This document outlines the major sources of water pollution. It identifies 17 sources of water pollution which are grouped into two categories: point sources and non-point sources. Point sources are single identifiable sources like pipes or drains, while non-point sources are more diffuse like agricultural and urban runoff. The 17 sources discussed include industrial waste, sewage, mining activities, marine dumping, oil spills, fossil fuel burning, fertilizers and pesticides, sewer leakage, global warming, radioactive waste, urban development, landfill leakage, animal waste, underground water leakage, agricultural discharge, detergents, and siltation.

1. DEPARTMENT: BS CHEMISTRY
GOVT GRADUATE COLLEGE TAUNSA

2. SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
Point sources:
 Singl & identifiable source of pollution
 Pipe or a drain
Non point sources:
 Industrial & sewage treatment plants
 Cause of rainfall or snow melt
 Natural & human made pollutants
 Lakes,rivers, wetlands, coastal & ground waters
 Transportation of vehicles
 Agricultural & urban runoff
 Cary excess nutrients, pesticides,& Siltation occur

3. MAJOR SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
1) Industrial waste :
 Huge amount of toxic chemicals
 Drainage of wastes into rivers, canals & later into sea
 Organic substances( oils, grease,dyes, suspended solids)
 Eutrophication
2) Sewage & domestic waste:
 Cloudy dilute aqueous solution
 Mineral & organic matter
 75% of water pollution
 Cause of sewage, domestic waste & sewage sludge
 Muncipal waste
 Harmful bacteria, suspended solids, chemical & trace quantities of
toxic metals
 Health problems
 Pathogens ( water pollutant)

4. MAJOR SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
3) Mining activities:
 Crushing rock & extraction of coal
 Extracted raw form contain harmful chemicals
 Increase the toxic concentration of water
 Health problems
 Several metal waste & sulphides
4) Marine dumping:
 Household garbage
 Decomposition period from 2 weeks to 200 years
5) Accidental oil leakage:
 Oil spillage forms layer over the sea surface
 Harmful for Marine & aquatic life especially fishes

5. MAJOR SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
6) Burning of fossil fuels:
 Coal & oil produce substantial amount of ash in atmosphere
 Toxic chemicals with water Vapors cause of acid rain
 Carbon dioxide emission , results in global warming
7) Chemical fertilizers & pesticides:
 Farmers use this fertilizers for the protection of crops
 From insects and bacteria
 Useful in plants growth
 Chemicals when mixed up with rain water , becomes harmful for aquatic organisms
8) Leakage from sewer lines:
 Contaminate underground water
 Unfit for drinking purpos
 Become a breeding ground for insects & mosquitoes

6. MAJOR SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
9) Global warming:
 Increase in Earth’s temperature
 Greenhouse effect
 Increase in water temperature
 Result in death of aquatic animals & marine species
 Cause of water pollution
10) Radioactive waste:
 Nuclear energy
 Nuclear fission or fusion
 Uranium is highly toxic Chemical in production of Nuclear
energy
 Extremely toxic radioactive Pu,Np, Am, Cm, Bk,Cs ,Zr,Ru
etc
 Few major accidents have already taken place in Russia &
Japan

7. MAJOR
SOURCES
OF WATER
POLLUTIO
N
11) Urban development:
 Increase in population
 Result in increased use of fertilizers
 Soil erosion due to deforestation
 Increase in construction activities
 Inadequate sewer collection & treatment
 Lanfills due to more production of garbage
 Increase in chemicals
12) Leakage from landfills:
 Huge pile of garbage with awful smell
 Due to raining , landfills become leak
 Pollut the underground water
 Large variety of contaminants

8. MAJOR SOURCES OF WATER
13) Animal waste:
 Washed away into rivers
 When it rains, it mixed up with harmful chemicals
 Causes water borne diseases
 Cholera, diarrhea, jaundice, dysentery, & typhoid
14) Underground water leakage
 Transportation of coal and petrol
 Underground pipes
 Accidental leakage occurr anytime
 Damage to Environment & results in soil erosion
15) Agricultural discharge:
 Plant nutrients, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides,
fertilizers, Farm wastes , plants & animal debris, soil erosion
 Mostly inorganic materials
 Heavy pollution to water Sources

9. MAJOR SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
16) Detergents:
 Used as cleaning agents
 Household detergents
 Contain several pollutans
 Surface active agents
 Contribute to
 Phosphates, sodium,amides
17) Siltation:
 Most widespread & damaging pollutants
 Hill streams
 Soil particles creat high turbidites in water
 Hinder free movement of aquatic organisms