. Water pollution reduces the ability
of the body of water to provide the ecosystem services that it would
otherwise provide. Water bodies include for
example lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater.
Water pollution results when contaminants are introduced into these
water bodies. Water pollution can usually be attributed to one of four
sources: sewage, industry, agriculture, and urban runoff including
stormwater. For example, releasing inadequately treated wastewater into
natural waters can lead
to degradation of these aquatic ecosystems. Water pollution can also
lead to water-borne diseases for people using polluted water for
drinking, bathing, washing or irrigation. Supplying clean drinking
water is an important ecosystem service provided by some freshwater
systems, but approximately 785 million people in the world do not
have access to clean drinking water because of pollution.
Water pollution can be classified as surface water pollution (for
example lakes, streams, estuaries, and parts of the ocean in marine
pollution)or groundwater pollution. Sources of water pollution are
either point sources or non-point sources. Point sources have one
identifiable cause, such as a storm drain, a wastewater treatment
plant or an oil spill. Non- point sources are more diffuse, such as
agricultural runoff. Pollution is the result of the cumulative effect
over time.
Pollution may take the form of toxic substances (e.g., oil, metals,
plastics, pesticides, persistent organic pollutants, industrial waste
products), stressful conditions (e.g., changes of pH, hypoxia or
anoxia, stressful temperatures, excessive turbidity, unpleasant taste or
odor, and changes of salinity), or pathogenic organisms.
Contaminants may include organic and inorganic substances. Heat
can also be a pollutant,
and this is called thermal pollution. A common cause of thermal
pollution is the use of water as a coolant by power plants and industrial
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manufacturers.
Control of water pollution requires appropriate infrastructure and
management plans as well as legislation. Technology solutions can
include improving sanitation, sewage treatment, industrial wastewater
treatment, agricultural wastewater treatment, erosion control, sediment
control and control of urban runoff.

Definition

A practical definition of water pollution is: "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".  Therefore, pollution is associated with
concepts attributed to humans, namely the negative alterations and the
uses of the water body. Water is typically referred to as polluted when it
is impaired
by anthropogenic contaminants. Due to these contaminants it either
does not support a human use, such as drinking water , or undergoes a
marked shift in its ability to
support its biotic
communities
such as fish,and other aquatic
animals.

Fig No. 01
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How It Occurs;
1. Plant nutrients, such as phosphates and nitrates, enter the water
through sewage, and livestock and fertilizer runoff. Phosphates and
nitrates are also found in industrial wastes. Though these chemicals
are natural, 80 percent of nitrates and 75 percent of phosphates in
water are human- added. When there is too much nitrogen or
phosphorus in a water supply (0.3 parts per million for nitrogen
and
0.01 parts per million for phosphorus), algae begin to develop. When
algae blooms, the water can turn green and cloudy, feel slimy, and
smell bad. Weeds start to grow and bacteria spread. Decomposing
plants use up the oxygen in the water, disrupting the aquatic life,
reducing biodiversity, and even killing aquatic life. This process,
called eutrophication, is a natural process, but generally occurs over
thousands of years. Eutrophication allows a lake to age and become
more nutrient-rich; without nutrient pollution, this may take 10,000
years, but pollution can make the process occur 100 to 1,000 times
faster.
2. Heat can be a source of pollution in water. As the water
temperature increases, the amount of dissolved oxygen decreases.
Thermal pollution can be natural, in the case of hot springs and
shallow ponds in the summertime, or human-made, through the
discharge of water that has been used to cool power plants or other
industrial equipment. Fish and plants require certain temperatures
and oxygen levels to survive, so thermal pollution often reduces the
aquatic life diversity in the water.
3. Sediment is one of the most common sources of water pollution.
Sediment consists of mineral or organic solid matter that is washed
or blown from land into water sources. Sediment pollution is difficult
to identify, because it comes from non-point sources, such as
construction, agricultural and livestock operations, logging, flooding,
and city runoff. Each year, water sources in the United States are
polluted by over one billion tonnes of sediment! Sediment can cause
large problems, as it can clog municipal water systems, smother
aquatic life, and cause water to become increasingly turbid. And,
turbid water can cause thermal pollution, because cloudy water
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absorbs more solar radiation.

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2
SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
2.1 Waste Water & Sewage: -
Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by
anthropogenic influence and comprises liquid waste discharged by
domestic residences, commercial properties, industry, and/or
agriculture and can encompass a wide range of potential contaminants
and concentrations .

