Water Pollution The contamination of water sources beyond permissible limits is called water pollution. It includes the contamination of both surface water and groundwater. Most manufacturing industries require enormous amounts of water as an input in their production process. Surface water pollution is often caused by nutrients, pathogens, plastics and chemicals such as antibiotics, heavy metals and pesticides. These pollutants have different environmental effects. Excess nutrients, for instance, may result in harmful algal blooms and hypoxia both in rivers and in coastal seas. • Water pollution • Soil pollution • Thermal pollution • Radiation pollution 10.3 AIR POLLUTION Air pollution is a result of industrial and certain domestic activity . An ever increasing use of fossil fuels in power plants, industries, transportation, mining, construction of buildings, stone quarries had led to air pollution. Pollution can be defined in several ways. Water pollution occurs when energy and other materials are released, degrading the quality of the water for other users. Water pollution includes all of the waste materials that cannot be naturally broken down by water. In other words, anything that is added to the water, above and beyond its capacity Water pollution may be defined as the contamination of streams, lakes, seas, underground water or oceans by substances, which are harmful for living beings. Industrialisation and population explosion are two important factors for water pollution. WATER POLLUTION Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans and ground waters). Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. Water pollution affects plants and organisms living in these bodies of water. Water pollution is defined as any chemical or physical changes in water detrimental to living organisations. It may occur through natural processes (e.g. from sedimentation by natural erosion). In this chapter the discussion of water pollution will be restricted only to pollutants that are directly or indirectly caused by human activity. Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities, so that it negatively affects its uses. [1] : 6 Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants are introduced into these water bodies. Causes of water pollution can be classified under two broad categories , 'point source' which occurs when harmful substances are emitted directly into a body of water and 'nonpoint source' which delivers pollutants indirectly through transport or environmental change. An example of a point source of water pollution is a pipe from an Water pollution is described as the release of pollutants into bodies of water that render them unsafe to drink and harm aquatic ecosystems. Various contaminants, such as hazardous trash, gasoline, and pathogenic bacteria, can pollute water. Water, a renewable resource, is a vital compound for life on Earth. Water Pollution . An introduction to Water Pollution. • Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies such as rivers, lakes, oceans and groundwater. • This occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies, without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. • Humans are the