Effects of ground water pollution

For millennia, man has disposed of his waste products in a variety of ways. The disposal method might reflect convenience, expedience, expense, or best available technology, but in many instances, leachate from these wastes have come back to haunt later generations. This is largely because we have not thought out the consequences of our actions. Ground-water pollution may lead to problems of inconvenience, such as taste, odor, color, hardness, or foaming; but the pollution problems are far more serious when pathogenic organisms, flammable or explosive substances, or toxic chemicals or their by-products are present, particularly when long-term health effects are unknown.

Individual polluted ground-water sites generally are not large, but once polluted, ground water may remain in an unusable or even hazardous condition for decades or even centuries. The typically low velocity of ground water prevents a great deal of mixing and dilution; consequently, a contaminant plume may maintain a high concentration as it slowly moves from points of recharge to zones of discharge.

An oil-field brine holding pond was constructed adjacent to a producing well in central Ohio in 1968. Two years later when the well was plugged, the holding pond was filled, graded, and seeded. The chloride concentration in the ground water in the vicinity of the former pond still exceeded 36,000 mg/1 some 10 years after the operation began and 8 years after reclamation.

Scores of brine holding ponds were constructed in central Ohio during an oil boom in 1964; many are still in use. In 1978 a number of test holes were constructed within 200 feet of one such pond. Within this area shallow ground water contained as much as 50,000 mg/1 of chloride. Moreover, brine-contaminated ground water provides part of the flow of many streams and this has caused degradation of surface-water quality.

Documentation of the migration of leachate plumes originating at garbage dumps and landfills is becoming increasingly abundant. Data show that under certain hydrologic conditions leachate plumes can move considerable distances and degrade ground water throughout wide areas. Furthermore, the problem is worldwide. Exler3z described a situation in southern Bavaria, Germany, where a landfill has been in operation since 1954 The wastes are dumped into a dry gravel pit. As Figure 116 illustrates, data collected from 1967 to 1970 showed the narrow lense-shaped plume had migrated nearly 2 miles.

Economic growth and water pollution

While water is a renewable resource, its availability in time and space is limited, being largely determined by the climate, geography and other bio-physical conditions of a particular region as well as a set of technologies that permit the rate at which water is conserved and used (TERI 2000). India's economy, with its opening to the outside world in 1991, has entered a new development stage. It has brought progress to the country in many aspects. India's economy is currently growing at between 7% and 8% per annum, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The driving force behind this has been the reform program undertaken in the wake of the balance of payments crisis in 1991. The reform program that followed marked a new willingness to allow market forces the freedom to work.
It included significant industrial and trade liberalization, financial deregulation, improvements to supervisory and regulatory systems and policies more conducive to privatization and foreign direct investment (Aggarwal 2003). These reforms gave a sharp boost to economic growth in the country. However the benefits of this impressive growth have been accompanied amongst other problems by severe environmental degradation. Environmental pollution is one of the serious problems being faced by the people in the country. The rapid growth of population is aggravating the problem by putting more pressure on natural resources. India is the second most populous country in the world after China. One of the biggest challenges that the country faces today is to provide safe drinking water to its ever increasing population.

A number of empirical studies suggest that when a country is in its early stage of economic development, environmental degradation is inevitable. The relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation is explained by an inverted U-shaped curve called Environmental Kuznets (EKC) curve. The EKC hypothesis states that pollution levels increase in the early stages of development, but decrease as income rises beyond a certain point. This relationship was first observed by Grossman and Krueger (1995) in their investigation of the possible environmental impacts of a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and they found that any economic growth accompanying Mexico's inclusion in NAFTA would ultimately benefit Mexico's environment (Nahman 2005). Since then a number of empirical studies have been conducted to test the validity of the environmental quality-income relationship (Arrow 1995; Grossman 1995; Panayotou 1995; Stern 2004).

Most empirical studies on the EKC hypothesis use cross-sectional data consisting of several countries for their empirical estimations. In this study we have taken a single country approach i.e. to study water pollution problem in different states of the same country instead of a cross-country analysis. A national level study assumes that all regions in a nation will follow the same pattern, thus overlooking the regional disparities. But for a country like India regional differences can be very significant. This is because of sharp and increasing regional variations among India's states in terms of per capita income, poverty, population, and socioeconomic development. One factor that binds these diverse states together is the legal institutions. The central pollution control board (CPCB) has oversight powers over the various state boards. It sets emission standards and lays down ambient standards (Maria 2003). The implementation of the national environmental laws and enforcement of the standards set by the CPCB is decentralized at the level of each state, with the state pollution control board in charge of the state-level implementation (Maria 2003). Therefore, the levels of pollution may also differ due to disparity in the implementation level of these policies in different states of India. Thus, the environment--income relationship may not only differ across nations, but also across regions of the same country (Borghesi 1999).

Ocean water pollution

Pollution in the ocean is a major problem that is affecting the ocean and the rest of the Earth, too. Pollution in the ocean directly affects ocean organisms and indirectly affects human health and resources. Oil spills, toxic wastes, and dumping of other harmful materials are all major sources of pollution in the ocean. People should learn more about these because if people know more about pollution in the ocean, then they will know more about how to stop pollution.