Sewage is the part of wastewater that is contaminated with feces or

urine, but is often used to mean any wastewater. When this is done
sewage refers to wastewater from sources including domestic,
municipal, or industrial liquid waste products disposed of, usually via a
pipe or sewer system .Untreated sewage may contain water; nutrients
(nitrogen and phosphorus); solids (including organic matter); pathogens
(including bacteria, viruses and protozoa); helminthes (intestinal worms
and worm-like parasites) ; oils and greases; runoff from streets, parking
lots and roofs; heavy metals (including mercury, cadmium, lead,
chromium, copper) and many toxic chemicals including PCBs, PAHs,
dioxins, furans, pesticides, phenols and chlorinated organics.

Sanitation is the hygienic means of preventing human contact from

the hazards of wastes to promote health. Examples of waste that can
cause health problems are feces, solid wastes, domestic wastewater
and industrial wastes. Hygienic means of prevention can be by
using septic tanks sewage systems or simply by personal hygiene
practices like hand washing with soap The Joint Monitoring
Program for water and sanitation of WHO and UNICEF defines
improved sanitation as; connection to a public sewer; connection to
a septic system; pour-flush latrine; simple pit latrine; ventilated
improved pit latrine. Not improved sanitation is; public or shared
latrine; open pit latrine; bucket

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2.2 Industrial Waste Water: -

Industrial wastewater treatment describes the processes used
for treating wastewater that is produced by industries as an undesirable
by- product. After treatment, the treated industrial wastewater (or
effluent) may be reused or released to a sanitary sewer or to a surface
water in the environment. Some industrial facilities generate wastewater
that can be treated in sewage treatment plants. Most industrial
processes, such as petroleum refineries, chemical and petrochemical
plants have their own specialized facilities to treat their wastewaters so
that the pollutant concentrations in the treated wastewater comply with
the regulations regarding disposal of wastewaters into sewers or into
rivers, lakes or oceans.   This applies to industries that generate
wastewater with high concentrations of organic matter (e.g. oil and
grease), toxic pollutants (e.g. heavy metals, volatile organic compounds)
or nutrients such as ammonia.
 
Some industries install a pre-treatment system to remove some
pollutants (e.g., toxic compounds), and then discharge the partially
treated wastewater to the municipal sewer system.
Most industries produce some wastewater. Recent trends have been to
minimize such production or to recycle treated wastewater within the
production process. Some industries have been successful at
redesigning their manufacturing processes to reduce or eliminate
pollutants. Sources of industrial wastewater include battery
manufacturing, chemical manufacturing, electric power plants, food
industry, iron and steel industry, metal working, mines and quarries,
nuclear industry, oil and gas extraction, petroleum refining and
petrochemicals, pharmaceutical
manufacturing, pulp and paper industry, smelters, textile mills,
industrial oil contamination, water treatment and wood preserving.
Treatment processes include brine treatment, solids removal (e.g.
chemical precipitation, filtration), oils and grease removal, removal of
biodegradable organics, removal of other organics, removal of acids and
alkalis, and removal of toxic materials.

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2.3 Agricultural Waste Water: -

Agricultural wastewater treatment is a farm management agenda
for controlling pollution from confined animal operations and from
surface runoff that may be contaminated by chemicals in fertilizer,
pesticides, animal slurry, crop residues or irrigation water.
Agricultural wastewater treatment is required for continuous
confined animal operations like milk and egg production. It may be
performed in plants using mechanized treatment units similar to
those used for industrial wastewater. Where land is available for
ponds, settling basins and facultative lagoons may have lower
operational costs for seasonal use conditions from breeding or
harvest cycles.
 
Animal slurries are usually treated by containment in anaerobic
lagoons before disposal by spray or trickle application to
grassland. Constructed wetlands are sometimes used to facilitate
treatment of animal wastes.
Nonpoint source pollution includes sediment runoff, nutrient runoff
and pesticides. Point source pollution includes animal wastes, silage
liquor, milking parlour (dairy farming) wastes, slaughtering waste,
vegetable washing water and firewater. Many farms generate
nonpoint source pollution from surface runoff which is not
controlled through a treatment plant.
Farmers can install erosion controls to reduce runoff flows and retain
soil on their fields.   Common techniques include contourplowing,
crop mulching, crop rotation, planting perennial crops and installing
riparian buffers.  Farmers can also develop and implement nutrient
management plans to reduce excess application of nutrients   and reduce
the potential for nutrient pollution. To minimize pesticide impacts,
farmers may use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques (which
can
include biological pest control) to maintain control over pests,
reduce reliance on chemical pesticides, and protect water quality.

