Topic 6: WATER ENVIRONMENT

6.1 INTRODUCTION
Water pollution is a human-induced change in the chemical, physical, biological, and radiological quality of
water that is injurious to its existing, intended, or potential uses such as boating, waterskiing, and swimming, the
consumption of fish, and the health of aquatic organisms and ecosystems.
Water is typically referred to as polluted when it is impaired by anthropogenic contaminants.
The contamination of ground water, rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and oceans can threaten the health of
humans and aquatic life.
This pollution is mainly due to human waste.
Water pollution is a major global problem, it requires ongoing evaluation and revision of water resource policy
at all levels (international down to individual aquifers and wells).

6.2 WATER AND ENVIRONMENT

1. What is water for the environment?

 Water is allocated and managed specifically to improve the health of rivers, wetlands and floodplains is
known as water for the environment.

2. Why is water for the environment important?

 Healthy rivers and wetlands support native wildlife alongside a range of industries, including irrigation, dry
land agriculture, fishing, tourism, timber production and bee-keeping.
 Rivers and wetlands also have great cultural and spiritual significance to Aboriginal people. These landscapes
provide a link to traditional storytelling, beliefs and practices. They are also a rich source of food, medicine
and materials for shelter, clothing and tools as part of their living culture.

3. What does water for the environment do?

 Water for the environment has helped to restore, maintain and improve river and wetland sites across NSW
over the past 20 years.
 Water releases trigger a surge in the number of insects and micro-organisms within a wetland. Frogs emerge
to feed and become food for water birds, fish, turtles and other reptiles.
 Plants reproduce and set seed, providing food, shelter and nesting materials for animals. Wetland plants
also filter the water, capturing sediment and returning it to the floodplain floor ready to feed the next
generation of wetland plants.
 During dry times, water for the environment is used strategically to provide refuge sites for key plant and
animal species ensuring their survival in the longer term.
 Environmental flows help to recharge ground water systems. Rivers and wetlands also cool the land around
them. They help to slow fast-flowing flood waters and filter the water running through them. Flows spread
out onto the floodplain, depositing sediments which in turn enrich the soil and increase productivity for
agriculture.

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6.3 WATER POLLUTANTS

- are types of substances that may pollute water.

 The various types of water pollutants can be classified in to following major categories:

1. Organic pollutants

a. Oxygen Demanding wastes - The wastewaters such as, domestic and municipal sewage, wastewater
from food processing industries, canning industries, slaughter houses, paper and pulp mills, tanneries,
breweries, distilleries, etc. have considerable concentration of biodegradable organic compounds either in
suspended, colloidal or dissolved form.

b. Synthetic Organic Compounds - are also likely to enter the ecosystem through various manmade
activities such as production of these compounds, spillage during transportation, and their uses in different
applications. These include synthetic pesticides, synthetic detergents, food additives, pharmaceuticals,
insecticides, paints, synthetic fibers, plastics, solvents and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

c. Oil is a natural product which results from the plant remains fossilized over millions of years, under
marine conditions. Oil enters in to water through oil spills, leak from oil pipes, and wastewater from production
and refineries. This pollutant is responsible for endangering water birds and coastal plants due to coating of oils
and adversely affecting the normal activities.

2. Pathogens

The pathogenic microorganisms enter in to water body through sewage discharge as a major source or
through the wastewater from industries like slaughterhouses. Viruses and bacteria can cause water borne
diseases, such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, polio and infectious hepatitis in human.

3. Nutrients

The agriculture run-off, wastewater from fertilizer industry and sewage contains substantial
concentration of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous. These waters supply nutrients to the plants and may
stimulate the growth of algae and other aquatic weeds in receiving waters. Thus, the value of the water body is
degraded. In long run, water body reduces DO, leads to eutrophication and ends up as a dead pool of water.
People swimming in eutrophic waters containing blue-green algae can have skin and eye irritation,
gastroenteritis and vomiting. High nitrogen levels in the water supply, causes a potential risk, especially to
infants under six months. This is when the methemoglobin results in a decrease in the oxygen carrying capacity
of the blood (blue baby disease) as nitrate ions in the blood readily oxidize ferrous ions in the hemoglobin.

4. Suspended Solids and Sediments

a. These comprise of silt, sand and minerals eroded from land. These appear in the water through the
surface runoff during rainy season and through municipal sewers. This can lead to the siltation, reduces storage
capacities of reservoirs. Presence of suspended solids can block the sunlight penetration in the water, which is
required for the photosynthesis by bottom vegetation.