What are toxic wastes?

Toxic wastes are poisonous materials that are being dumped into the ocean. They harm many plants and animals in the ocean and have a huge impact on our health. Toxic waste is the most harmful form of pollution to sea life and humans. When toxic waste harms an organism, it can quickly be passed along the food chain and may eventually end up being our seafood. In the food chain, one toxic organism gets eaten by another, larger animal, which gets eaten by another animal, and can end up being our seafood. Toxic waste gets into seas and oceans by the leaking of landfills, dumps, mines, and farms. Farm chemicals and heavy metals from factories can have a very harmful effect on marine life and humans.

Many fishermen believe that the toxic chemicals in the ocean are killing much of the fish population. One of the most harmful chemicals in the ocean is lead. Lead can cause many health problems. It can damage the brain, kidneys, and reproductive system. Lead can also cause birth defects for people. It has been shown to cause low IQ scores, slow growth, and hearing problems for small children. House and car paint and manufacturing lead batteries, fishing lures, certain parts of bullets, some ceramic ware, water pipes, and fixtures all give off lead.

Many things found in the ocean may cause seafood to be dangerous to human health. The effect on humans from contaminated seafood may include birth defects and nervous system damage. Medical waste found in the ocean is being tested to see if swimmers have a chance of developing Hepatitis or AIDS. Other waste has been known to cause viral and bacterial diseases. This type of pollution can be stopped by watching what pollution we are letting into the ocean. People are trying to decrease the amount of waste in the oceans by recycling as much garbage as they can so there is a smaller amount of very harmful materials in the ocean.

Boating Pollution Prevention Tips:-

Whenever someone takes their boat onto the water for a ride, it is creating pollution that can be very harmful to the sea life. Boating pollution is the pollution that comes from the boat’s engine when it is running, and it pollutes the water, killing animals with the chemicals in the exhaust from the engine. The engine gives off excess gasoline, which pollutes the waters and ends up killing the animals. In order to make as little pollution as possible, what everyone can do to help is:

-Only turn a boat engine on all the way when you need to.

-Don’t take your boat out into the water if you don’t need to.

-Be sure to store and transport gasoline in places where there isn’t any direct sunlight because the gasoline will evaporate, and all of the gases that have been evaporated will pollute the air.

-Every year, buy new or cleaner marine engines for your boats.

Garbage Dumping:-

Garbage dumping is the dumping of harmful materials into the ocean like human waste, ground-up garbage, water from bathing, and plastics. Most of the waste that has been dumped into the ocean in the early 1990’s is still there today. One main cause of garbage dumping occurs when sewage pipes share their space with storm water drains. Rainfall causes the sewage pipes to overflow and the sewage waste mixes with the storm water drain, which flows into another water source such as a lake or river. After that, the garbage pollutes the ocean, kills plants and animals in the water (for example, the plastic rings that are around pop cans can get around an animal’s neck, causing it to suffocate), and makes the water dirty.

Water pollution and Health

Contamination of water reserves by either chemical agents or infectious pathogens may affect the health of millions of residents of many countries. Water consumers are frequently unaware of the potential health risks associated with exposure to waterborne contaminants and often consult practicing physicians who are unfamiliar with water pollution issues and their subsequent impact on human health. Misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of waterborne disease by the medical community may result in significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in vulnerable populations at increased risk of disease as a result of exposure to waterborne pathogens and chemical contaminants.

In addition, the events of September 11th emphasize the need for practicing healthcare providers to recognize unusual disease trends and early warning signs that may result from potential biological or chemical terrorism. Although the risk is extremely low, these covert attacks may include an assault on water safety. Primary care practitioners throughout the United States must be especially vigilant in light of the fact that they are likely to be the first to observe unusual illness patterns and must therefore understand their critical role in protecting water resources and their community's health. This Physician On-Line Reference Guide provides a repository of educational information and preparedness resources for practicing physicians who must understand not only how to detect biological and chemical weapons exposure but also how to respond to this threat appropriately.

Any future strategic plan to maintain and protect water quality and safety in every country must include physicians as stakeholders and active participants in this ongoing public health challenge. Unfortunately, the majority of practicing physicians have received no formalized training in the recognition and evaluation of waterborne disease or in the management of the short- and long-term health effects of water pollution or contamination during their medical education or subsequently during their years in active clinical practice. The purpose of this Physician On-Line Reference Guide is to attempt to address this critical information gap and to provide busy practicing clinicians with informational resources and educational tools to assist them in the recognition of waterborne disease and the health effects of water pollution.

Surface water pollution

Surface water pollution is still a problem in Northeast Wisconsin despite decades of effort, partly due to industrial and sewage pipe discharges into lakes, rivers and streams. Though wastewater treatment plants have been built and some regulations have been passed, our region's population continues to grow rapidly and industrial production is increasing. Incremental improvements in wastewater treatment are sometimes negated by sheer volume. Couple this with loopholes in the laws and compromised water quality standards, and we still have a lot of work to do to protect public health and wildlife from water pollution.

