Water pollution occurs when pollutants contaminate water bodies directly or indirectly. Various human activities like industries, agriculture, mining, wetland destruction and deforestation can pollute water. Industries release waste that affects water quality, while agriculture increases soil erosion, nutrients and pesticide use. Mining increases minerals and affects pH and clarity. Wetland destruction removes natural filters, and deforestation increases soil erosion, nutrients and disease risk. Accidental pollution from spills can also damage water. Soil pollution reduces soil quality, increases health risks, and contaminates water sources through runoff. It harms soil ecosystems. Various agencies work to prevent water and soil pollution and provide information.

2. • Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes,
rivers, oceans, groundwater).
• Water pollution occur when pollutants (physical, biological agent
,chemicals substances that make water contaminated) are discharged
directly or indirectly into water bodies without enough treatment to
get rid of harmful compounds.
• Water pollution can be a Point-source, Non Point-source.
• Water pollution is the second most imperative environmental concern
after air pollution.

5. Industries
Industries produce waste that can
affect the:
pH of water
colour of water
amount of nutrients
temperature
murkiness of water
minerals and salt

6. Agriculture
 Increases soil erosion due to the
physical disturbance of soil and
vegetation
 Increases nutrients due to
fertilisers and excreta
 Increased pesticide use.

7. Mining
Mines produce waste that:
can increase the amount of
minerals and salts in the
water
can affect the pH of the
water
can increase the murkiness
of the water.

8. Wetlands Destruction
Wetlands are nature’s way of cleaning
water:
Destroys the habitat of many birds
and fish
Removes the natural filters capable
of storing and degrading many
pollutants, such as phosphorus and
heavy metals
Destroys natural dams and causes
flood damage

9. Deforestation
 Clearing land for agriculture and
urban growth
 soil erosion
 nutrient leaching
 murkiness of the water
 there is an increase risk of
disease

10. Accidental Water Pollution
 Accidental water pollution can
arise from many sources (such
as burst pipes and tanks, major
leaks,oil spills)
 can cause varying degrees of
damage, depending on the
quantity, toxicity and
persistence of the pollutant.

11. • Insecticides are chemicals that are sprayed onto crops to kill the insects that eat crops.
One of the more controversial insecticide is DDT. The use of DDT on crops was used to
control the malaria mosquito.
• Insecticides are easily washed by the rain into streams and groundwater where they poison
fish and aquatic animals. Many insecticides are stored for a long time in the bodies of
animals and can end up in the meat, fish, that we eat.
• Heavy metals such as nickel, molybdenum, zinc, cadmium and lead are mined and processed
by the mining and ore-smelting industries, These metals are easily washed into streams and
groundwater. Copper and mercury are another two heavy metals, which are found in
fungicides. Fungicides are also sprayed on crops and easily washed into rivers.

12. • Textile factories also release strong chemicals like caustic soda, acids, dyes and
detergents into water. These strong poisons also cause seabird and fish kills similar to
insecticide poisoning. These chemicals are also directly poisonous to humans.
• Some chemicals like fertilisers are made of substances that do occur naturally in the
environment, but only in small amounts. When too much fertiliser is washed from
farmlands into a river then that water will also become polluted.
• Human sewage or cattle excrement that is untreated also causes water pollution in the
same way as fertilisers do. Human sewage also contains germs that cause diseases such
as hepatitis and cholera.

13. • Phosphates and nitrates are found in fertilisers, sewage and soaps.
Phosphorus is an essential element for life, both as a nutrient for plant
life and as a key element in the metabolic processes of all living things.
• Nitrogen in the form of ammonia (NH3) and nitrates (NO3) form part of
the plant nutrients that can lead to eutrophication.

14.  Never throw rubbish away anyhow,Always look for the correct waste bin.
 Use water wisely. Do not keep the tap running when not in use.
 Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain,
or the toilet. there should be disposal of medicines and chemicals.
 Buy more environmentally safe cleaning liquids for use at home and other
public places. They are less dangerous to the environment.
 Not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers.
 Try to plant lots of trees .

15.  MGNREGA for Water Conservation
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is one of the biggest
government funded employment scheme in the world. The government to improve
groundwater harvesting and build water conservation and storage mechanisms through
MGNREGA.
 CCPC Recommendations for Water Quality
The Central Consumer Protection Council has expressing concern over the quality of water
supplied through pipelines in rural and urban households. The CCPC has recommended
setting up of mandatory standards for the drinking water supplied through pipelines.

