Effects of Water Pollution

Introduction

Water is the fundamental resource that establishes the life of all living things on the planet. Water pollution caused by millions of people finally leads to the scarcity of water. Water pollution is caused due to various factors including industrial wastes. Oxygen level falls down as the basal temperature of water rises. Deforestation can result in the contamination of groundwater due to sedimentation and bacterial growth. Leaching of pesticides from agricultural activities reaches groundwater via underground channels. There are several adverse effects of this water pollution such that the disappearance of biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems, negative impact on human health due to alteration in the food chain, and contracting an illness while using contaminated water.

Causes of Water Pollution

There are 4 main causes of water pollution.

• Sewage − Sewage is one of the major causes of water pollution. Sewage that comes out of each and every household contains different types of toxins and faecal matter. This sewage is disposed of in the different water reservoirs. This deteriorates the quality of the water present in the water reservoirs.

• Industrial waste − Waste from different industrial industries such as paper mills, petroleum refineries, etc., contains different harmful chemicals such as acids, alkalines, and heavy metals such as mercury. This industrial waste is also dumped in different water bodies which causes water pollution.

• Farming waste − Different types of chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides are used in the farming process. These chemicals and pesticides seep down through the soil through the rainwater and reach into different water bodies resulting in water pollution.

• Thermal pollution − Thermal pollution occurs due to the discharge of hot water from industries and thermal plants into water bodies. This hot discharge changes the temperature of the water and decreases the oxygen level in the water. This results in water pollution and also kills aquatic animals.

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Effects of Water Pollution

There are three adverse effects of water pollution.

• Disease-causing − Different pollutants present in the polluted water causes different diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery, jaundice, and hepatitis.

• Removal of essential substances from water bodies − The bacteria present in the water bodies are able to multiply rapidly due to the increase in the amount of organic waste in the water.

• Decrease in aquatic life − Due to the increased temperature of the water which is caused by thermal pollutants, the breeding process of the aquatic life is adversely affected which results in a decrease in the population of aquatic animals.

Minamata Incident

On the coast of the Shiranui sea in Japan, a small fishing town called Minamata is present.

In the mid-1950, people in the Minamata start noticing something strange in the cats present in the town. They performed some strange activities such as staying up all night and scratching different objects. After a few weeks, many more strange activities such as dancing and throwing themselves off in the sea were observed in the cats. After some time, the humans living in the town also start noticing some complications such as numbness in lips and limbs in them. Some people even lost their sight. With time, the symptoms worsen and other complications such as splitting headaches, uncontrollable tremors, shouting uncontrollably, and unable to walk properly. It was observed that the whole town was falling ill. A team of researchers was set in order to find the cause of the plague that has spread through the whole town. The researchers discovered that the cause of the illness was the high level of mercury poisoning. This disease was then named Minamata disease by the researchers. It was then discovered that the fish bay of Minamata is poisoned. Since Minamata was a fishing town, there is a large amount consumption of seafood in Minamata. The water of Minamata bay was contaminated by a large petrochemical plant present in the town. This petrochemical dumped about 27 tons of mercury compounds in Minamata bay. This mercury contaminated the water and caused water pollution which when consumed by the people caused drastic illnesses in them.

Pollution of Ganges

Ganga is the richest river system known in the world for its biodiversity. Ganga water has a property that it doesn’t get putrefy even if you store it for decades. It is the most sacred river in the world and in the current scenario, it is crying for help. It has now become one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Apart from the religious significance, the river has become the dumping ground for many industries and individuals. People just throw the unwanted things directly into the river.

They do so by their own will or in the name of religious rituals. Kanpur and Varanasi accounts for maximum pollution of Ganga. Many industries in Kanpur release untreated water directly into the river. Due to this, the river is highly polluted by nitrates and heavy metals like zinc, lead, copper, chromium, aluminium, and cadmium.

The concentration of chromium and cadmium is so high it has turned the Ganga water into a black deadly cocktail in Kanpur. The city of Varanasi throws up to 200 million litres of untreated human sewage into the river every day. Because of this, Ganga water here has a large concentration of faecal coliform bacteria which is 120 times higher than the safe limit. People living in these regions highly suffer from urinary tract and skin infections.

Preventing Water Pollution

The following steps could play a major role in the prevention of water pollution.

• Do not dump waste in water bodies.

• Dispose of chemicals and pesticides properly as per law.

Conclusion

• There are 5 main causes of water pollution i.e., sewage, industrial waste, farming wastes, and thermal pollution.

• There are several adverse effects of this water pollution such that the disappearance of biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems, negative impact on human health due to alteration in the food chain, and contracting an illness while using contaminated water.

• The water of Minamata bay was contaminated by a large petrochemical plant present in the town leading to water pollution.

• The river has become the dumping ground for many industries and individuals leading to water pollution.

FAQs

Q1. Which properties are measured in order to determine good quality water?

Ans. Properties measured in order to determine good quality water are temperature, acidity (pH), dissolved solids, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and hardness.

Q2. Which is the most water polluted country?

Ans. Bangladesh is the most water polluted country.

Q3. Which is the least water polluted country?

Ans. Monaco is the least water polluted country.

Q4. Which city has the most polluted water in India?

Ans. River Yamuna in Delhi city has the most polluted water in India.

Q5. What is the name of the program approved for cleaning the Ganga River?

Ans. 'Namami Gange Program’, is the name of the program approved for cleaning the Ganga River approved by the Union Government in June 2014.