MES GARWARE COLLEGE OF COMMERCE (AUTONOMOUS)

SY B.com – Semester III

Environment

Topic – Water Pollution

Name- Ganesh Suresh Lole

Class- SY B.com

Roll No. 7086

Topic – Project Report on Water Pollution

INTRODUCTION

Environment is as aggregate of the condition that makeup the surrounding of an individual or

community. The term environment includes all biotic and abiotic entities around us. Biotic refers to
the world of living organisms, whereas the abiotic refers to the non-living elements. Our
environment comprises of three components- natural, human made and is a combination of natural
and human made phenomena. Our environmental resources are finite, living in harmony and
maintaining a perfect balance between natural and human environment is of utmost importance
and is the only way forward to a sustainable future.

The systematic pollution of our environment is one of the biggest hazards that humanity faces today.
People are becoming increasingly aware of the threat posed by pollution and governments are
enacting legislations aimed at protecting the environment.

During the last few decades, the global environment has gone through serious challenges and
changes. Popu-lation pressure has escaped rapidly consequently resources have dwindled.

Pollution is an undesirable change in the physical and biological operations of our air, land and
water. They may be or will be harmful to human life, species our industries pro-cess; living condition
and culture assets or deteriorate our material resources.

Human being can be exposed to pollutant in many ways through the air they breathe, the water they
drink, the food they eat and the cosmetics, drugs and other products they use. The continuing
discovery of previously unsuspected hazards from various chemicals and other substances
underscore the point. The environmental and human health effect of even those substances
identified for priority consideration.

Pollutants also move among the media by changing into more, or less hazardous substances as they
move through environment. They may accumulate in sinks for long period of time and people often
are exposed to the same pollutant through the one medium by breathing air, drinking water, eating
food or absorbing it through skin.

Generally new industrial plants reduce less waste than older ones. One report estimates that new
factories cut the amount of hazardous waste to half. Dilution which increases the volume of waste, is
now more common than segregations.
Firms dilute waste to lower pollutant concentration for discharge into a sewage treatment plant or
directly into air or water, or to inject them more easily into deep wells. To save money, small
electroplating firms after mix their organic waste with those containing metals and cyanide before
dumping them in the sewer rather than treating them independently.

FACTORS AFFECTING ENVIRONEMTAL POLLUTION

Some of the factors which are affecting environment and causes pollution are described as;

1. Consequences of population growth - Population growth is one of the prominent factors

that affect the degradation of the environment. Earlier, pestilence and famine kept the
population under control, but with the development of chemical compounds to restore and
enhance the soil fertility, and with reduction in the death rate, there has been an explosive
growth in population with inevitable consequences. Pollution increases not only because the
people multiply and the space available to each person becomes smaller but also because
the demands per person are continuously increasing and each throw away more and more
every year. Pollutants are the residues of the things we make, use and throw away.
2. Pollution of Indian lakes – Among the surface water bodies, lakes and reservoirs are
considered to be the most valuable water bodies. These surfaces water bodies are currently
under serious pollution threat not only in India but also globally considered to be an
important issue. In almost all cases lake water is highly polluted with silts, agrochemicals,
fertilizer, organic wastes and industrial discharges etc. As a result, considerable biotic
changes along with loss of productivity is noticed. In most of limnological studies of the lake
system thus revealed the fact that most of the lakes slowly transformed into swampy marsh.
3. Pollutants – A pollutant has been de-fined as any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present
in such concentration as may be or tend to be injurious to environment. Smoke from
industries and automobiles, domestic and commercial sewage, radioactive substances from
nuclear plants are discarded, comes under the category of pollutants.

Some examples of pollutants are - Sulphur trioxide, nitrogen dioxide, aldehydes, ketones, ozone
etc. Nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons are two primary pollutants released from automobiles
but in the presence of sunlight, they react to form PAN and ozone, two secondary pollutants
which are far more toxic than the primary poll.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this field report is to study the environmental pollution which is degrading our
natural eco-system and as a result it cases harm to not only environment but also the people
and animals living in it.

Major objectives –

1. Creating the awareness about environmental problems among people.

2. Developing an attitude of concern for the environment.
3. Imparting basic knowledge about the environment and its allied problems.
4. Striving to attain harmony with nature.

CONTENT OF THE FIELD REPORT

Water covers two-third of the Earth’s surface, with over 97% presents in the ocean and less than
1% in the fresh waters, streams and lakes. Water is also present in the atmosphere in solid form
in polar icecaps and as underground.
Water pollution is defined as any chemical or physical changes in water detrimental to Living
organisms. It can occur through natural processes, for example by sediments produced by
natural erosion. Water bodies are a major recipient of an extensive array of wastes produced by
human activity. This are discharged directly into water courses by sewers or pipes from factories
or to be washed down from agricultural or urban areas particularly after heavy rains. Under
rather exceptional circumstances, water bodies may become significantly contaminated by the
atmospheric deposition of pollutants.