Key Weaknesses in Water Protection
Political Pressure and Corruption :- The Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) has prime responsiblity for enforcing the federal Clean Water Act and additional state rules, but is under constant pressure from lawmakers and lobbyists to weaken the rules, or grant variances and exemptions to specific projects or industries. In recent years, the DNR has suffered severe budget and staff cuts, and two dysfunctional reorganizations. While we tend to blame the DNR for environmental problems, the real culprits are the Governor and State Legislators who control the agency. Lack of leadership and campaign corruption are the real problems. (See Campaign Finance Reform)

Compromised Health Standards :- Water quality standards, which are used to regulate the discharge of wastewater, are the product of intense negotiations during the state rule-making process. The DNR generally creates Advisory Committees which include lobbyists for many of the sources of the pollution, and these committees are charged with trying to find "consensus" on what the standards should be. This often results in compromises which don't fully protect public health or wildlife. Some regulations never pass because of this political process. Two recent examples are the DNR's proposed Mercury Control Rule, which Republican legislators have blocked from passing, and the PCB Soil Criteria, a 4.5 year effort, which the DNR refused to propose due to pressure from sewage treatment plant operators, paper industries and harbor interests.

Lack of Health Standards :- In the United States, a chemical is considered innocent until proven guilty, which means that a company can release a new toxic chemical into Wisconsin's environment (and risk future liabilities), but the Wisconsin DNR can't stop them until they have "adequate" scientific proof of harm from the chemical. It can take years of study (and millions of taxpayers' research dollars) to develop this proof, and then at least 2 to 3 years of DNR Advisory Committee negotiations, but by then serious damage may have happened already.

A recent example is PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ether) which is used as a fire-retardant in carpeting, drapes, computer equipment, foam cushions and a wide array of other common consumer products. PBDE has been measured at high levels in Lake Michigan fish, in mother's breastmilk, in wastewater discharges and sewage sludge which is spread throughout Wisconsin. PBDE is believed to have many of the same toxic properties as PCBs and it bioaccumulates up the food chain, just like PCBs. Several European countries have already banned the chemical, and California recently passed a phase-out ban. Wisconsin and the federal government are slow to respond.

Roughly 80,000 chemicals are in common use, but health standards have been developed for only a few hundred, and those are often not comprehensive. Many regulated chemicals have still not been studies for full health effects --- usually only cancer --- not reproductive effects, child development effects or damage to the nervous, immune, respiratory, hormonal or circulatory systems.

Infrequent, Skimpy Monitoring and Inspections :- Wisconsin wastewater dischargers are required to take one "Priority Pollutant Scan" only once every 5 years. This scans for several hundred chemicals known to be toxic, but one sample is not a scientifically or statistically valid survey. Worse yet, the dischargers take their own samples when and where they want to, without supervision from the DNR. When the DNR issues the following 5 year permit, most dischargers will be required to take regular samples for only a handful of chemicals, and all the rest will be unknown quantities dumped in our public waterways. Facility inspections are also skimpy, with the DNR visiting major pollution sources only 1 or 2 times per year, often giving several days advance notice.

Loopholes in Discharge Rules :- Wastewater permit rules contain loopholes which allow acutely toxic and chronically toxic mixing zones in rivers downstream of discharge pipes. In many cases, the indistries take advantage of the polluted river conditions by using variances in water quality standards. For example, paper industries on the Fox River are able to discharge PCBs at a concentration equal to the background water concentrations of PCBs, even though this level is a violation of Wisconsin's PCB water quality criteria. In other words, the paper industry is being rewarded for polluting the Fox River with PCBs. Wisconsin's water anti-degradation law is also a farce because it is, in fact, a stepped degradation scheme. Dischargers are generally evaluated for individual immediate effects, rather then combining the analysis of several dischargers and determining their combined and long-term effects.

Contaminated Sediments :-Wisconsin faces serious lingering problems due to accumulated toxic chemicals in river and lake sediments, from past pollution. Clean Water Action Council has been fighting 18 years to get the Fox River PCB sediment contamination cleaned up, but in the last seven miles of the river, the DNR and EPA recently chose a cleanup target which will leave the river and bay unhealthy for another 55-100+ years - another example of successful industry lobbying. (see Fox River Watch) Worse yet, Wisconsin hasn't learned its lesson. Longterm chemical buildup in sediments is not factored into Wisconsin's discharge laws - the DNR only regulates to achieve concentration standards in the chemicals actually suspended in the water. The rules which control wastewater discharge permits actually treat our rivers as if they are lined with Teflon and lead nowhere, as if chemical pollutants won't "stick" to our river sediments or accumulate at the mouths of our rivers. This must change, or we'll see PCB-type situations repeated over and over again around Wisconsin.

Water pollution in Urban areas

Urban areas problem :-
Urban areas have the potential to pollute water in many ways. Runoff from streets carries oil, rubber, heavy metals, and other contaminants from automobiles. Untreated or poorly treated sewage can be low in dissolved oxygen and high in pollutants such as fecal coliform bacteria, nitrates, phosphorus, chemicals, and other bacteria. Treated sewage can still be high in nitrates. Groundwater and surface water can be contaminated from many sources such as garbage dumps, toxic waste and chemical storage and use areas, leaking fuel storage tanks, and intentional dumping of hazardous substances. Air pollution can lead to acid rain, nitrate deposition, and ammonium deposition, which can alter the water chemistry of lakes.