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2.4 Thermal Power Plant Waste Water & Accident

Of Nuclear Plant: -
A nuclear power plant (sometimes abbreviated as NPP) is a thermal
power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor. As is typical
of thermal power stations, heat is used to generate steam that drives a
steam turbine connected to a generator that produces electricity. As of
2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported there were 439
nuclear power reactors in operation in 32 countries around the world.
Nuclear plants are very often used for base load since their operations,
maintenance, and fuel costs are at the lower end of the spectrum of
costs. However, building a nuclear power plant often spans five to ten
years, which can accrue to significant financial costs, depending on
how the initial investments are financed.
Nuclear power plants have a carbon footprint comparable to that
of renewable energy such as solar farms and wind farms, and much
lower than fossil fuels such as natural gas and brown coal. Despite some
spectacular catastrophes, nuclear power plants are among the safest
mode of electricity generation, comparable to solar and wind power
plants.

2.5 Leakage in Pipelines: -.

Water distribution is generally installed through underground pipes.
Monitoring the underground water pipelines is more difficult than
monitoring the water pipelines located on the ground in open space.
This situation will cause a permanent loss if there is a disturbance in
the pipeline such as leakage. Leaks in pipes can be caused by several
factors such as the pipe’s age.
Clogged drains cause headaches, but are easily fixed with some drain
cleaner. Clogged water lines are what causes pipes to leak, water
damage, and broken pipes.

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improper installation, and natural disasters. Therefore, a solution is

required to detect and to determine the location of the damage when
there is a leak. The detection of the leak location will use fluid
mechanics and kinematics physics based on harness water flow rate
data obtained using flow liquid meter sensor and Arduino UNO as a
microcontroller. The results show that the proposed method is able to
work stably to determine the location of the leak which has a
maximum distance of 2 metres, and it's able to determine the leak
location as close as possible with flow rate about 10 liters per minute.
When your water lines are clogged, water is continually backing up.
This causes much higher water pressure in your piping system, and can
easily lead to leaks. If left unclogged, it could cause your pipes to burst.
If you’ve got a water line that you can’t unclog yourself, call a plumber
before it becomes a more serious issue.

Fig No. 02

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TYPES OF WATER POLLUTION

3.1 Surface Water Pollution: -

Freshwater is a scarce and valuable resource—one that can easily be
contaminated. Once contaminated to the extent it can be considered
“polluted,” freshwater quality is difficult and expensive to restore. Thus
the study of surface water pollution has focused primarily on streams
and lakes, and most of the scientific tools developed by such regulatory
agencies as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been
applied to protecting water quality in this segment of earth’s surface
waters. The water stored in reservoirs and lakes, together with the water
that flows perennially in streams, is subject to heavy stress, and because
it is used for water supplies, agriculture, industry, and recreation, this
water can easily be contaminated. Issues related to surface water
pollution are discussed in this chapter.

3.2 River Water Pollution: -

Eighty percent of river pollution (also called marine pollution)
originates on land—whether along the coast or far inland. Contaminants
such as chemicals, nutrients, and heavy metals are carried from farms,
factories, and cities by streams and rivers into our bays and estuaries;
from there they travel out to sea. Meanwhile, marine debris—
particularly plastic—is blown in by the wind or washed in via storm
drains and sewers.

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Our seas are also sometimes spoiled by oil spills and leaks—big and
small—and are consistently soaking up carbon pollution from the air.
The ocean absorbs as much as a quarter of man-made carbon
emissions.

3.3 Oil Spillage: -

Big spills may dominate headlines, but consumers account for the
vast majority of oil pollution in our seas, including oil and gasoline
that drips from millions of cars and trucks every day. Moreover,
nearly half of
the estimated 1 million tons of oil that
makes its way into marine
environments each year comes not
from tanker spills but from land-based
sources such as factories, farms, and
cities. At sea, tanker spills account for
about 10 percent of the oil in waters
around the world, while regular
operations of the shipping industry—
through
both legal and illegal
discharges— contribute about
one-third. Oil is
Fig No.03 also naturally released from under the
ocean floor through fractures known as seeps.

