9.2. Water Pollution

GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON SELECTED ISSUES AND PROBLEMS Indiscriminate use of water by increasing population and industrial expansion has led to degradation of the quality of water considerably. Surface water available from rivers, canals, lakes, etc. is never pure. It contains small quantities of suspended particles, organic and inorganic substances. When concentration of these substances increases, the water becomes polluted, and hence becomes unfit for use.

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances make water unsafe for consumption and other uses. As the population grows, we use more water indiscriminately, leading to increased pollutants in rivers, lakes, and canals. These sources of water contain not only natural particles but also man-made pollutants that can harm living organisms and ecosystems. Eventually, when the concentration of these pollutants increases, the water becomes unusable, which is a serious environmental and public health issue.

Consider a glass of water that you add a little dirt to. As you keep adding more dirt, eventually the water will become muddy and undrinkable. In the same way, as we add more factories and people using water in rivers, the water quality deteriorates, making it unsafe for drinking and harming aquatic life.

Though water pollutants are also created from natural sources (erosion, landslides, decay and decomposition of plants and animals, etc.) pollutants from human activities are the real causes of concern. Human beings pollute the water through industrial, agricultural and cultural activities. Among these activities, industry is the most significant contributor.

Water pollution can come from both natural and human-made sources. Natural sources include erosion and decomposition, but the major contributors are human activities. Industries discharge various chemicals and waste into water bodies, agricultural practices introduce pesticides and fertilizers, and cultural activities can also contribute to the pollution of water sources. Industries, with their large-scale waste production, are particularly harmful as their waste can contain toxic elements that drastically affect water quality.

Think about a farm where fertilizers are used on crops. When it rains, these fertilizers can wash into nearby rivers, polluting them just like sugar dissolves in water. In cities, factories might dump waste directly into rivers, which is similar to throwing garbage into a clean pond, making it dirty and unsafe.

Industries produce several undesirable products including industrial wastes, polluted waste water, poisonous gases, chemical residuals, numerous heavy metals, dust, smoke, etc. Most of the industrial wastes are disposed off in running water or lakes. Consequently, poisonous elements reach the reservoirs, rivers and other water bodies, which destroy the bio-system of these waters.

Industries contribute significantly to water pollution by generating a wide range of waste materials. Many factories discharge their waste directly into water bodies without adequate treatment, leading to contamination. This not only introduces harmful substances into the water but also disrupts aquatic ecosystems as plants and animals cannot survive in polluted water. The presence of heavy metals and toxins can kill fish and other aquatic life, affecting the biodiversity and health of the water system.

Imagine a pet fish swimming in a clean fishbowl. If you suddenly add dirty water from a polluted river, the fish could get sick or die. Just like our fish needs clean water, rivers and lakes need to remain clean for the organisms living there. Industrial waste can do the same harm to aquatic life in nature.

Pollutants like sewage disposal, urban run-off, toxic effluents from industries, run-off over cultivated lands and nuclear power plants are significant contributors to water pollution. Agricultural runoff can carry nutrients and pesticides into water bodies, exacerbating water quality issues.

Agricultural practices also heavily contribute to water pollution. When it rains, runoff from farms can carry fertilizers and pesticides into nearby streams and rivers. This can lead to nutrient overload in water bodies, causing algae blooms that deplete oxygen and harm aquatic animals. Similarly, urban runoff—water that flows over streets and buildings during rainfall—collects pollutants like oil, garbage, and chemicals, further dirtying our precious water sources.

Think of a sponge soaked in colored water. If you squeeze it, the dirty water comes out. Just like that, when it rains, urban and agricultural areas can release harmful substances into rivers, polluting them, akin to squeezing that sponge.

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