Solutions :-
Solutions involve finding sustainable ways for the urban area to reduce both its dependence on pollutants and the amount of pollutants it produces, and to properly recycle or dispose of pollutants before they contaminate soil, water, or air. See the discussion below under "Lakes that Face this Problem" for more detailed solutions that have been tried at various lakes.

Preventing pollution in urban areas is often largely a public relations task. People need to be educated about proper ways to dispose of waste. Showing each other where waste goes and the problems it can create in our watersheds is an effective way to get the message across.

Of course, regulations are often necessary to reduce the amount of pollutants contaminating our watersheds, and the Lake Biwa Ordinance is an example of regulatory measures (such as prohibiting synthetic detergents) making a big difference.

Lakes that face this problem :-
The Broads, United Kingdom
Phosphate-rich sewage effluent from the growing human population in the Broads has gradually entered the Broads waterways. This led to the growth of algae, loss of water plants and a serious decline in the wildlife interest of the broads. Phosphate stripping and suction dredging are being used to address this problem.

La Nava Wetland, Spain
(FPNE) is working to solve pollution problems affecting La Nava Wetland. Solutions include purifying wastewater draining into the wetland, rerouting drainage ditches, and closing a garbage dump that releases contaminants.

Lake Biwa, Japan
Since the 1970s, nutrient pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus runoff has caused algae blooms and eutrophication. The government has set pollution reduction goals and banned the destruction of reed marshes.

Water pollution declines males fertility rate

New research strengthens the link between water pollution and rising male fertility problems. The study, by Brunel University, the Universities of Exeter and Reading and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, shows for the first time how a group of testosterone-blocking chemicals is finding its way into UK rivers, affecting wildlife and potentially humans.

The study identified a new group of chemicals that act as ‘anti-androgens’. This means that they inhibit the function of the male hormone, testosterone, reducing male fertility. Some of these are contained in medicines, including cancer treatments, pharmaceutical treatments, and pesticides used in agriculture. The research suggests that when they get into the water system, these chemicals may play a pivotal role in causing feminising effects in male fish.

Earlier research by Brunel University and the University of Exeter has shown how female sex hormones (estrogens), and chemicals that mimic estrogens, are leading to ‘feminisation’ of male fish. Found in some industrial chemicals and the contraceptive pill, they enter rivers via sewage treatment works. This causes reproductive problems by reducing fish breeding capability and in some cases can lead to male fish changing sex.

Other studies have also suggested that there may be a link between this phenomenon and the increase in human male fertility problems caused by testicular dysgenesis syndrome. Until now, this link lacked credence because the list of suspects causing effects in fish was limited to estrogenic chemicals whilst testicular dysgenesis is known to be caused by exposure to a range of anti-androgens.

Lead author on the research paper, Dr Susan Jobling at Brunel University’s Institute for the Environment, said: “We have been working intensively in this field for over ten years. The new research findings illustrate the complexities in unravelling chemical causation of adverse health effects in wildlife populations and re-open the possibility of a human – wildlife connection in which effects seen in wild fish and in humans are caused by similar combinations of chemicals. We have identified a new group of chemicals in our study on fish, but do not know where they are coming from. A principal aim of our work is now to identify the source of these pollutants and work with regulators and relevant industry to test the effects of a mixture of these chemicals and the already known environmental estrogens and help protect environmental health.”

Senior author Professor Charles Tyler of the University of Exeter said: ”Our research shows that a much wider range of chemicals than we previously thought is leading to hormone disruption in fish. This means that the pollutants causing these problems are likely to be coming from a wide variety of sources. Our findings also strengthen the argument for the cocktail of chemicals in our water leading to hormone disruption in fish, and contributing to the rise in male reproductive problems. There are likely to be many reasons behind the rise in male fertility problems in humans, but these findings could reveal one, previously unknown, factor.”

Bob Burn, Principal Statistician in the Statistical Services Centre at the University of Reading, said: ”State-of- the- art statistical hierarchical modelling has allowed us to explore the complex associations between the exposure and potential effects seen in over 1000 fish sampled from 30 rivers in various parts of England.”

The research took more than three years to complete and was conducted by the University of Exeter, Brunel University, University of Reading and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Statistical modelling was supported by Beyond the Basics Ltd.

The research team is now focusing on identifying the source of anti-androgenic chemicals, as well as continuing to study their impact on reproductive health in wildlife and humans.

The research was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council and is now published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Disease caused by water pollution

The WHO reports that 25-30% of all hospital admissions are connected to water borne bacterial and parasitic conditions, with 60% of infant deaths caused by water infections.
The long-term effects on human health of pesticides and other pollutants include colon and bladder cancer, miscarriage, birth defects, deformation of bones, and sterility.

Contamination of fresh water with radionuclides, which can result from mining, testing, disposal and manufacturing of radioactive material, as well as transportation accidents, has led to increased incidences of cancer, developmental abnormalities and death.