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3.4 Ground Water Pollution: -

Groundwater pollution (also called groundwater contamination)
occurs when pollutants are released to the ground and make their way
into groundwater
This type of water pollution can also occur naturally due to the
presence of a minor and unwanted constituent, contaminant, or
impurity in the groundwater, in which case it is more likely referred to
as contamination rather than pollution.
Groundwater pollution can occur from on-site sanitation
systems, landfill leachate, effluent from wastewater treatment
plants, leaking sewers, petrol filling stations, hydraulic
fracturing (fracking) or from over application of fertilizers in
agriculture.
The pollutant often creates a contaminant plume within an aquifer.
Movement of water and dispersion within the aquifer spreads the
pollutant over a wider area. Its advancing boundary, often called a
plume edge, can intersect with groundwater wells and surface water,
such as seeps and springs, making the water supplies unsafe for humans
and wildlife. The movement of the plume, called a plume front, may be
analyzed through a hydrological transport model or groundwater model.
The interaction of groundwater contamination with surface waters
is analyzed by use of hydrology transport models. Interactions
between groundwater and surface water are complex. For example,
many rivers and lakes are fed by groundwater. This means that damage
to groundwater aquifers e.g. by fracking or over abstraction, could
therefore affect the rivers and lakes that rely on it. Saltwater
intrusion into coastal aquifers is an example of such
interactions. Prevention methods include: applying the precautionary
principle, groundwater quality monitoring, land zoning for groundwater
protection, locating on-site sanitation systems correctly and applying
legislation. When pollution has occurred, management approaches
include point-of-use water treatment, groundwater remediation, or as a
last resort, abandonment.

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3.5 Biomagnification: -
Biomagnification (or bioaccumulation) refers to the ability of living
organisms to accumulate certain chemicals to a concentration larger
than that occurring in their inorganic, non-living environment, or in the
case of animals, in the food that they eat. Organisms accumulate any
chemical needed for their nutrition. The major focus of
biomagnification, however, is the accumulation of certain non-essential
chemicals, especially certain chlorinated hydrocarbons that are
persistent in the environment. These compounds are insoluble in water,
but highly soluble in fats. Because almost all fats within ecosystems
occur in the living bodies of organisms,
chlorinated hydrocarbons such as 4,4’-(2, 2, 2-trichloroethane-1, 1-diyl)-
bis(chlorobenzene) (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) tend
to selectively accumulate in organisms. This can lead to
ecotoxicological problems, especially for top predators at the summit of
ecological food webs, who ingest the toxic prey.
Biological magnification often refers to the process whereby certain
substances such as pesticides or heavy metals work their way into lakes,
rivers and the ocean, and then move up the food chain in progressively
greater concentrations as they are incorporated into the diet of aquatic
organisms such as zooplankton, which in turn are eaten perhaps by fish,
which then may be eaten by bigger fish, large birds, animals, or humans.

Fig No.04
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4
DISEASES CAUSED BY WATER
POLLUTION

4.1 Cholera: -
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease caused by eating or drinking
food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. Cases in
Australia are typically seen only in travellers arriving from countries
where the disease is still common, such as Africa, Central Europe,
Latin America and Asia.

Signs and Symptoms:

Most people infected with V. cholerae will NOT become unwell. Of
those who do develop symptoms, most will have mild or moderate
diarrhoea with little fever. However, some people will develop profuse
watery diarrhoea with severe dehydration, which can lead to death
within hours if not treated.

Treatment:
Dehydration due to cholera can be easily treated in most cases with oral
rehydration solution, a mixture of sugar and salts in water. Intravenous
fluids, and sometimes antibiotics, may be required for people with
severe disease.

4.2 Diorreah: -
Diarrhea — loose, watery and possibly more-frequent bowel movements
— is a common problem. It may be present alone or be associated with
other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or weight
loss.

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Luckily, diarrhea is usually short-lived, lasting no more than a few days.

But when diarrhea lasts beyond a few days into weeks, it usually
indicates that there's another problem — such as irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS) or a more serious disorder, including persistent
infection, celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

4.3 Dysentry: -
Dysentery is our body’s response to unwanted foreign bodies in the
digestive system. The possible causes of dysentery include a parasitic
amoeba called Entamoeba histolytica or a number of bacteria, including
shigella and salmonella. Infection of E. histolytica is called amoebiasis
and any resultant bloody diarrhoea is called amoebic dysentery.
Infections of shigella bacteria can lead to bacillary dysentery and they
are called shigellosis which contributes a major part to the list of
dysentery cause
Cause
Normally, it is a condition that is more widespread in tropical areas
where the warm climate is favourable for the production of bacteria. This
does not mean that it will not occur elsewhere. However, the combination
of poor civic hygiene and tropical weather is a combination that will
support the circle of dysentery causes.
It is therefore of the utmost importance to consume food that is properly
cleaned before cooking and then thoroughly cooked. Water should also
be boiled thoroughly and/or passed through a water decontamination
system before being consumed as it ranks on top of the list of dysentery
causes.

