Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies such as

lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater caused by human activities, which

can be harmful to organisms and plants that live in these water bodies.

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. 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.
Water pollution has many causes and characteristics.
Although some kinds of water pollution can occur through natural
processes, it is mostly a result of human activities. We use water daily in our
homes and industries, about 150 gallons per day per person in the United States.
The water we use is taken from lakes and rivers, and from underground
(groundwater); and after we have used it-- and contaminated it-- most of it
returns to these locations.

The used water of a community is called wastewater, or sewage. If it is
not treated before being discharged into waterways, serious pollution is the
result. Historically, it has taken humanity quite a bit of time to come to grips with
this problem. Water pollution also occurs when rain water runoff from urban and
industrial areas and from agricultural land and mining operations makes its way
back to receiving waters (river, lake or ocean) and into the ground.
Water pollution can come from a number of different
sources. If the pollution comes from a single source, such as an oil
spill, it is called point-source pollution. If the pollution comes from
many sources, it is called nonpoint-source pollution.

Most types of pollution affect the immediate area
surrounding the source. Sometimes the pollution may affect the
environment hundreds of miles away from the source, such as
nuclear waste, this is called transboundary pollution.
Oxygen-depleting Substances
Chemical
Nutrients
Suspended matter
Surface waters
Groundwater

Many wastes are biodegradable, that is, they can be broken down
and used as food by microorganisms like bacteria. We tend to think of
biodegradable wastes as being preferable to non-biodegradable ones,
because they will be broken down and not remain in the environment for
very long times. Too much biodegradable material, though, can cause the
serious problem of oxygen depletion in receiving waters.

Like fish, aerobic bacteria that live in water use oxygen gas which
is dissolved in the water when they consume their "food". (The oxygen in
the compound H2O, water, is chemically bound, and is not available for
respiration (breathing)). But, oxygen is not very soluble in water. Even when
the water is saturated with dissolved oxygen, it contains only about 1/25
the concentration that is present in air. So if there is too much "food" in the
water, the bacteria that are consuming it can easily use up all of the
dissolved oxygen, leaving none for the fish, which will die of suffocation.
Once the oxygen is gone (depleted), other bacteria that do not
need dissolved oxygen take over. But while aerobic microorganisms-- those
which use dissolved oxygen-- convert the nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon
compounds that are present in the wastewater into odorless-- and
relatively harmless-- oxygenated forms like nitrates, sulfates and
carbonates, these anaerobic microorganisms produce toxic and smelly
ammonia, amines, and sulfides, and flammable methane (swamp gas). Add
in the dead fish, and you see why we don't want large amounts of
biodegradable materials entering lakes and streams.
A whole variety of chemicals from industry, such as metals and
solvents, and even chemicals which are formed from the breakdown of
natural wastes (ammonia, for instance) are poisonous to fish and other
aquatic life. Pesticides used in agriculture and around the home--
insecticides for controlling insects and herbicides for controlling weeds--
are another type of toxic chemical. Some of these can accumulate in fish
and shellfish and poison people, animals, and birds that eat them.
Materials like detergents and oils float and spoil the appearance of a water
body, as well as being toxic; and many chemical pollutants have unpleasant
odors. The Niagara River, between the US and Canada, even caught fire at
one time because of flammable chemical wastes discharged into the water.
The elements phosphorus and nitrogen are necessary for plant
growth, and are plentiful in untreated wastwater. Added to lakes and
streams, they cause nuisance growth of aquatic weeds, as well as "blooms"
of algae, which are microscopic plants. This can cause several problems.
Weeds can make a lake unsuitable for swimming and boating. Algae and
weeds die and become biodegrable material, which can cause the
problems mentioned above. If the water is used as a drinking water source,
algae can clog filters and impart unpleasant tastes and odors to the
finished water.
Some pollutants are dissolved in wastewater, meaning that the
individual molecules or ions (electrically charged atoms or molecules) of
the substance are mixed directly in between the molecules of water. Other
pollutants, referred to as particulate matter, consist of much larger-- but
still very small-- particles which are just suspended in the water. Although
they may be kept in suspension by turbulence, once in the receiving water,
they will eventually settle out and form silt or mud at the bottom. These
sediments can decrease the depth of the body of water. If there is a lot of
biodegradable organic material in the sediment, it will become anaerobic
and contribute to problems mentioned above. Toxic materials can also
accumulate in the sediment and affect the organisms which live there and
can build up in fish that feed on them, and so be passed up the food chain,
causing problems all along the way . Also, some of the particulate matter
may be grease-- or be coated with grease, which is lighter than water, and
float to the top, creating an aesthetic nuisance.
Surface waters are the natural water resources of the Earth.
They are found on the exterior of the Earth's crust and include:

Oceans
Rivers
Lakes

These waters can become polluted in a number of ways, and this is
called surface water pollution.
A lot of the Earth's water is found underground in soil or under
rock structures called aquifers. Humans often use aquifers as a means to
obtain drinking water, and build wells to access it. When this water
becomes polluted it is called groundwater pollution. Groundwater pollution
is often caused by pesticide contamination from the soil, this can infect our
drinking water and cause huge problems.
Health
Environment
Economy
Virtually all types of water pollution are harmful to the health of
humans and animals. Water pollution may not damage our health
immediately but can be harmful after long term exposure. Different forms
of pollutants affect the health of animals in different ways:

Heavy metals from industrial processes can accumulate in nearby lakes
and rivers. These are toxic to marine life such as fish and shellfish, and
subsequently to the humans who eat them. Heavy metals can slow
development; result in birth defects and some are carcinogenic.

Industrial waste often contains many toxic compounds that damage the
health of aquatic animals and those who eat them. Some of the toxins in
industrial waste may only have a mild effect whereas other can be fatal.
They can cause immune suppression, reproductive failure or acute
poisoning.
Microbial pollutants from sewage often result in infectious diseases
that infect aquatic life and terrestrial life through drinking water.
Microbial water pollution is a major problem in the developing world,
with diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever being the primary cause
of infant mortality.

Organic matter and nutrients causes an increase in aerobic algae and
depletes oxygen from the water column. This causes the suffocation of
fish and other aquatic organisms.

Sulfate particles from acid rain can cause harm the health of marine life
in the rivers and lakes it contaminates, and can result in mortality.

Suspended particles in freshwater reduces the quality of drinking water
for humans and the aquatic environment for marine life. Suspended
particles can often reduce the amount of sunlight penetrating the water,
disrupting the growth of photosynthetic plants and micro-organisms.
There are many different types of water pollution and all have a
different adverse effect on the environment.
Heavy metals from industrial processes can accumulate in nearby
lakes and rivers. These are toxic to marine life such as fish and shellfish,
and can affect the rest of the food chain. This means that entire animal
communities can be badly affected by this type of pollutant.

Industrial waste often contains many toxic compounds that damage
the health of aquatic animals and those who eat them. Some toxins
affect the reproductive success of marine life and can therefore disrupt
the community structure of an aquatic environment.

Microbial pollutants from sewage often result in infectious diseases
that infect aquatic life and terrestrial life through drinking water. This
often increases the number of mortalities seen within an environment.
Organic matter and nutrients causes an increase in aerobic algae and
depletes oxygen from the water column. This is called eutrophication
and causes the suffocation of fish and other aquatic organisms.

Sulfate particles from acid rain change the pH of water making it more
acidic, this damages the health of marine life in the rivers and lakes it
contaminates, and often increases the number of mortalities within an
environment.

Suspended particles can often reduce the amount of sunlight
penetrating the water, disrupting the growth of photosynthetic plants
and micro-organisms. This has subsequent effects on the rest of the
aquatic community that depend on these organisms to survive.
Water pollution can be damaging to the economy as it can be
expensive to treat and prevent contamination. Waste that does not break
down quickly accumulates in the Earth's waters and eventually makes its
way to the oceans.

Water pollution can be prevented by stopping pollutants from
contaminating nearby waters. There are a number of water treatments to
prevent pollution such as:
Biological filters
Chemical additives
Sand filters
These simple techniques cost money to maintain, but prevention is much
cheaper than cleaning up water pollution that has already occurred. The
cost of a pollution clean-up depends on many factors:

The location of the pollution is important in determining how much
the clean-up will cost. If the contamination is in an area that is easy to
get to, then the clean up cost will be cheaper.

The contamination size also needs to be considered, the larger the
area of contamination, the more expensive the cost of the clean-up.

The type of pollutant may also have an effect on the clean-up cost,
some pollutants are more difficult to clean up than others, and
therefore more expensive.
If you want to help keep our waters clean, there are many things
you can do to help. You can prevent water pollution of nearby rivers and
lakes as well as groundwater and drinking water by following some simple
guidelines in your everyday life.
Conserve water by turning off the tap when running water is not
necessary. This helps prevent water shortages and reduces the
amount f contaminated water that needs treatment.

Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet. Don't
throw paints, oils or other forms of litter down the drain.

Use environmentally household products, such as washing powder,
household cleaning agents and toiletries.
Take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilisers. This will
prevent runoffs of the material into nearby water sources.