Cesspools of stagnant dirty water, both in rural and urban areas, account for a large number of deaths caused by potentially fatal diseases like cholera, malaria, dysentery and typhoid.
Nitrate concentration in water above 45mg/l makes it unfit for drinking by infants. The nitrates are reduced in body to nitrites and cause a serious blood condition called the "Blue Baby Syndrome". Higher concentrations of nitrate causes gastric cancer.
Untreated and highly toxic industrial sewage is also used for irrigation near major cities. This can contaminate crops and consequently affect consumers.

Karachi's untreated wastewater from domestic sewage and industrial estates is discharged into the Layari and Malir rivers, which fall into the Arabian Sea. This waste has begun to pose a serious threat to the marine environment, as the channel water is contaminated not only with bacteria but also with toxic chemicals.
Water pollution also extends a savage threat to wildlife of Pakistan. Animals drink water out of polluted water bodies, ailing ponds, rivers and streams. This sickens the animals and some may even die. Oil spills kill thousands of fish in oceans. Extreme pollution of river Ravi has destroyed the once existing 42 species of fish and the bird life around the river has migrated to other areas. Survival of small invertebrates, micro fauna and flora is also threatened.

Effects of water pollution on ecosystem

Water pollution can come as a result of natural or unnatural compounds being added to a watersource. These can sway the balance of an ecosystem resulting in danger to natural wildlife of aquatic environments.

Some animals and plants are highly susceptible to the effects of water pollution:

* Amphibians tend to be very pollution sensitive due to the fact that they absorb chemicals in the water through their skins; this is one reason why many amphibian populations are in distress today.
* With addition of detergents to the eco-system, insects that normally have the ability to walk on water will be unable to.
* Younger animals also have a greater sensitivity to chemical compunds, especially those that mimic organic compounds, since they are still undergoing the physiological changes associated with maturation. These effects can range from physiological effects such as suffocation and thinning of eggshells to the alteration of neurochemistry.

That is why one water-quality monitoring technique involves a survey of macroinvertebrates in the stream; if animals with narrow requirements are present, then the stream health has to be above their minimum threshold. By definition, pollution reduces aquatic biodiversity! Since no species (or very few) live in total isolation, the difficulties of these species often get passed on to others.
Pollution-tolerant organisms

Other organisms are highly tolerant to pollution of their environments, among these are aquatic worms, leeches, and snails. As a rule, as complexity increases, tolerance to pollution decreases. Keep in mind that, even though these species may be able to survive in less than ideal environments, the species that rely on them for food may not be able to. Further, any pollutants or toxins in the prey animals or plants will be concentrated in the predators unless their systems are capable of removing the compound from their system.

Even if an organism can survive in such conditions, the presence of pollutants may stress them sufficiently to make them more susceptible to a threat normally fought off -- such interactions are suspect in both colony collapse disorder in bees and "white nose syndrome" in bats. Such interactions are a critical consideration when considering real-world situations, especially when you add climate change (which can be considered as adding heat, and potentially sediment, pollution to watersheds, as well as altering food webs) and extinctions of other organisms to the equation.

Water pollution in India

Water pollution has emerged as one of the gravest environmental threats in India. Its biggest sources are city sewage and industrial waste that are discharged untreated into the rivers. Despite the best efforts of the government, only about 10 per cent of the waste water that is generated in the cities is treated and the rest is discharged into the rivers.

The entry of toxic substances into water bodies like lakes, streams and rivers leads to deterioration in the quality of water and severely affects the aquatic ecosystems. Due to this, even the ground water gets contaminated. All these have a devastating effect on all living creatures that exist near the polluted water bodies. Urgent steps are needed to be taken by the Indian government on the water pollution management front and the flawed policies need to be amended in order to obtain concrete results.

Water pollution is a reality of human existence. Activities like agriculture and industrial production generate water pollution apart from the biological waste. In India, every year, approximately 50,000 million litres of wastewater, both industrial and domestic, is generated in urban areas. If the data of rural areas is also taken into account, the overall figure will be much higher. The materials that constitute industrial waste include highly harmful substances like salts, chemicals, grease, oils, paints, iron, cadmium, lead, arsenic, zinc, tin, etc. In some cases even radio-active materials are discharged into the rivers bodies by some companies, who for the sake of saving money on water treatment, throw all the norms to the winds.

All efforts by the government to put a check on wastewater management have failed as the treatment systems require high capital investment for installation and also high cost is incurred on operational maintenance. This is a sore point not only for the farmers but also for the factory owners as the high cost of treating industrial wastewater affects their bottom-line. The cost of establishing and running a wastewater treatment plant in a factory can be as high as 20 percent of the total expenditure. Hence we see a situation where, despite the presence of government norms, effluents continue to flow into the river bodies untreated.

On the other hand, the government of India is spending millions of rupees every year on water pollution control. According to rough estimates, Indian government has spent nearly 20,000 crore rupees till now on various schemes in India, like the Ganga Action Plan and Yamuna Action Plan, to control water pollution in rivers. But no positive results have been achieved as yet. The government should realise that all efforts to get the river-bodies free from water pollution will fail unless the process of untreated industrial and other wastewater getting into the water bodies is not stopped.