4.4 Hepatitis A: -
In 1982, HAV was classified as an enterovirus belonging to
the Picornaviridae family. Subsequent determination of the
sequence of HAV nucleotides and amino acids led to the
creation of a new genus, Hepatovirus. HAV has anicosahedral
shape, measures 27 to 28 nmin diameter, is able to survive in

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acidic environments but is inactivated when heated to 85°C for 1

minute. HAV is capable of surviving in sea water (4% survival
rate), dried feces at room temperature for 4 weeks (17%
survival), and live oysters for 5 days (12% survival). HAV has
only 1 known serotype and no antigenic cross-reactivity with the
hepatitis B, C, D, or E virus or human pegivirus .The HAV
genome consists of a positive- sense RNA that is 7.48 kb long,
single-stranded, and linear.
The onset of HAV replication in cell culture systems takes from
weeks to months. Primate cells, including African green monkey
kidney cells, primary human fibroblasts, human diploid cells, and
fetal rhesus kidney cells, are favored for cultivation of HAV in
vitro. Two conditions control the outcome of HAV replication in
cell culture.7 The first is the genetic makeup of the virus; HAV
strains mutate in distinct regions of the viral genome as they
become adapted to cell culture. The second is the metabolic activity
of the host cell at the time of infection. Cells in culture, although
infected simultaneously, initiate HAV replication in an
asynchronous manner. This asynchronicity may be caused by
differences in the metabolic activity of individual cells, but
definitive evidence of cell- cycle dependence of HAV replication is
lacking.

4.5 Typhoid: -
Typhoid fever remains a major public health problem in India.
Recently, the Surveillance for Enteric Fever in India program
completed a multisite surveillance study. However, data on
subnational variation in typhoid fever are needed to guide the
introduction of the new typhoid conjugate vaccine in India. We
estimated a national incidence of typhoid fever in India of 360 cases
(95% confidence interval [CI], 297–494) per 100 000 person-
years, with an annual estimate of 4.5 million cases (95% CI, 3.7–6.1
million) and 8930 deaths (95% CI, 7360–12 260), assuming a
0.2% case-fatality rate. We found substantial geographic variation
of typhoid incidence across the country, with higher incidence in
southwestern states and urban centers in the north.
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5
IMPACT OF WATER POLLUTION
ON HUMAN HEALTH

Human contact with polluted water through drinking, skin

contact or even consumption of food that is grown or prepared
using polluted water poses a significant danger to health.
Pollutants in water may directly cause disease or act as poisons.
Hazardous chemicals from farms, industries, and homes that
pollute water sources can cause acute toxicity and immediate
death, or chronictoxicitycomplicatedby neurologicalproblems
and cancers. Infectious pathogens contaminating water through
sewage can lead to gastrointestinal diseases, which are a
significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
Chemical pollutants, such as pesticides, fertilizers, and heavy metals can
cause serious health problems if ingested.
In 2014, residents in Flint, Michigan, experienced water contamination
due to inadequate testing and treatment of their water supply. The
contaminated water caused rashes, hair loss, and itchy skin. Lead levels
in the bloodstream of children who drank the water doubled.
A person who ingests chemical toxins in their water can be at risk of:
 Cancer
 hormone disruption
 altered brain function
 damageTrusted Source to immune and reproductive systems
 cardiovascular and kidney problems.

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What Are the Pollutants in Water That Affect

Human Health?
The pollutants in water that affect human health include the
drinking water contaminants items in this list.

• Arsenic
• Copper
• Lead
• Chromium
• Perchlorate
• Fossil fuels such as
gasoline
• Microplastics

 Pharmaceutical
drugs

 Biocontaminants
including
bacteria, viruses,
and parasites
 Nitrates and nitrite
 Pesticides
 Disinfection by
products such as
chloroform
 Radioactive
materials

Fig No. 05

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These pollutants are hazards because of their particularly negative

effect on human health.

