Causes of Water Pollution

Industrial Waste

Many industries dump industrial waste, such as hazardous chemicals, into bodies of water before treatment. It eventually pollutes the water. The dumping of hazardous substances reduces the oxygen levels in the water, resulting in pollution.

Pathogens

Pathogens, or disease-causing bacteria, are among the most serious contaminants. Bacteria, viruses, and protozoa are the most common pathogens. Although most bacteria are considered innocuous, if not beneficial, a few dangerous bacteria infiltrate water bodies via sewers and sanitation systems. Water-borne microorganisms cause a variety of illnesses, including diarrhoea, gastrointestinal sickness, and others.

Sewage

One of the primary causes of water pollution is the disposal of sewage in bodies of water. Sewage discharged into the sea from both houses and industry can pollute the ocean. Sewage disposal causes a variety of water-related illnesses, including diarrhoea, which is a leading cause of death in children.

Radioactive Waste

Disposal of radioactive wastes into the sea is another major source of water pollution in today’s globe. Heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium, as well as solvents from industries, pesticide run-off, and oil spills from ships, are examples of chemical pollutants.

They are toxic to aquatic life forms, causing infertility and death. Metal wastes are also hazardous to people when they are absorbed into our bodies. They can harm the brain system, kidneys, and other organs.

Dumping of Solid Waste

Human littering is another important source of water contamination. Dumping solid trash such as plastics, cardboard, and Styrofoam contaminates water and renders it unfit for human consumption. The dumping of solid trash in large quantities clogs water bodies and causes pollution.

Organic Waste

Food trash, detergents, leaves, grass, and other organic pollutants are examples of organic water pollutants. They are caused by residential sewage, discharge from food processing plants, and farm wastes, which pollute water sources by runoff. Bacteria do, in fact, convert complex organic stuff into basic organic matter.

They eat oxygen that has been dissolved in water. The number of decomposers rises as the organic waste content of the water increases. They use a lot of oxygen, resulting in a decrease in the oxygen concentration of water. This harms aquatic life.

Check: Difference between pathogens and parasites

Water is one of the most important natural resources on the planet, and it has been around for a very long time. In reality, the water we drink has existed in some form or another since the time of the dinosaurs. Water covers more than two-thirds of the earth’s surface. This equates to little more than 1 octillion litres of water spread throughout the seas, rivers, lakes, and streams.

Water covers 70% of the Earth’s surface and more than 60% of the human body. That is a lot of water, but only around 0.3% of it is suitable for human consumption. Although water makes up a large percentage of the Earth’s surface as well as our bodies, humans continue to contaminate the different sources of water.

With the rise in population, India’s pollution level is rising at an alarming rate. The primary sources of water contamination are industrial effluents and chemicals, sewage, and other waste. We will explore the causes, consequences, and various methods for preventing water contamination in this section.