Hence the government should, instead of spending money on pollution control schemes, divert its resources to encourage wastewater treatment in agriculture and industrial sector. The money spent on pollution control should be spent on giving subsidies to the industries which generate wastewater and on strict monitoring of their adherence to the norms. Research should be promoted in areas like nanotechnology to find out ways and means to build cheaper wastewater management plants. Here also, the approach should be to re-use the treated water for agriculture instead of letting it go into the rivers and streams.

It should not be forgotten that only 0.3 per cent of total water available on this planet is fit for consumption for human beings, animals & plants. The remaining 99.7 per cent is present either as sea water or as glaciers on the mountains. Hence ignoring the issue of water pollution any longer would mean inviting a Third World War which would be fought for the control of water resources.

Water pollution in Nepal

Water pollution through natural processes is insignificant in Nepal. Domestic sewage and industrial effluents are the major contributors of water pollution. Haphazard urbanisation and inadequate sewerage facilities have accelerated the discharge of domestic liquid wastes without any treatment. Almost all the urban areas have no wastewater treatment facilities. The cumulative effects of wastewater discharge have a striking negative impact, particularly, in the rivers flowing through the Kathmandu Valley. The holy river Bagmati is biologically dead due to discharge of such domestic and industrial wasters, particularly in the stretch flowing through urban areas.

Biological contamination is generally noticed in the supplied drinking water as well. Frequent incidence of water-borne diseases indicates the deterioration of the drinking water quality in both urban and rural areas.

Although the contribution of the manufacturing industries to the gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to be around 10 per cent, most of them discharge the effluents and solid wastes without any treatment. According to the latest Census (1996//97) of industries, the number of establishments and persons engaged in all VDCs were about 1,594 and 92,344 as against 1,963 and 1,04,364 in all Municipalities. Compared to the previous 1991/92 Census, carpet and rugs, garments, bricks, distilleries and printing establishments have decreased in numbers during 1996/97 Census.

With a concentration of 56.76 per cent of total manufacturing establishments, the Central Development Region (CDR) is found to be the most busy region in manufacturing activities. The region shares 70.54 per cent of the total employees, and 73.04 per cent of total wages and salaries. It has also shared 76.04 per cent of the total value added with 66.84 per cent of input and 70.5 per cent of the total output.

In contrast to the CDR, the Far-Western Development Region (FWDR) shares only 3.74 per cent of the total number of manufacturing establishments.

Localised industrial pollution is also on the rise. Wastewater is directly discharged on to the terrestrial and aquatic systems without any treatment. The wastewater generally contains a high load of oxygen demanding wastes, disease causing agents, synthetic organic compounds, plant nutrients, inorganic chemical and minerals, and sediments (Devkota and Neupane, 1994). Total industrial wastes have been estimated at 0.076 million tons of TSP, 8.557 million cubic meter of wastewater, 5.7 thousand tons of BOD, 9.6 thousand tons of TSS and 22 thousand tons of solid wastes. Industrial TSP release in the Kathmandu Valley exceeds the total load discharged in all other development regions. A recent sample survey of 36 industries throughout the Kingdom revealed that the population equivalent (PE) of industrial effluent ranges from 416 to 9,540 (Devkota, 1997; Table 2.8.3). It is generally accepted that local human PE is about 50 gram per day.

Water pollution in China

About one third of the industrial waste water and more than 90 percent of household sewage in China is released into rivers and lakes without being treated. Nearly 80 percent of China's cities (278 of them) have no sewage treatment facilities and few have plans to build any and underground water supplies in 90 percent of the cites are contaminated.
Water shortages and water pollution in China are such a problem that the World Bank warns of “catastrophic consequences for future generations.” Half of China’s population lacks safe drinking water. Nearly two thirds of China’s rural population—more than 500 million people—use water contaminated by human and industrial waste.

By one estimate one sixth of China’s population is threatened by seriously polluted water. One study found that eight of 10 Chinese coastal cities discharge excessive amounts of sewage and pollutants into the sea, often near coastal resorts and sea farming areas. Most of China’s rural areas have no system in place to treat waste water.

Water pollution—caused primarily by industrial waste, chemical fertilizers and raw sewage— accounts for half of the $69 billion that the Chinese economy loses to pollution every year. About 11.7 million pounds of organic pollutants are emitted into Chinese waters very day, compared to 5.5 in the United States, 3.4 in Japan, 2.3 in Germany, 3.2 in India, and 0.6 in South Africa.

Water consumed by people in China contains dangerous levels of arsenic, fluorine and sulfates. An estimated 980 million of China’s 1.3 billion people drink water every day that is partly polluted. More than 600 million Chinese drink water contaminated with human or animal wastes and 20 million people drink well water contaminated with high levels of radiation. A large number of arsenic-tainted water have been discovered. China’s high rates of liver, stomach and esophageal cancer have been linked to water pollution.

In many cases factories fouling critical water sources are making goods consumed by people in the U.S. and Europe. Problems created by China’s water pollution are not just confined to China either. Water pollution and garbage produced in China floats down its rivers to the sea and is carried by prevailing winds and currents to Japan and South Korea.