By having more plants in your garden you are preventing fertiliser,
pesticides and contaminated water from running off into nearby water
sources.

Don't throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean up any litter
you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes, make sure it is safe to collect
the litter and put it in a nearby dustbin.
Industrial Treatment
Septic Tanks
Denitrification
Ozone Wastewater Treatment
Waste water can be treated by the following:
Before raw sewage can be safely released back into the
environment, it needs to be treated correctly in a water treatment plant. In
a water treatment plant, sewage goes through a number of chambers and
chemical processes to reduce the amount and toxicity of the waste.

A typical treatment plant consists of a train of individual unit
processes set up in a series, with the output (effluent) of one process
becoming the input (influent) of the next process. The first stages will
usually be made up of physical processes that take out easily removable
pollutants. After this, the remaining pollutants are generally treated further
by biological or chemical processes. These may :
1) convert dissolved or colloidal impurities into a solid or gaseous
form, so that they can be removed physically, or;

2) convert them into dissolved materials which remain in the water,
but are not considered as undesirable as the original pollutants.
The solids (residuals or sludges) which result from these processes
form a side stream which also has to be treated for disposal.
Preliminary treatment to remove large or hard solids that might clog
or damage other equipment. These might include grinders
(comminuters), bar screens, and grit channels. The first chops up rags
and trash; the second simply catches large objects, which can be raked
off; the third allows heavier materials, like sand and stones, to settle
out, so that they will not cause abrasive wear on downstream
equipment. Grit channels also remove larger food particles (i.e.,
garbage).
Primary settling basins, where the water flows slowly for up to a few
hours, to allow organic suspended matter to settle out or float to the
surface. Most of this material has a density not much different from
that of water, so it needs to be given enough time to separate. Settling
tanks can be rectangular or circular. In either type, the tank needs to be
designed with some type of scrapers at the bottom to collect the
settled sludge and direct it to a pit from which it can be pumped for
further treatment-- and skimmers at the surface, to collect the material
that floats to the top (which is given the rather inglorious name of
"scum".) The diagram below shows the operation of a typical primary
settling tank.
Secondary treatment, usually biological, tries to remove the
remaining dissolved or colloidal organic matter. Generally, the
biodegradation of the pollutants is allowed to take place in a location
where plenty of air can be supplied to the microorganisms. This promotes
formation of the less offensive, oxidized products. Engineers try to design
the capacity of the treatment units so that enough of the impurities will be
removed to prevent significant oxygen demand in the receiving water after
discharge.
Denitrification is an ecological approach that can be used to
prevent the leaching of nitrates in soil, this in turn stops any ground water
from being contaminated with nutrients.
Fertilisers contain nitrogen, and are often applied to crops by farmers
to help plant growth and increase the yield.

Bacteria in the soil convert the nitrogen in the fertilizer to nitrates,
making it easier for the plants to absorb.

Immobilization is a process where the nitrates become part of the soil
organic matter.

When oxygen levels are low, another form of bacteria then turns the
nitrates into gases such as nitrogen, nitrous oxide and nitrogen dioxide.

The conversion of these nitrates into gas is called denitrification. This
prevents nitrates from leaching into the soil and contaminating
groundwater.

Septic tanks treat sewage at the place where it is located, rather
than transporting the waste through a treatment plant or sewage system.
Septic tanks are usually used to treat sewage from an individual building.
Untreated sewage from a property flows into the septic tank and the
solids are separated from the liquid.

Solid material is separated depending on their density. Heavier
particles settle at the bottom of the tank whereas lighter particles,
such as soap scum, will form a layer at the top of the tank.

Biological processes are used to help degrade the solid materials.

The liquid then flows out of the tank into a land drainage system and
the remaining solids are filtered out.
Ozone wastewater treatment is a method that is increasing in
popularity. An ozone generator is used to break down pollutants in the
water source.
The generators convert oxygen into ozone by using ultraviolet radiation
or by an electric discharge field.

Ozone is a very reactive gas that can oxidise bacteria, moulds, organic
material and other pollutants found in water.
Using ozone to treat wastewater has many benefits:

Kills bacteria effectively.

Oxidises substances such as iron and sulphur so that they can be
filtered out of the solution.

There are no nasty odours or residues produced from the treatment.

Ozone converts back into oxygen quickly, and leaves no trace once it
has been used.

The treatment requires energy in the form of electricity; this can cost
money and cannot work when the power is lost.

The treatment cannot remove dissolved minerals and salts.

Ozone treatment can sometimes produce by-products such as
bromate that can harm human health if they are not controlled.