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5. Inorganic Pollutants

Apart from the organic matter discharged in the water body through sewage and industrial wastes, high
concentration of heavy metals and other inorganic pollutants contaminate the water. These compounds are
non-biodegradable and persist in the environment. These pollutants include mineral acids, inorganic salts, trace
elements, metals, metals compounds, complexes of metals with organic compounds, cyanides, sulphates, etc.

6. Thermal Pollution

Considerable thermal pollution results due to discharge of hot water from thermal power plants, nuclear
power plants, and industries where water is used as coolant. As a result of hot water discharge, the temperature
of water body increases. Rise in temperature reduces the DO content of the water, affecting adversely the
aquatic life.

7. Radioactive Pollutants

a. Mining and processing of ores

b. Use in research, agriculture, medical and industrial activities

c. Radioactive discharge from nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors

d. Uses and testing of nuclear weapons.

6.4 WATER POLLUTION MEASUREMENTS

Water pollution may be analysed through several broad categories of methods physical, chemical and
biological. Most involve collection of samples, followed by specialized analytical tests.

a. Physical Measurements
• Include temperature, solids concentration, and turbidity.
• Colour - In natural water, colour is due to the presence of humic acids, fulvic acids, metallic ions,
suspended matter, plankton, weeds and industrial effluents. Colour is removed to make water
suitable for general and industrial applications and is determined by visual comparison of the
sample with distilled water.
• Temperature plays a very important role in wetland dynamism affecting the various parameters
such as alkalinity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity etc.
• Turbidity is an expression of optical property; wherein light is scattered by suspended particles
present in water (Tyndall effect) and is measured using a nephelometer. Suspended and colloidal
matter such as clay, silt, finely divided organic and inorganic matter; plankton and other microscopic
organisms cause turbidity in water. Turbidity affects light scattering, absorption properties and
aesthetic appearance in a water body. Increase in the intensity of scattered light results in higher
values of turbidity.

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b. Chemical Measurements
• Chemical testing – water samples may be examined using the principles of analytical chemistry. It
includes the measurement of pH value, Chemical Oxygen Demand(COD) and Biological Oxygen
Demand(BOD). There are some other factors which also falls under this categories like oil, nutrients
and metal present in the water sample.
• pH - The effect of pH on the chemical and biological properties of liquids makes its determination
very important. Waste water and polluted natural waters have pH values lower or higher than 7
based on the nature of the pollutant.
• Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is the measure of oxygen equivalent to the organic content of the
sample that is susceptible to oxidation by a strong chemical oxidant. The intrinsic limitation of the
test lies in its ability to differentiate between the biologically oxidisable and inert material. It is
measured by the open reflux method.

c. Biological Measurements
• It includes the presence of Microbes in the water, the total nutrients aquatic lives are getting
from the water. Water pollution can also be measured by the aquatic habitat present in the
water sample. This test determines, for example, whether the water or the sediment is toxic to
life forms or if there has been a fluctuation in the numbers and kinds of plants and animals.
Some of these biological tests are done in a laboratory, while some basic ones are carried out at
the stream or lake. Sampling of water for physical or chemical testing can be done by several
methods, depending on the accuracy needed and the characteristics of the contaminant.
Sampling for biological testing involves collection of plants and animals from the surface water
body. Water sample types analyzed and purposes of analysis: Source water samples are
analyzed to check for contamination and determine general water quality characteristics that
influence the treatment processes. Process water samples are analyzed to provide key
information relevant to treatment optimization. Finished water samples are analyzed to verify
the water meets health-based and aesthetic standards and periodically check for contaminants
that are not regulated in drinking water. Expert tests water samples to designate uses that
protect the structure and function of wetlands for protection of fish, birds, wildlife, and
recreation. The baseline values attached to wetlands in terms of designating the viable usage of
these water bodies based on established standards protecting their functions is also attempted.
• The assessment of the chemical criteria of the water body helps in:
a. Evaluating the chemicals that cause toxicity to aquatic life.
b. Studying the long-term effects on the ecosystem.
c. Conducting the status and monitoring of wetland resources by studying their physico-
chemical and biological parameters.

