2. INTRODUCTION
• Pollution signifies any degradation of natural ground water quality
while contamination is reserved for pollution that constitutes a hazard to
human health.
• Water Contamination is defined as the introduction of any undesirable
physical, chemical or microbiological material into a water source.
• There are two types of contamination sources: point sources and non-
point sources.
3. SOURSES OF WATER CONTAMINATION
Water contaminant sources can be categorized into two super categories:
1. Point sources 2.Non point sources
4. POINT SOURCES
• Point source pollution refers to water contamination entering from a source that
can be Identified and that belongs to the single sources.
• Discharge from a factory or sewage outfall, and include many of the common
inorganic chemical water contaminants.
• Point source pollution or contamination can be broken down further into two
common parts—factories and sewage treatment plants. (discharge pipe from
factories, roadways or leaking underground storage tank)
5. NON-POINT SOURCES
• Non-point source pollution or contamination does not have a single source.
• It is often the cumulative effect of small pollutants gathered in a small area,
usually runoff.
• It is very difficult to control because it comes from many different sources.
• Non-point sources that include agricultural runoff, urban storm water runoff and
other area wide sources.
6. WATER CONTAMINANTS CATEGORIES AND EXAMPLES
Categories Examples
Physical sediment or organic material suspended
in the water of lakes, rivers and streams
from soil erosion
Chemical Nitrogen Bleach Salts Pesticides Metals
Toxins produced by bacteria, and
human or animal drugs
Biological Bacteria, Viruses ,Protozoan, Parasites,
Fungi
Radiological Cesium Plutonium Uranium
7. Agricultural and livestock sources
• Infiltration of fertilizers, pesticides, Wastes from slaughter houses ,animal dung and urine.
• Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are mixed up with water, there will be harmful product for
plants and animals.
• Similarly, when it rains, the chemicals mix up with rainfall and flow down into rivers and canals
which pose serious damages for aquatic animals.
8. Sewage system and waste water
• Sewage water carries harmful bacteria, organic matter, inorganic salts, heavy metals,
viruses, nitrogen and chemicals that can cause serious health diseases.
• It contains 99.9% of water and 0.1% of solid contains
• Lack of systems in un sewered areas, slum areas.
• Leakages and over flow from the sewerage pipelines.
• Overflow from deficient pumping sytems.
• Inadequate sewerage treatment facilities inclusive pipelines
and pumping station for treated waste water.
9. Septic Systems
• Septic tanks, cesspools, and privies are most common types of ground water
contaminants.
• Improperly sited, designed, constructed, or maintained septic systems can
contaminate ground water with bacteria, viruses, nitrates, detergents, oils, and
chemicals.
• Cesspools: large buried chamber with porous walls designed to receive and
percolate raw sewage
10. Natural Sources
• Chemicals in drinking water
• Iron, manganese, arsenic, chlorides, fluorides, sulfates, or radionuclides, can become
dissolved in ground water naturally from rocks or soils.
• Decaying organic matter, can move in ground water as particles.
• Ground water that contains unacceptable concentrations of these substances is not used
for drinking water or other domestic water uses unless it is treated to remove these
contaminants.
• Some substances may cause health threats if consumed in excessive quantities; others
may produce an undesirable odor, taste, or color of water.
11. Industrial and trade wastes-
• Which contain toxic agents ranging from metal salts to complex synthetic organic
chemicals.
• Non treated or poorly treated waste water from the textile plants , tanneries,
distilleries leachates from hazardous waste. eg fertilizer, petrochemical and caustic
soda plants also contaminate the water
• Inadequately treated industrial effluents.
• Leakage and spillages of chemicals.
• Irrigation water from distilleries and textile plants.
12. Municipal solid waste
• Leachates from inadequate collection facilities, uncontrolled
dumping sites and unprotected land fills.
• Uncontrolled dumping into surface waters and sewers.
Energy plants- Leachates from coal, cinders and fly ash.
Storm Water- Over flow from drainage with wash out of accumulated waste.
Acidification: transportation of sulphur dioxide from power plants common in US and
Europe
13. PREVENTION OF WATER CONTAMINATION
• Strict check should be maintained on the quality of drinking water
• Sanitation system must be improved.
• Public awareness- Health education
• Cleaning chemicals that contain toxic substances should not be used extensively.
• Use proper procedures for handling chemicals (Paints, Pesticides, Insecticides,
polishing materials, cleaning chemicals and detergents).
14. Ctnd….
• The effluents from the industries should be neutralized and properly treated and
suspended matter to removed by settlement or filtration.
• From the industrial effluents, specific poisons have to be removed by chemical
methods before discharge into streams. Public sewers should be connected to
biological treatment plants.
• Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers. DO NOT dispose of these
chemicals, motor oil, or other automotive fluids into the sanitary sewer or storm
sewer systems. Both of them end at the river.
15. PARTICIPATION OF INDUSTRIES
• Minimize use of Toxic / Hazardous Raw Materials
• Maintain Integrity of the Storage Tanks, Pipelines, surface impoundments
• Adopt Good Engineering Practices for selecting proper material for tanks and pipes.
• Contaminants must be disposed, handled, and transported appropriately.
• Implement monitoring programs: Leak Detection and repair program, spill detection, spill
control, emergency response plan etc.
• Manage Properly: Waste materials, their transport and disposal.
• Monitor Periodically: Groundwater quality
16. PARTICIPATION OF COMMUNITY
• Minimize use of house hold chemicals containing Hazardous substances.
• Avoid draining chemicals, motor oil, insecticides in community areas.
• Reduce pesticide application
• Immediately clean any spills and report any leakages to concerned department.
17. EFFECTS OF WATER CONTAMINATION
Health Effects
• Health effects are the most common Problems associated with Groundwater
contamination.
• Hepatitis, Dysentery, Poisoning, Bone tissue & tooth discoloration (Excessive
consumption of fluoride), Cholera or giardiasis etc.
18. Environmental Effects
The environment can be seriously damaged when groundwater is contaminated.
• Nutrient pollution
• Toxic water in ecosystems
• Soil Contamination
19. Economic Effects
The economy and industries might be easily suffering and negatively affected when
groundwater becomes contaminated.
-Agricultural activities
-Depreciating value of land
-Industry instability
20. PURIFICATION OF WATER
Impure water can be purified by the following methods.
• Natural methods e.g. Storage , Sunlight
• Artificial methods
I. physical
• Distillation
• Boiling
II. Chemicals
• Precipitation ( Addition of alum & chlorine treatment-100gm/5 gallons of water)
• Disinfection or sterilization (KMno4)
III. Filtration
• Slow sand filtration
• Rapid Mechanical filtration