• Arsenic: As many as 140 million people worldwide are

exposed to arsenic levels in drinking water that are higher
than the World Health Organization's (WHO) provisional
guideline of 10 μg/L. Most of this arsenic occurs naturally,
but there is industrial and agricultural contamination. The
International Agency for Research on Cancer has implicated
arsenic as a cause of lung, bladder, skin, and kidney cancer.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in
the United States has linked arsenic exposure to chronic
cough, diminished lung function, diabetes, developmental
effects in children, decreased cognitive functioning,
ischemic heart disease, and chronic renal disease.
 Copper: Copper contamination of drinking water occurs as a
result of leaching from old copper pipes. Copper pipes were
first introduced in the 1930s and gained widespread use
throughout the 20th century, with almost all homes being
equipped with copper plumbing. High levels of exposure can
produce symptoms of gastrointestinal distress including
nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Modern copper piping
is generally safe and does not release dangerous materials into
water.
 Lead: Lead is sometimes found in old pipes which can give it a
direct route into the water supply (as occurred in Flint, Michigan
and ancient Rome). Ingestion of water polluted with lead can
cause central nervous system health problems such as headaches,
fatigue, muscle weakness, delirium, or seizures. Other symptoms
of lead exposure can include kidney disease, anemia, or severe
abdominal pain (lead colic). The World Health Organization
(WHO) estimates that globally over 240 million people are
exposed to lead-contaminated water. They estimate that acute and
chronic lead exposure accounts for over 850 thousand deaths per
year.
 Chromium: Water pollution by chromium can occur
through industrial contamination or from chromium that is
naturally occurring and leaches from topsoil or rocks.
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Hexavalent

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chromium(Cr[VI]) is manmade and is the type that is particularly

toxic to humans. It is used in chrome plating, dye production,
textile production, leather tanning, Portland cement, stainless steel
production, welding, and wood treatment.
 particles per year, with seafood consumption leading to
particularly high levels. Unfortunately, not much is known
about the impact of microplastics on human health. Potential
health risks include altered metabolism, immune disruption,
accumulation in distant organs, neurotoxicity, and reproductive
toxicity.

 Perchlorate: Water pollution by perchlorate can occur through

industrial contamination or from perchlorate that is naturally
occurring. Perchlorate has been used industrially as an oxidizer
in solid rocket propellants, slurry explosives, road flares and
airbag inflation systems. Perchlorate water pollution inhibits
iodide uptake by the thyroid gland. The United States Water
Works Association detected perchlorate in the drinking water of
at least 26 states and in approximately 5% of public water
systems.
 Fossil Fuels: Fossil fuel extraction and processing can lead to
water
contamination with a variety of
pollutants such as polycyclic
aromatic compounds, heavy
metals, benzene, methane and
other natural gases. These
pollutants can threaten human
health in ways ranging from
respiratory problems to
harming the nervous and
reproductive systems. A 2003
study published

Fig No. 06

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6
MEASURES TO CHECK WATER
BORNE DISEASES
Prevention of Food and Water Borne Illness
Food and water borne illness, often referred to as food poisoning, is
generally caused by eating or drinking food or beverages contaminated
by bacteria, parasites or viruses. These organisms are passed in the
feces of animals and infected people. Symptoms of food or water borne
illness are gastrointestinal, for example diarrhea and stomach cramps.
You can also get sick from swimming in contaminated water or from
close contact with someone else who is ill.
Certain groups are at increased risk of developing serious complications.
These include: pregnant women, young children, seniors, anyone with an
underlying medical condition, and anyone with a weakened immune
system such as those on chemotherapy.
There are several ways to prevent these illnesses:
Use good environmental management. Flush or discard any
stool in the toilet and clean surrounding area using hot water and
detergent. A chlorine-based disinfectant is recommended.
Practice good personal hygiene. Frequent and careful hand
washing is important among all age groups. Hand washing of children
should be supervised. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for
at least 20 seconds, rubbing hands together vigorously and scrubbing
all surfaces.
• Wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet, changing a diaper
or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet, and before and
after tending to someone who is ill with diarrhea.
• Wash hands after handling animals, contact with animal
quarters, cleaning up animal feces, or gardening.
• Wash hands before and after preparing food or eating.

