WATER POLLUTION

WATER
 71% from earth surface.
 97% salt water (sea)
 3% fresh water
 87% ice and glaciers, underground, air.
 13% surface water (0.4% total water).
What is water pollution?
 Water pollution is defined as the release of substances into
subsurface, groundwater or into lakes, streams, rivers, and
oceans to the point where the substances interfere with
beneficial use of the water or with the natural functioning of
ecosystems.
 In addition to the release of substances, such as chemicals or
microorganisms, water pollution may also include the release of
energy, in the form of radioactivity or heat, into bodies of
water.
Types
 Surface water pollution
 Marine water
 Ground water pollution
 Nutrient Pollution
 Oxygen depletion pollution
 Microbiological pollution
Sources
 Point sources
 Point source water pollution refers to contaminants that enter a
waterway from a single, identifiable source, such as a pipe or ditch
 Non-point sources
 Nonpoint source pollution refers to diffuse contamination that does
not originate from a single discrete source.
 SEWAGE AND WASTEWATER
 URBANIZATION AND DEFORESTATION
 AGRICULTURE
 Industries
 MARINE DUMPING
 RADIOACTIVE WASTE
 Domestic Sewage
 Domestic sewage is the primary source of pathogens (disease-causing
microorganisms) and putrescible organic substances. Because pathogens are
excreted in feces, all sewage from cities and towns is likely to contain
pathogens of some type, potentially presenting a direct threat to public health.
As organics are decomposed naturally in the sewage by bacteria and other
microorganisms, the dissolved oxygen content of the water is depleted. This
endangers the quality of lakes and streams, where high levels of oxygen are
required for fish and other aquatic organisms to survive.
 Domestic sewage is also a major source of plant nutrients, mainly nitrates and
phosphates. Excess nitrates and phosphates in water promote the growth of
algae, sometimes causing unusually dense and rapid growths known as algal
blooms. When the algae die, oxygen dissolved in the water declines because
microorganisms use oxygen to digest algae during the process of
decomposition
Domestic Sewage
 Anaerobic organisms (organisms that do not require oxygen to live)
then metabolize the organic wastes, releasing gases such as methane
and hydrogen sulfide, which are harmful to the aerobic (oxygen-
requiring) forms of life.
 The process by which a lake changes from a clean, clear condition,
with a relatively low concentration of dissolved nutrients and a
balanced aquatic community, to a nutrient-rich, algae-filled state and
thence to an oxygen-deficient, waste-filled condition is called
eutrophication.
 Eutrophication is a naturally occurring, slow, and inevitable process.
However, when it is accelerated by human activity and water pollution
(a phenomenon called cultural eutrophication), it can lead to the
premature aging and death of a body of water.
 Heavy Metals
 Heavy metals are transported by runoff from industries, municipalities and urban
areas. Most of these metals end up accumulating in the soil and sediments of water
bodies.
 Metals are introduced in aquatic systems as a result of the weathering of soils and
rocks, from volcanic eruptions, and from a variety of human activities involving the
mining.
 Heavy metals can be found in traces in water sources and still be very toxic and
impose serious health problems to humans and other ecosystems. These include
reduced growth and development, cancer, organ damage, nervous system damage,
and in extreme cases, death. Exposure to some metals, such as mercury and lead,
may also cause development of autoimmunity, in which a person's immune system
attacks its own cells. This can lead to joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and
diseases of the kidneys, circulatory system, and nervous system.
 Food chains and food webs symbolize the relationships amongst organisms.
Therefore, the contamination of water by heavy metals actually affects food chain
 Industrial waste water
 Industrial waste is defined as waste generated by manufacturing or
industrial processes.
 The types of industrial waste generated include cafeteria garbage, dirt
and gravel, masonry and concrete, scrap metals, trash, oil, solvents,
chemicals, weed grass and trees, wood and scrap lumber, and similar
wastes.
 Waste water from manufacturing or chemical processes in industries
contributes to water pollution.
 Industrial waste water usually contains specific and readily identifiable
chemical compounds.
 Water pollution is concentrated within a few subsectors, mainly in the
form of toxic wastes and organic pollutants.
Water Pollution Effects
 Water pollution truly harms biodiversity and aquatic
ecosystems. The toxic chemicals can change the color of water
and increase the amount of minerals - also known as
eutrophication - which has a bad impact on life in water.
 Thermal pollution, defined by a rise in the temperature of water
bodies, contributes to global warming and causes serious
hazard to water organisms.
 Water pollution has very negative effects on public health. A lot
of diseases result from drinking or being in contact with
contaminated water, such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid,
dysentery or skin infections. In zones where there is no
available drinking water, the main risk is dehydration obviously.
Prevention of water pollution
 Reduce CO2 emissions to prevent global warming and
acidification of the oceans.
 Reduce the use of chemical pesticides and nutrients on crops.
 Reduce and safely treat waste water so that, as well as not
polluting, it can be reused for irrigation and energy production.
 Restrict the use of single-use plastics that end up floating in
rivers, lakes and oceans, many as micro-plastics.
 Encourage sustainable fishing to ensure the survival of species
and avoid depletion of the seas.