6. When water seeps into the ground, it dissolves different substances
depending on the type of soil and rock that it flows through.
Groundwater can get polluted naturally
7. Some of these substances like fluoride compounds can be harmful to
health, if amounts greater than permissible limits are ingested over
long periods of time.
Natural pollution is a non-point source of pollution
8. The Bureau of Indian Standards states that in
drinking water, fluoride levels are
0 0.5
mg/l
1.0
mg/l
1.5
mg/l
2.0
mg/l
Desirable
Permissible
9. Fluoride
• Low levels of fluoride in drinking water (0.5 to 1 mg/l) protect
against dental caries
• High levels of fluoride in drinking water (above 1.5 mg/l) will
lead to adverse health impacts ranging from dental fluorosis
to skeletal fluorosis
• Fluoride levels in water beyond desirable / permissible limits
is typically found in groundwater and not surface water
11. Other symptoms
• Fatigue
• Low hemoglobin count
• Irritation
• Loss of appetite
• Excessive thirst and urination
• Miscarriage
• Inability to conceive due to defective sperm
• Depression
12. Impacts of skeletal fluorosis
• Loss of livelihood since affected persons
cannot work
• Loss of income
• High medical costs
• Poverty
• Social outcasts since facilities for the
handicapped are lacking in India
16. Where fluoride in water is between
1.5 to 2.0mg/l, avoid:
Canned fish
Dental products such as
fluoridated toothpaste
& mouth wash
Products containing
black salt
(kalanamak)
17. Eat more of fruits and vegetables rich in
Vitamin C, Iron and Calcium
Orange
Lemon
Guava
Gooseberry (Amla)
Tomato
Grapefruit
Almonds
Apple
Brinjal
Banana
Beetroot
Spinach
Coriander leaves
18. In all fluoride affected areas, recharge the groundwater with rainwater
Harvest
rainwater
Recharge groundwater