Water Contamination

Definition of "Contaminant"
• The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) defines
"contaminant" as any physical, chemical,
biological or radiological substance or matter
in water.
 Whether water contamination is
same as water pollution?
• There is a cut off point at which water
contamination becomes water pollution. It all
has to do with the amount and severity of the
contaminant present
in the water.
 Places of Contamination
• Groundwater pollution is often caused by substances
that seep through the soil into the water table below.
• Surface water isn’t used for drinking very often, but
when it is, it’s often contaminated or polluted by
substances present in the groundwater that
recharges it.
• Rainwater pollution is caused by the evaporation of
polluted water as part of the hydrologic cycle. This is
also how acid rain is formed.
 Reasons of Contamination
• Direct reasons for the contamination of water are those that
can clearly be linked to a specific type or instance of
contamination.
Sewage and septic systems Construction sites Leaks and spills
• Indirect causes of water pollution are those that
don’t have specific situations they can be traced back
to.
Factory dumping Agricultural sites Landfills
• Natural reasons for water contamination occur
whether humans are involved or not.
Heavy metals
Animal waste
Nitrates
Radioactive
 Effects of Water Pollution
• Health effects are by far the most widely-noted
problem associated with water contamination.
Bacteria Viruses
Heavy metals Parasites

• Water contamination can seriously affect

the economy in places where it’s very prevalent.
Housing Fishing Tourism
 How Ganga Action Plan Failed?
• Due to a lack of vision, the infrastructure that was put in place
in 1986 catered to just 175 tanneries in Kanpur. Currently, up
to 50 MLD of toxic tannery wastewater is generated daily,
according to Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), out of
which only 9 MLD can be treated. This implies that almost 40
MLD of industrial effluents do not even reach the IPS for
treatment and is dumped directly into the Ganga through
overflowing drains like the one at Dabka Ghat.

• It is estimated that Kanpur generates 450 MLD of sewage

every day as well but the existing infrastructure can only treat
around 160-170 MLD. The remainder goes to the river
directly.
Thank You 