As I went for a field report in PCMC to take a report on pollution of water bodies, there after
taking some of the notes from the people of that area it is to be concluded as follows-

When it is asked that what are the major causes of this pollution some of the major highlighted
points are as;

1. Discharge of untreated industrial and domestic sewage into water bodies.

2. Bathing animals and washing clothes in or around that body.
3. Oil leaks from ferry water boats and ships.
4. Agricultural pollutants like organic pesticide and chemical fertilizer training into the water
bodies
5. Disposal of garbage in and around lakes rivers and water bodies.
6. Radioactive chemicals that are directly put into the water

On more investigation about the contaminated water, some of the consequences are to
addressed by the inhabitants. Whenever it occurs through improper waste disposal and
inadequate methods of treatment in urban epicenters.

1. Destruction of aquatic flora and fauna living around the water body.
2. Contamination of drinking water, saw dangerous level of lead infiltrate its supplies.
3. Microscopic pollution of a body of water might seen negligible, but tiny microscopic,
chemicals, heavy metals can be ingested by the organism. These are then consumed by the
bigger organisms, which in turn are consumed by the humans and this can easily cause them
various diseases.
4. The balance between water and agriculture is very critical to the environment. The water
used in agricultural purposes are mostly from the water bodies but as they seem to be
mostly contaminated by the pollution the crops get affected and thus results in bad yield
which creates havoc among the people wholly depends on agriculture.
5. Some of the chemicals affecting human bodies are because of the presence of heavy metals
such as fluoride, arsenic, lead, calcium etc. They cause diseases like fluorosis, respiratory
cancer, arsenic skin lesion etc. which are very harmful for human body.
6. Pollution of decomposing microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, decline in acidified water
which in turn reduces the rate of decomposition of organic water affecting the nutrient
cycle.
7. Organic matter from dead and decaying matter of plants and animals is deposited directly
into the water from sewage discharge and washed along with rainwater into water bodies
causing increase in microbes such as aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.
8. Detergents from domestic and industrial uses wash down into water bodies causing serios
effects on plants.

This water pollution can be controlled by the effective implantation of the strict rules followed
by the people living there and incase they found out that some people are then also
 contaminating the water body then such people are to be punished with proper implementation
of law. Such type of people should be eligible to pay a certain amount of fine in case they are
being caught while contaminating the water bodies.

Sometimes industrial waste is directly thrown away in the water, without being getting it clean
and clear. This waste is to be processed first. It is being made fit so that it can be put in the
water. This industrial people should take care about basic need of water pollution so that other
can imitate them and in this way our water bodies will remain clean forever.

This photo is taken in PCMC. In this it is clearly seen that how the sewage water is being discharged
into the water. Because of this many aquatic plants and animals will get damaged and sometimes
even lead to death which is very worst case. The humans don’t think about themselves so how it is
to be expected that they will think about animals and plants for a second. If they would have
thought they haven’t done this for a while. They should have made proper necessary arrangements
for disposal of sewage water or it is to be treated so that it became fit for aquatic plants and animals
and also for human consumption also.

This is again the photo of the same water body, when it is asked to the inhabitants staying there how
and who did this. So they replied that the people who are huge fans of Ganpati Bappa, people did
visarjan in this water body along with that they threw this things in the water and being we decline
them to do so they said that this is not own by you so it is better to stay away from this. This is
culture of India and no one can stop them from doing this, not even the government of India. It is
seen that on the name of culture people are contaminating the water bodies before even thinking
for a minute. On filing complaint about them to the administrator about this kind of behavior, they
react in a very normal way just like nothing happens and they only instruct us that not to say
anything about this, this is just for 10-15 days and then they will take care to remove those things
and clean the water body as early as possible. But then also it has been 4-5 months that they haven’t
done of those said things and the result is that the inhabitants have to bear the consequences.
Because of all this it became very difficult for us to send our child to play outside, because of the
mosquitoes that are around the water bodies.

WATER SAMPLING

The significance of a chemical analysis to a large extent depends on the sampling program. An ideal
sample should be one which is valid and representative. This condition is met by collection of
samples through a process of random selection. This ensures that composition of the sample is
identical to that of the water body from which it is to be collected and the sample shares the same
characteristics with the sampled water at the time and site of sampling.

LEGISLATION

For effective control of water pollution, legal provisions regarding water pollution should be
enforced by a special administrative machinery comprising of highly qualified and experienced
personnel. Also there should a governmental body which will keep an eye on such type of qualified
personnel so that they will never misuse their position and will do their work honestly and properly.
Government should also make laws relating to the water pollution and it should be properly
implemented and some strict rules and fines are to included in that so that people will think twice
before contaminating the water bodies. Every city should have a city head for governing the water
bodies so that he can keep an eye and can suggest some of the amendments regarding the laws so
that it will be easier to have clean and pure water bodies and also every industry must have a plant
where the dirty and contaminated water can be make clean and to add some of the disinfectants so
that it will be discharged in the water body without affecting the aquatic plants and animals and also
to humans. Pesticides should be strictly not allowed to throw into the water bodies through
agricultural farm runoffs.

CONCLUSION

Water pollution stems from many sources and causes,

Rivers and streams demonstrate some capacity to recover from the effects of certain pollutants, but
lakes, bays, ponds and sluggish rivers have little resistance to the effect of water pollution. We have
a long history of introducing pollutants into aquatic environment, and had only partial success at
repairing the damage that already has been done and the curbing activity that result in environment
degradation. Water bodies are to be protected as it is our one of the basic need. Many people don’t
realise now but then after few years when water will be sold at the price of petrol, then they will
understand the value of water and the need of water in very organism life.