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6.5 SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION

Sources of water pollution
Point Sources
• It refer to the pollutants that belong to a single
source.
• These are pollutants that are discharged at specific
locations through pipes, ditches or sewers into
bodies of surface waters.
• It includes effluent outfalls from factories, refineries,
waste treatment plants, abandoned underground
mines and oil tankers that emit fluids of varying
quality directly into urban water supplies.
• For example, discharge pipes, where they can be
easily measured and controlled. Examples of point
sources include discharges from municipal
wastewater treatment plants and industrial facilities
and spills that occur due to accidents.
Non – Point Sources
• It refer to pollutants emitted from multiple sources.
• These pollutants cannot be traced to a single point
of discharge. They are large land areas or air-sheds
that pollute water by runoff, subsurface flow or
deposition from the atmosphere.
• It includes contaminants that enter the water supply
from soils/groundwater systems and from the
atmosphere via rain water. Soils and ground waters
contain the residue of human agricultural practices
(fertilisers, pesticides, etc.) and improperly disposed
of industrial waste.
• An example of a non-point source is agricultural
runoff that enters a stream as overland flow. During
precipitation events, runoff from cultivated fields
may contain pesticide residues and fertiliser, as well
as suspended sediments that sorb contaminants.
Loading due to this type of non-point source is
represented by the lateral inflow terms in the
general transport equation. Obviously, non-point
source pollution is much more difficult to identify,
measure and control than point sources.

6.6 CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION

1. Industrial waste

Industries produce huge amount of waste which contains toxic chemicals and pollutants which can
cause air pollution and damage to us and our environment. They contain pollutants such as lead, mercury,
sulphur, asbestos, nitrates and many other harmful chemicals. Many industries do not have proper waste
management system and drain the waste in the fresh water which goes into rivers, canals and later in to sea.
The toxic chemicals have the capability to change the color of water, increase the amount of minerals, also
known as Eutrophication, change the temperature of water and pose serious hazard to water organisms.

2. Sewage and waste water

The sewage and waste water that is produced by each household is chemically treated and released in
to sea with fresh water. The sewage water carries harmful bacteria and chemicals that can cause serious health
problems. Pathogens are known as a common water pollutant; the sewers of cities house several pathogens and
thereby diseases. Microorganisms in water are known to be causes of some very deadly diseases and become

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the breeding grounds for other creatures that act like carriers. These carriers inflict these diseases via various
forms of contact onto an individual. A very common example of this process would be Malaria.

3. Mining Activities

Mining is the process of crushing the rock and extracting coal and other minerals from underground.
These elements when extracted in the raw form contain harmful chemicals and can increase the amount of toxic
elements when mixed up with water which may result in health problems. Mining activities emit several metal
waste and sulphides from the rocks and is harmful for the water.

4. Marine Dumping

The garbage produce by each household in the form of paper, aluminum, rubber, glass, plastic, food if
collected and deposited into the sea in some countries. These items take from 2 weeks to 200 years to
decompose. When such items enters the sea, they not only cause water pollution but also harm animals in the
sea.

5. Accidental Oil leakage

Oil spill pose a huge concern as large amount of oil enters into the sea and does not dissolve with water;
there by opens problem for local marine wildlife such as fish, birds and sea otters. For e.g.: a ship carrying large
quantity of oil may spill oil if met with an accident and can cause varying damage to species in the ocean
depending on the quantity of oil spill, size of ocean, toxicity of pollutant.

6. Burning of Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels like coal and oil when burnt produce substantial amount of ash in the atmosphere. The
particles which contain toxic chemicals when mixed with water vapor result in acid rain. Also, carbon dioxide is
released from burning of fossil fuels which result in global warming.

7. Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides

Are used by farmers to protect crops from insects and bacterias. They are useful for the plants growth.
However, when these chemicals are mixed up with water produce harmful for plants and animals. Also, when it
rains, the chemicals mixes up with rainwater and flow down into rivers and canals which pose serious damages
for aquatic animals.

8. Leakage from Sewer Lines

A small leakage from the sewer lines can contaminate the underground water and make it unfit for the
people to drink. Also, when not repaired on time, the leaking water can come on to the surface and become a
breeding ground for insects and mosquitoes.

9. Global Warming

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An increase in earth’s temperature due to greenhouse effect results in global warming. It increases the
water temperature and result in death of aquatic animals and marine species which later results in water
pollution.

10. Radioactive Waste

Nuclear energy is produced using nuclear fission or fusion. The element that is used in production of
nuclear energy is Uranium which is highly toxic chemical. The nuclear waste that is produced by radioactive
material needs to be disposed off to prevent any nuclear accident. Nuclear waste can have serious
environmental hazards if not disposed off properly. Few major accidents have already taken place in Russia and
Japan.

11. Urban Development

As population has grown, so has the demand for housing, food and cloth. As more cities and towns are
developed, they have resulted in increased use of fertilizers to produce more food, soil erosion due to
deforestation, increase in construction activities, inadequate sewer collection and treatment, landfills as more
garbage is produced, increase in chemicals from industries to produce more materials.