Water pollution and shortages are a more serious problem in northern China than southern China. The percentage of water considered unfit for human consumption is 45 percent in northern China, compared to 10 percent in southern China. Some 80 percent of the rivers in the northern province of Shanxi have been rated “unfit for human contact.”

A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center before the 2008 Olympics found that 68 percent of the Chinese interviewed said they were concerned about water pollution.

Harmful effects of water pollution due to plastic bags and solution of that problem

Every once in a while the government here passes out an order banning shop keepers from providing plastic bags to customers for carrying their purchases, with little lasting effect. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well as consumers because they are cheap, strong, lightweight, functional, as well as a hygienic means of carrying food as well as other goods. Even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, they are responsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up the precious resources of the earth.

About a hundred billion plastic bags are used each year in the US alone. And then, when one considers the huge economies and populations of India, China, Europe, and other parts of the world, the numbers can be staggering. The problem is further exacerbated by the developed countries shipping off their plastic waste to developing countries like India.

Here are some of the harmful effects of plastic bags:
Plastic bags litter the landscape. Once they are used, most plastic bags go into landfill, or rubbish tips. Each year more and more plastic bags are ending up littering the environment. Once they become litter, plastic bags find their way into our waterways, parks, beaches, and streets. And, if they are burned, they infuse the air with toxic fumes.

Plastic bags kill animals. About 100,000 animals such as dolphins, turtles whales, penguins are killed every year due to plastic bags. Many animals ingest plastic bags, mistaking them for food, and therefore die. And worse, the ingested plastic bag remains intact even after the death and decomposition of the animal. Thus, it lies around in the landscape where another victim may ingest it.

Plastic bags are non-biodegradable. And one of the worst environmental effects of plastic bags is that they are non-biodegradable. The decomposition of plastic bags takes about 1000 years.

Petroleum is required to produce plastic bags. As it is, petroleum products are diminishing and getting more expensive by the day, since we have been using this non-renewable resource increasingly. Petroleum is vital for our modern way of life. It is necessary for our energy requirements – for our factories, transport, heating, lighting, and so on. Without viable alternative sources of energy yet on the horizon, if the supply of petroleum were to be turned off, it would lead to practically the whole world grinding to a halt. Surely, this precious resource should not be wasted on producing plastic bags, should it?

So, What Can be Done about the Use of Plastic Bags?
Single-use plastic bags have become such a ubiquitous way of life that it seems as if we simply cannot do without them. However, if we have the will, we can start reducing their use in small ways.
•A tote bag can make a good substitute for holding the shopping. You can keep the bag with the cahier, and then put your purchases into it instead of the usual plastic bag.
•Recycling the plastic bags you already have is another good idea. These can come into use for various purposes, like holding your garbage, instead of purchasing new ones.
While governments may be working out ways to lessen the impact of plastic bags on the environment, however, each of us should shoulder some of the responsibility for this problem, which ultimately harms us.

Factors affecting water pollution

Water Quality is affected by numerous factors that depend on your water source among other considerations. Here are a few insights into what you need to know.

Microbial contamination is a major factor that affects water quality. Microbial contaminants are the different types of bacteria, parasites and cysts. Your water should be tested regularly to detect the presence of these contaminants which can cause flu-like symptoms or worse upon ingestion.

The cysts have been known to be resistant to most of the public and private purification methods. They are best removed with filtration which ensures water quality. Cysts are factors that affect water and because of the danger they present to the health of individual Those most at risk are the elderly, those with low immunity due to illness and children.

Mineral and metal contamination also affects quality, as it is a major contaminant that is especially harmful to everyone's health. Reverse osmosis reduces the content of lead and most minerals. An additional ion exchange step will remove the lead and copper and balance the mineral content.

A major concern with factors affecting water quality is chemical contamination which can cause a variety of diseases. These are usually removed through carbon filtration though it is not an absolute purification method as chlorine will require additional filtering media.

Another factor affecting water quality is taste and odor of water. It is necessary to make sure your filter also removes any bad odors and taste from the drinking water so as to make it better

Sources of water pollution

Industrial effluents: This is the most dangerous sources of water pollution. It is through this source that hazardous chemicals enter in the water and cause disease like cancer. Organic pollutants like dyes, salts, cyanides, suspended solids, greases, and oils are included in the industrial effluents. The monomethyl mercury carried along with the industrial effluents enters human body with water and causes brain damage. Sometimes even direct deaths are being reported by drinking the water mixed with such industrial effluents.

Silt: This is the source of pollution that pollutes the water at very initial stage. During silt, the soil or silt from the mountains gets carried along with the rain water and mixes with the ground water. This also happens during the process of deforestation. This generally is not so hazardous because once the water gets deep these soil particles get deposited at the bottom and you get to drink clean water. In some cases only infecting microorganisms are observed in silt.

Thermal wastes: Thermal pollution of the water doesn't affect the humans, but the life under water is affected badly by it. The thermal and nuclear power stations use the large amount of water and then discharge in again with a very high temperature. The aquatic life is not able to adjust with the hot water and they die. Thus, it makes the water dirty.