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Take food safety precautions to learn about the fundamentals of

food safety so that you can protect yourself, your friends, family and
people in your community.
• Wash and/or peel all raw vegetables and fruits before eating.
• Drink and eat only pasteurized dairy products (milk,
cheese, yogurt and ice cream) and juices.
• Thoroughly cook all meats (meat, poultry and seafood). For
example, ground beef should be cooked to an internal
temperature of 71°C/160°F.
• Wash hands, kitchen work surfaces and utensils after
contact with raw meat or poultry.
• Wash hands before handling food and between handling
different food items.
• Prevent contact of cooked foods with raw foods (i.e., raw
meat, and poultry).
• Clean and sanitize all utensils, equipment and surfaces (cutting
boards, work counters, etc.) before and after each use. Be sure
to use hot water and detergent to clean, then rinse with hot
water. Sanitize food contact surfaces with a sanitizing solution
• Avoid preparing food for others while you have symptoms and
for 48 hours after you recover.
Drink properly treated water. Water from private water supplies
should be routinely tested twice a year for Total Coliform and E. coli.
Inorganic analysis on private water supplies should preferably be done
every two to three years.
• Do not swallow water while swimming in swimming pools, hot
tubs or interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, streams
or the ocean.
• Do not drink untreated water from lakes, rivers, springs,
ponds, streams, or shallow wells.
• Do not drink tap water or use ice while travelling to a high-
risk destination unless the water source has been properly
treated.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that water-
borne diseases kill about 1.8 million people annually worldwide.
These numbers primarily include children from developing
countries. Moreover, the World Bank states that 21% of
communicable diseases in India are water borne.

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• To stay protected from water-related contaminants, one can

follow a few basic procedures.

1. Water Disinfection
• Many natural and manmade water resources are polluted with
harmful waste. In 2014, Safe Water Network, an organisation that
strives to overcome the water challenges of the world, estimated
that more than half of the pipelines in Indian rural areas deliver
untreated water. Access to safe drinking water is the most
significant step to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases.
Water that is used for cooking or drinking needs to be disinfected
on a regular basis. Boiling the water with common iodine for
about 10 minutes can make it safe for consumption. This is
considered one of the most simple and effective measures to stay
protected from water-borne diseases.
• Water that is used for cooking or drinking needs to be
disinfected on a regular basis. Boiling the water with common
iodine for about 10 minutes can make it safe for consumption.
This is considered one of the most simple and effective measures
to stay protected from water-borne diseases.

2. Personal Hygiene
• The transmission of water-borne diseases mainly occurs through
various unsanitary sources. Negligence of personal and food
hygiene can easily make one susceptible to many endemic
illnesses.
• Following some basic hygiene practices such as washing your
hands and feet on returning home after a walk through the puddles
is a must. This can help reduce the likelihood of contracting water-
borne diseases like jaundice, cholera and typhoid fever.

3. Environment
• A well-sustained environment is the key to a healthier life. The
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDP)
states that 95% of the Indian population resides in malaria
endemic areas. Transmission of malaria is facilitated due to
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mosquitoes that breed in open water resources.

• The occurrence of malaria and dengue spikes during the
monsoon. Sterilising open water resources regularly, preventing
water from stagnating, clearing drains, etc. help to maintain a
healthy environment and prevent the breeding of disease-causing
agents.

4. Vaccination
• As per the WHO, vaccines avert up to 3 million deaths
globally. Vaccination is an effective method to control the
outcome of water- borne diseases. They can be administered to
large populations in cases of emergencies. However, they
cannot replace conventional measures of prevention.
• WHO developed two oral cholera vaccines that were used in mass
vaccination campaigns. Today, they are considered an effective
tool against high-risk cholera and are being implemented
worldwide.

5. Spreading Awareness
• Lack of awareness amongst the population regarding the
symptoms of water-borne diseases is a major reason for them
remaining untreated or undetected. When all precautionary
measures fail, prompt medical treatment can still save you from
complications.
• Mass awareness campaigns, local initiatives and individual
ownership can result in timely intervention, diagnosis and cure
of water-borne diseases, and not make it the killer it seems to
be. Spread the word.
• A health emergency can occur to anyone, anytime. To
reduce unnecessary worries this monsoon, ensure you are
prepared with a comprehensive health insurance plan.