12. Leakage from the Landfills

Landfills are nothing but huge pile of garbage that produces awful smell and can be seen across the city.
When it rains, the landfills may leak and the leaking landfills can pollute the underground water with large
variety of contaminants.

13. Animal Waste

The waste produce by animals is washed away into the rivers when it rains. It gets mixed up with other
harmful chemicals and causes various water borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, jaundice, dysentery and
typhoid.

14. Underground Storage Leakage

Transportation of coal and other petroleum products through underground pipes is well known.
Accidentals leakage may happen anytime and may cause damage to environment and result in soil erosion.

6.7 TYPES OF WATER POLLUTION

1. Nutrients Pollution

A form of water pollution caused by nutrients and can effect surface underground. Some wastewater,
fertilizers and sewage contain high levels of nutrients.

2. Surface Water Pollution

It is found on the earth's surface like rivers, lakes , lagoons and oceans. Hazardous substances coming
into contact with the surface water, dissolving/mixing physically with tge water can be called surface water pollution.

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3. Oxygen Depleting

Water bodies have microorganisms. When too much biodegradable matters end up in water. It
encourages more microorganism growth, and they use up more oxygen in the water.

4. Ground Water Pollution

When human apply pesticides and chemicals to soils, they washed deep into the ground by rainwater.
This gets to underground water, causing pollution underground.

5. Microbiological Pollution

Sometimes there is natural pollution caused by microorganisms like viruses, bacteria and protozoa. This
natural pollution can cause fishes and other water life to die.

6. Suspended Water Pollution

Some pollutants do not easily dissolve in water. This kind of material is particulate matter. Some
suspended pollutants later settle under the water body .This can harm or kill aquatic organisms that live at the
bottom of water bodies.

7. Chemical Water Pollution

Many industries work with chemicals that end up in water .These include chemicals that are used to
control weeds, insects and pests. Metals and solvent from industries can pollute water bodies.

8. Oil Spillage

Many industries work with chemicals that end up in water .These include chemicals that are used to
control weeds, insects and pests. Metals and solvent from industries can pollute water bodies.

6.8 EXTENT OFWATER POLLUTION

1. Endangering Plant and animal Species

a. Oil Spill

In an oil spill, sea birds cloaked with oil will freeze to death as their feathers cannot insulate air
to protect them from the cold. They are unable to fly or float water resulting of drowning. An area
subjected to a large oil spill can become uninhabitable for the birds as food supplies are gradually killed
off from the toxic poisons, and oil coating nesting areas destroys critical habitat.

b. Eutrophication

When the aquatic system has an overabundance of nutrients we get eutrophication. A eutrophic
stream, river or lake occurs when too many nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorous, are present.
Nitrogen and phosphorus encourage the growth of algae covering the water surface. Sunlight cannot

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penetrate and reach the aquatic plants causing them to die as the photosynthesis cannot occur. Aquatic
and marine animals that depends on these plants for food will be affected.

2. Negative Impact on Human Health

a. Chemicals and toxic metals contaminate shellfish beds, kill spawning fish and accumulate in the
bottom marine feeders.

b. People, especially in poor developing countries, can suffer from cholera and typhoid when they
drink contaminated water

3. Eating Poisonous Marine Food

a. Our trash kills

b. When odds and ends of life on land particularly plastics, end up in the sea, they pose hazards on
marine life.

c. Animals drown or strangle from getting tangled in discarded or lost fishing gear, or suffer and
even die from eating plastics and other garbage.

4. Economic Loss

Oil spills threaten the fishing industry and fishermen’s livelihood.

6.9 CONTROL MEASURES OF WATER POLLUTION

1. Administration of water pollution control should be in the hands of state or central government
2. Scientific techniques should be adopted for environmental control of catchment areas of rivers, ponds
or streams
3. Industrial plants should be based on recycling operations as it helps prevent disposal of wastes into
natural waters but also extraction of products from waste.
4. Plants, trees and forests control pollution as they act as natural air conditioners.
5. Trees are capable of reducing sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide pollutants and hence more trees should
be planted.
6. No type of waste (treated, partially treated or untreated) should be discharged into any natural water
body. Industries should develop closed loop water supply schemes and domestic sewage must be used for irrigation.
7. Qualified and experienced people must be consulted from time to time for effective control of water
pollution.
8. Public awareness must be initiated regarding adverse effects of water pollution using the media.
9. Laws, standards and practices should be established to prevent water pollution and these laws should
be modified from time to time based on current requirements and technological advancements.
10. Basic and applied research in public health engineering should be encouraged.

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