AWARENESS ON WATER POLLUTION AMONG HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENTS OF ATHIRAMPUZHA GRAMAPANCHAYAT

SNEHA RAJU
B.Ed Student(Physical science)
Mount Carmel College of Teacher Education for Women
Kottayam

ABSTRACT
The present article entitled “Awareness on water pollution among
high school students of Athirampuzha Gramapanchayat” is based on a
survey carried out with the objective to assess how much the students
are aware about water pollution and the methods they adopted to
prevent water pollution. A sample of 50 high school students of
Athirampuzha Gramapanchayat was selected for the study.The data
was collected using a questionnaire through online mode prepared by
the investigator.The major findings of the study indicates the most of
the students were aware of the adverse impact of water pollution on
environment and they were aware about the prevention methods of
water pollution.They were able to take action against water pollution.

INTRODUCTION
Water, a substance composed of the chemical
elements hydrogen and oxygen and existing in gaseous, liquid, and solid
states. It is one of the most plentiful and essential of compounds. A
tasteless and odourless liquid at room temperature, it has the
important ability to dissolve many other substances. Indeed, the
versatility of water as a solvent is essential to living organisms.
 Water pollution is the contamination of water sources by substances
which make the water unusable for drinking, cooking, cleaning,
swimming, and other activities. Pollutants include chemicals, trash,
bacteria, and parasites. All forms of pollution eventually make their way
to water. Water pollutants may cause disease or act as poisons.
Bacteria and parasites in poorly treated sewage may enter drinking
water supplies and cause digestive problems such as cholera and
diarrhea. Hazardous chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides from
industries, farms, homes and golf courses can cause acute toxicity and
immediate death, or chronic toxicity that can lead to neurological
problems or cancers. Many water pollutants enter our bodies when we
use water for drinking and food preparation. The pollutants enter the
digestive tract. From there, they can reach other organs in the body
and cause various illnesses. Chemicals come in contact with the skin
from washing clothes, or from swimming in polluted water and may
lead to skin irritations. Hazardous chemicals in water systems can also
affect the animals and plants which live there. Sometimes these
organisms will survive with the chemicals in their systems, only to be
eaten by humans who may then become mildly ill or develop stronger
toxic symptoms. The animals and plants themselves may die or not
reproduce properly.

To sum up, water pollution results from both human and natural
factors. Various human activities will directly affect water quality,
including urbanization, population growth, industrial production,
climate change, and other factors. Improper disposal of solid waste,
sand, and gravel is also one reason for decreasing water quality.

The introduction and awareness of water pollution is to blame for

this issue. Discharges of untreated wastewater and other polluting
components including as effluents from industrial activities, household
trash and agricultural waste are contributing to the water pollution.
Each year this pollution becomes much worse. So awareness about
water pollution and the prevention method among school students is a
necessity.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To understand whether students are aware about water pollution.

2. To make students aware about the causes of water pollution.
3. To ensure students are aware about the necessity of pure drinking
water.
4. To create an awareness among students about diseases spread
through polluted water.
5. To inculcate adequate knowledge in students about water testing
parameters.
6. To generate an awareness on keeping the water bodies clean
7. To identify safe drinking water sources.
8. To inculcate social values such as the right of drinking pure water to
future generation.
9. To make students responsible in preventing water pollution.
METHODOLOGY

The study was carried out using the survey method of investigation.
A questionnaire containing 20 questions to check the awareness of
students regarding water pollution was prepared by the investigator,
after a thorough analysis of the chapter, Water the universal solvent in
the Basic Science textbook(SCERT) of standard VIII. The questionnaire
was administrated to the high school students of Athirampzha
Gramapanchayat. The sample consist of 50 high school students. The
sample was collected from the students through online using google
forms from May 21st 2023 to June 1st week. Students responded to the
questions by choosing the answer from the given options. The data
obtained from the survey was analysed and interpreted.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The study aimed to acquire a greater understanding about how much

high school students are aware about water pollution and analyzing
how they adopt methods to prevent water pollution. The study
revealed that about (96%) of the students are aware about water
pollution.

Among the 50 respondents (56%) of students use well water,(34%)

of students use municipality tap water, only (6%) of students use
bottle/packaged water and there is only (6% ) use rain water as the
source of water drinking at home. The pie diagram showing the source
of water using in Figure(1).
 Figure(1):Pie-diagram showing the source of water

(84%) of students felt taste difference of water in their home.

(16%) of students didn’t felt any taste difference. From the 50
respondents (58%) of students checked the purity of water in their
home.(42%) of students didn’t check the purity of water.(68%) of
students faced health issues related to water pollution.(66%) of
students locality affected with water pollution. Students have different
opinion about, how they identify polluted water.(32%) of students
identifies polluted water through all the parameters.(24%) of students
identified taste variation.(16%) of students identified water pollution
through bad smell.(14%) of students identify colour variation as a
method to identify polluted water. And the other (14%) of students
identify health issues as a method to identify polluted water. The pie-
diagram showing the identification of water pollution is shown in
figure(2).
 Figure(2): Pie-diagram showing identification of water
pollution

Among the participants (74%) of students opted laboratory testing for

water pollution and (12%) of students opted pH method.(12%) of
students opted both options. By checking the students awareness
regarding water borne disease only (44%) of students have a clear
picture about water borne diseases.(32%) of students opted diarrhea,
(18%) students opted cholera and (6%) students opted typhoid.

(18%) of students says plastic do not cause any problem to

aquantic lives is a shocking result. Students have distinct opinions about
the methods used to filter water from impurities.(38%) of students
opted adding chlorine tablets reduce water from impurities. While
(16%) students opted distillation as a water purification method. (10%)
students opted boiling and only (8%) students opted filtration.(28%) of
the students opted all the methods used to filter water from impurities.
The pie-diagram showing different methods of water purification is
shown in figure(3).

Figure(3): Pie diagram showing different methods of water

purification.

(86%) of the students agreed that water pollution can be

prevented by certain methods. While (14%) of students disagree these.
Almost all students are aware about water pollution, because they
identified the area where pollution found more.(96%) of the students
opted rivers in the industrial area. Only (4%) of the students opted
other options. More than half of the students well known about the p H
value of water. Only (46%)of students chose value other than 7.(90%)
of the students gets aware about water pollution from school.
Only(10%) of students get aware about water pollution from media. To
drink safe water(46%) of the students choose they drink only boiled
water.(36%) of students said they will use water purifier at home and
the remaining (18%) test the water purity. The pie-diagram showing
actions to reduce water pollution shown in figure(4).

Figure(4):Pie-diagram showing actions to reduce water

pollution.

Students give a positive response towards the actions they should

take in future to reduce water pollution.(36%) of students will not
dumb waste in water.(20%) of students take an action of drink only
purified water.(16%) of the students provide awareness about water
pollution to friends.(28%) of students will take all the actions given in
the options.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

Water pollution causes a significant threat to the ecology and

sustainment of life.Water pollution have been increasing day by day
due to the lack of awareness about water pollution.The main reason
behind the water pollution is the industrial waste.(74%) of the students

identified that water pollution occur through human activities and

(96%) of the students have the awareness about rivers in the industrial
area are more polluted.Schools provide awareness about water
pollution to students because (90%) of the students get aware about
water pollution through school.Students give a positive responds to the
actions they have taken to drink safe water.(46%) of the students drinks
only purified water.(36%) of the students use purifier in their home and
(18%) of the students test water purity.This study also focuses the
precaution methods students adopted for drinking clean water.It also
helps to understand the different methods of water purification,action
plans and overall make a well aware about the necessity of water
conservation.

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