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7
CONCLUSION
Water pollution stems from many sources and causes, only a few of
which are discussed here. Rivers and streams demonstrate some
capacity to recover from the effects of certain pollutants, but lakes,
bays, ponds, sluggish rivers, and oceans have little resistance to the
effects of water pollution. We have a long history of introducing
pollutants into aquatic environments, and have had only partial success
at repairing the damage

 Freshwater is a finite and limited resource on Earth and,

increasingly, much of it is polluted, by both pathogenic
microbes and chemical contaminants.
 Human demand for freshwater is increasing; in particular,
water is required to irrigate crops to feed the rapidly
expanding human population.
 Water cycles globally, through the oceans, the atmosphere
and freshwater river systems. At certain points in the cycle,
water is purified, both naturally and by treatment plants.
 Freshwater is very unevenly distributed in the world, such
that a large proportion of the world's human population has
insufficient water for growing crops, for drinking and for
sanitation.
 Climate change is altering the global distribution of
water, causing droughts in some regions, flooding
in others.
 The chemical and physical properties of water are such that,
over the range of temperatures that occur on Earth, it
supports a rich diversity of plants and animals.
 An enormous variety of chemical compounds, produced by
human activities, pollute natural water bodies, causing
both acute and chronic pollution.
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 Evidence for the effect of chemical pollution is provided by

ecotoxicology, the study of the impact of xenobiotic
chemicals on wildlife in natural situations.
 As chemical pollutants pass through natural food
chains, bioaccumulation causes high levels to build up
at certain points,
e.g. in the fat reserves of predatory fish and birds. As a
result, these animals and their offspring can be exposed to a
very high dose.
 DDT is an effective insecticide that is toxic to wildlife, but
is also a vital means for combating malaria.
 Levels of mercury compounds in the environment are
increasing; they are a threat to wildlife and to people who
eat a lot of fish, and especially to their children.
 Levels of nitrogen compounds in the environment are
increasing very rapidly. These are toxic to humans at high
levels but, more importantly, at lower levels they cause
widespread environmental changes, especially
eutrophication of water.
 A large number of xenobiotic chemicals, called endocrine
disruptors, cause major disruption to the reproductive
development of freshwater animals; their possible effects
on humans are uncertain.
‘Perhaps the time has come to cease calling it the “environmentalist
view”, as though it were a lobbying effort outside the mainstream
of human activity, and start calling it the real-world view.’

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8
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Firstly, I want my thanks to the CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY for our
fulfilment B. Com 1st semester (Hon) Exam.2022 And Giving The
Project On ENVS.
Also, I am thankful to my College UMESCHANDRA COLLEGE for
being a student of the college, where I am doing my graduation.
I express my thanks to the respected Principal DR. MD. TOFAZZAL
HAQUE sir of our college for Providing excellent infrastructure require of
the completion of the project work .
A special word of thanks to Head of Department (HOD) ENVS Professor
P.R DAS Sir who has supervising us to make a best project in each and
every day step of knowledge.

A huge thanks to Prof. Mr. MD. FAHAD HAQUE And Prof. SWETA
CHATTERJEE (ENVS) who helped us a lot for making this wonderful
project in time.
I want to thanks NON-TEACHING STAFF for us for the service during
my college.
I want to thanks to college STUDENT'S UNION for the fulfilment of
student's demands.

I want to thanks my PARENTS for making me capable to become good

Person and also providing me lots of thing in my life.

Lastly I Want To Thanks My FRIENDS For Their Contribution And

Help.

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9
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Analysis of Raw, Potable and Waste Waters (1972). The Department
of the Environment, HMSO, London. Anderson, G.C (1958). Some
limnological features of a shallow saline merimictic lake. Limnol.
Oceanogr., 3, 259.
Anderson, P. (1980). Attenborough Gravel Pits, an ecological basis for
future management. Report, Broxtowe Borough Council-Countryside
Commission, Nottinghamshire Archibald, R.E.M. (1972). Diversity in
some South African diatom associations and its relation to water quality.
Wat. Res., 6, 1229-1238. Armitage, P.D. (1977). Invertebrate drift in the
regulated Tees, and an unregulated tributary Maize Beck, below Cow
Green Dam. Seasonal toxicity of ammonia to five fish and nine
invertebrate species. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., 38, 324-331.
Bacca, R.G., and Arnett, R.C (1976). A limnological model for
eutrophic lakes and impoundments. Battelle Norwest Laboratories.
Bacteriological Examination of Water Supplies (1977). Reports on
Public Health and Medical Subjects, No. 71, Department of Health and
Social Security, HMSO, London. Balmforth, D.J. (1982). Improving the
performance of stilling pond storm sewage overflow.
Proceedings First International Seminar on Urban Drainage Systems,
University of Southampton. Balmforth, DJ. (1985). Storm sewage
overflows and sewerage rehabilitation. Publ. Hlth. Eng., 13 (3), 150.
Banks, R.B. (1975). Some features of wind action on shallow lakes.
ASCE, 101 (EES), Proc. Paper 11640. Banks, R.B., and Herrera, F.F.
(1977

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