Sewage and domestic wastes: This is the cause of the maximum disease that affects the human health adversely. This source of water pollution includes soap and detergents, human excreta and urine, dung, and main source as sewage from house. Maximum microorganisms survive in this water and when it mixes with river water these microorganisms start multiplying. Once the person drinks he/she is surely to fall it due to this. Diseases like typhoid, jaundice, cholera, and dysentery are the most commonly observed disease caused by this type of water pollution.

Radioactive substances: You need to be careful about these radioactive substances a lot because they enter your body and cause cancer. Radioactive substances are released during the atomic explosions. These radioactive isotopes mix with the water bodies and cause the pollution. This water pollution source is very rarely noted.

Agricultural wastes: Nowadays the modern concept of agriculture is being utilized everywhere. This includes the usage of the many chemical pesticides and fertilizers. The crop yield is surely increased by it, but when these pesticides and fertilizers gets incorporated in the water bodies through irrigation, rainfall, and drainage they cause water pollution. Primarily they destroy the aquatic life. No fishes are able to survive in this polluted water. The consumption of this polluted water may cause nerve disorders, leukemia, and cancer.

Effects of water pollution

The effects of water pollution to a body of water can be devastating to the environment, the people and animals that depend on that source of water. The effects of water pollution vary greatly depending on what type of pollutant is involved and how large the body of water is. The more severe effects of water pollution is caused due to garbage and chemicals being dumped either legally or ilegally into bodies water that are near major metropolises

One of the most troubling and serious effects of water pollution is the death of the marine life that reside in the water ecosystems due to the depletion of oxygen. Fish, birds, and dolphins have been found dead on beaches, a casualty of the effects of water pollution. The effects of water pollution of this type adversly affects the food chain from the tiniest micro organisms'right up to humans. These people can be infected with many diseases such as hepatitis and others as a result of eating fish that have been poisoned from polluted waters. This also effect fishermen and their livelihood.

The resulting mess when trash and debris are thrown into bodies of water, can cause foul odors, as well as toxicity. Fertilizers and oil also causes trouble in bodies of water by choking out vegetation that is vital to a healthy water system leading to green slimy waters, dead fish and unpleasant smells. The quality of our daily life could also reflect the effects of water pollution.

Water is vital for so many aspects of daily living such as drinking, showering, washing clothes, and much more. When the water sources that are so heavily relied upon to maintain basic necessities are threatened by pollution it causes a lot of problems and trouble. It costs a lot of time, resources and money to treat a polluted water for reuse. The habits of the people all around the world is directly affected by the quality of the water.

The effects of water pollution are also felt keenly by those who live near the water and all who enjoy water recreations. Polluted rivers, streams, and lakes cause a decline in fish populations and limit activities that can be enjoyed in and around the water. A body of water can be a host for the E Coli bacteria when it's polluted with animal and human waste, which can adversely affect people and make them very sick. Overall the effects of water pollution is recreational, water can cost a lot of money and limit the enjoyment of the waters.

Causes of water pollution

The specific contaminants leading to pollution in water include a wide spectrum of chemicals, pathogens, and physical or sensory changes such as elevated temperature and discoloration. While many of the chemicals and substances that are regulated may be naturally occurring (calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, etc.) the concentration is often the key in determining what is a natural component of water, and what is a contaminant.
Oxygen-depleting substances may be natural materials, such as plant matter (e.g. leaves and grass) as well as man-made chemicals. Other natural and anthropogenic substances may cause turbidity (cloudiness) which blocks light and disrupts plant growth, and clogs the gills of some fish species.
Many of the chemical substances are toxic. Pathogens can produce waterborne diseases in either human or animal hosts. Alteration of water's physical chemistry includes acidity (change in pH), electrical conductivity, temperature, and eutrophication.Eutrophication is an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in an ecosystem to an extent that increases in the primary productivity of the ecosystem. Depending on the degree of eutrophication, subsequent negative environmental effects such as anoxia (oxygen depletion) and severe reductions in water quality may occur, affecting fish and other animal populations.

Introduction of water pollution

WATER POLLUTION

One of the major factor among all the pollutions is water pollution.This type pollution is created due to various polluting materials in water.
Millions depend on the polluted Ganges river.Water pollution is a major problem in the global context. It has been suggested that it is the leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases, and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrheal sickness every day.Some 90% of China's cities suffer from some degree of water pollution,and nearly 500 million people lack access to safe drinking water. In addition to the acute problems of water pollution in developing countries, industrialized countries continue to struggle with pollution problems as well. In the most recent national report on water quality in the United States, 45 percent of assessed stream miles, 47 percent of assessed lake acres, and 32 percent of assessed bay and estuarine square miles were classified as polluted.
Water is typically referred to as polluted when it is impaired by anthropogenic contaminants and either does not support a human use, like serving as drinking water, and/or undergoes a marked shift in its ability to support its constituent biotic communities, such as fish. Natural phenomena such as volcanoes, algae blooms, storms, and earthquakes also cause major changes in water quality and the ecological status of water.