16.  Jal Kranti Abhiyan
The government is making active efforts to revolutionise villages and cities through block
level water conservation schemes in the coming years. For example; the Jal Gram Scheme
under the Jal Kranti Abhiyan is at developing two model villages in water starved
areas to lead the other villages towards water conservation and preservation.
 National Water Mission
Under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. The Union Cabinet approved (on
6th April, 2011) the comprehensive Mission Document for National Water Mission
(NWM). The main of NWM is “conservation of water, minimizing wastage and
ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated
water resources development and management

17.  The clean water act
In terms of broader problem of protecting receiving waters, the most important
legislation was the federal water pollution control act, enacted by public law in 1972.
it is more commonly known by its short title the clean water act.Its major is
to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation’s
water.
 NPDES Program
The NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit program,
created in 1972 by the Clean Water Act (CWA), helps address water pollution by
regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States.
 Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974
The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 was adopted by the Indian
parliament with the of prevention and control of Water Pollution in India. Under
Water Act 1974, Sewage or pollutants cannot be discharged into water bodies
including lakes and it is the duty of the state pollution control board to stop such
activity.

18. There are a number of agencies and organisations that work to prevent
water pollution and provide relevant information.

19.  Soil pollution is defined as the presence of toxic chemicals
(pollutants or contaminants) in soil,in high enough
concentrations to pose a risk to human health and/or the
ecosystem.
 Soil pollution is still said to occur if the levels of the
contaminants in soil exceed the levels that should naturally
be present.

20.  Various compounds get into the soil from the atmosphere
• precipitation
• wind activity
• surface water bodies
• shallow groundwater flowing through the soil.
 There are two main causes through which soil pollution is generated
• anthropogenic
• natural

21. Natural processes can lead to an accumulation of toxic chemicals in the
soil. This type of contamination has only been recorded in a few cases,
such as the accumulation of higher levels of perchlorate in soil from
the Atacama Desert in Chile, a type of accumulation which is purely
due to natural processes in arid environments.
Man-made contaminants are the main causes of soil pollution and
consist of a large variety of contaminants or chemicals, both organic
and inorganic. They can pollute the soil either alone or combined with
several natural soil contaminants. Man-made soil pollution is usually
caused by the improper disposal of waste coming from industrial or
urban sources, industrial activities, and agricultural pesticides.

22. Chemical/Oil Spills and Leaks
Mining Activities
Construction Activities
Use of Chemicals in Agriculture
Cracked Paint Chips from Buildings
Sewage Leaks
Acid rain
Nuclear wastes
Electronic waste

23. Biological agents work inside the soil to introduce manures and digested
sludge (coming from the human, bird and animal excreta) into the soil.
The soil of the crops is polluted to a large extent with pesticides,
fertilizers, herbicides, slurry, debris, and manure.
Radioactive substances such as Radium, Thorium, Uranium, Nitrogen,
etc. can infiltrate the soil and create toxic effects.

24. contd..
Urban waste consists of garbage and rubbish materials, dried sludge
and sewage from domestic and commercial waste.
Steel, pesticides, textiles, drugs, glass, cement, petroleum, etc. are
produced by paper mills, oil refineries, sugar factories, petroleum
industries and others as such.

25. contd..
lead paint, mining activities, vehicle exhaust, construction activities, agriculture activities
mining, incineration of coal, alkali and metal processing, medical waste, volcanoes and geologic
deposits,
mining, coal-fired power plants, lumber facilities, electronics industry,
mining activities; construction activities
mining activities; construction activities

26. It can decrease the quality of the crop. Regular use of chemical fertilizers, inorganic
fertilizers, pesticides will decrease the fertility of the soil. Over the time the soil will
become less productive.
It will increase the exposure to toxic and harmful chemicals thus increasing health threats
to people. Living, working or playing in the contaminated soil can lead to respiratory
diseases, skin diseases, and other diseases. Moreover, it can cause other health problems.
The surface run-off after raining will carry the polluted soil and enter into different water
resource. Thus, it can cause underground water contamination thereby causing water
pollution. This water after contamination is not fit for human as well as animal use due to
the presence of toxic chemicals.

27. contd..
Soil pollution can cause an imbalance of the ecosystem of the soil. The
soil is an important habitat of different type of microorganisms,
animals, reptiles, mammals, birds, and insects. Thus, soil pollution can
negatively impact the lives of the living organisms and can result in the
gradual death of many organisms.

28. • Rotation planting of crops on the same portion of land in a given time
frame.
• Use of fertilizers like dung manure,compost, green manure and other
organic composts reduce soil erosion.
• Develop forests in new areas to increase the soil fertility.This can
help to reduce erosion from rain, water, air.

29. contd..
• Less waste can contribute to help prevent soil pollution. Recycling of
waste materials like plastic, glass, a paper will definitely reduce the
waste which is sent to landfill. We should purchase the reusable
products.
• Proper disposal of waste is must to avoid the soil pollution. Making
awareness in the community to adopt the ways to treat waste before
disposing of it to prevent the pollution. the solid waste not only
pollutes the soil it also pollutes water bodies.

30.  Schmitz,J.R.,1995 Introduction to water pollution biology.pp.2-15.
 Limited,E.R.,1983 Water pollution and management.pp.218-222.
 http://www.wild-lab.com/courses/wetlands/research/
 http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/
 https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/
 https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/
 https://www.water-pollution.org.uk/
 https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/soil/