Water Pollution

Water Resources

Water resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful to humans. Uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. Virtually all of these human uses require fresh water. 88.7% of water on the Earth is salt water, and over two thirds of fresh water is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps, leaving only 0.9% available for human use

Sources of Fresh Water
•Surface Water is water in a river, lake or fresh water wetland. Surface water is naturally replenished by precipitation and naturally lost through discharge to the oceans, evaporation, and sub-surface seepage.

•Sub-Surface water, or groundwater, is fresh water located in the pore space of soil and rocks. It is also water that is flowing within aquifers below the water table. Sometimes it is useful to make a distinction between sub-surface water that is closely associated with surface water and deep sub-surface water in an aquifer (sometimes called "fossil water").

Water Stress

According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development - It applies to situations where there is not enough water for all uses, whether agricultural, industrial or domesticPopulation growth
Causes of Water Stress

Population Growth
Increased affluence.

Expansion of business activity.
Rapid urbanization
Climate change
Depletion of aquifers

Water Conservation and Management

Water conservation refers to reducing use of fresh water, through technological or social methods. Water conservation is an integral part of water management. The goals of water conservation efforts include:
•Sustainability - To ensure availability for future generations, the withdrawal of fresh water from an ecosystem should not exceed its natural replacement rate.
•Energy conservation - Water pumping, delivery, and wastewater treatment facilities consume a significant amount of energy. In some regions of the world (for example, California ) over 15% of total electricity consumption is devoted to water management.
•Habitat conservation - Minimizing human water use helps to preserve fresh water habitats for local wildlife and migrating waterfowl, as well as reducing the need to build new dams and other water diversion infrastructure.

Solutions for Water Conservation

•Social Awareness
•Technical Solutions
•Reclaimed water, sometimes called recycled water, is former wastewater (sewage) that has been treated and purified for reuse, rather than discharged into a body of water. E.g Rain water harvesting
•Watershed management
• Catchment management

Water Pollution

•Water pollution is a large set of adverse effects upon water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater caused by human activities.
•Surface water pollution

Although natural phenomena such as volcanoes, algae blooms, storms, and earthquakes also cause major changes in water quality and the ecological status of water, water is only called polluted when it is not able to be used for what one wants it to be used for.

•Ground water pollution
This pollution is much more difficult to abate than surface pollution because groundwater can move great distances through unseen aquifers. Non-porous aquifers such as clays partially purify water of bacteria by simple filtration (adsorption and absorption), dilution, and, in some cases, chemical reactions and biological activity: however, in some cases, the pollutants merely transform to soil contaminants. Groundwater that moves through cracks and caverns is not filtered and can be transported as easily as surface water. In fact, this can be aggravated by the human tendency to use natural sinkholes as dumps in areas of Karst topography

Contaminants

•Contaminants are of two types - Organic and inorganic
•Some inorganic water pollutants include:
•Heavy metals including acid mine drainage
•Acidity caused by industrial discharges (especially sulfur dioxide from power plants)
•Pre-production industrial raw resin pellets, an industrial pollutant
•Chemical waste as industrial by products
•Fertilizers, in runoff from agriculture including nitrates and phosphates
•Silt in surface runoff from construction sites, logging, slash and burn practices or land clearing sites


Some organic water pollutants are:
•Insecticides and herbicides, a huge range of organohalide and other chemicals
•Bacteria, often is from sewage or livestock operations
•Food processing waste, including pathogens
•Tree and brush debris from logging operations
•VOCs (volatile organic compounds), such as industrial solvents, from improper storage
•DNAPLs (dense non-aqueous phase liquids), such as chlorinated solvents, which may fall at the bottom of reservoirs, since they don't mix well with water and are more dense
•Petroleum Hydrocarbons including fuels (gasoline, diesel, jet fuels, and fuel oils) and lubricants (motor oil) from oil field operations, refineries, pipelines, retail service station's underground storage tanks, and transfer operations. Note: VOCs include gasoline-range hydrocarbons.

•Detergents

Action Plan for Rivers: National River Conservation Plan (NRCP)

In 1995 this plan was first launched. Under this all the rivers in India were taken up for clean up operations. This plan covers 18 rivers in 10 states including 46 towns .
Those stretches of rivers that are badly polluted were included in the NRCP. NRCP, more than being a river cleaning programme, is a long-term plan that would eventually lead to conservation of rivers. The project is entirely funded by the Central Government.
Objective : NRCP essentially addresses pollution load from sewer systems of town and cities and works towards intercepting and diverting sewage, setting up STPs, electric crematoria, low-cost sanitation, river front development, afforestation and solid waste management.
Various River Action Plans:

•Ganga action Plan
•Yamuna Action Plan
•Gomti Action Plan
•Damodar Action Plan

Noise Pollution

Noise is undesirable sound. Noise is a disturbance to the human environment that will become a major threat to the quality of human lives. In the past thirty years, noise in all areas, especially in urban areas, have been increasing rapidly. It comes from several sources such as traffic operations, industrial equipments, construction activities, aircrafts etc. It can be continuous as in the case of electric fan, intermittent as in the case of mechanical driller or impulsive as in the case of hammering.

Noise health effects are both health and behavioral in nature. This unwanted sound can damage physiological and psychological health. Noise pollution can cause annoyance and aggression, hypertension, high stress levels, hearing loss, and other harmful effects. Furthermore, stress and hypertension are the leading causes to health problems, can lead to forgetfulness, severe depression and at times panic attacks.


Harmful Effects:
On Human Being, Animal and Property: Noise has always been with the human civilization but it was never so obvious, so intense, so varied & so pervasive as it is seen in the last of this century. Noise pollution makes men more irritable. The effect of noise pollution is multifaceted & inter related. The effects of Noise Pollution on Human Being, Animal and property are as follows:
•I It decreases the efficiency of a man:- Regarding the impact of noise on human efficiency there are number of experiments which print out the fact that human efficiency increases with noise reduction. A study by Sinha & Sinha in India suggested that reducing industrial booths could improve the quality of their work. Thus human efficiency is related with noise.

•II Lack of concentration:- For better quality of work there should be concentration , Noise causes lack of concentration. In big cities , mostly all the offices are on main road. The noise of traffic or the loud speakers of different types of horns divert the attention of the people working in offices.

•III Fatigue:- Because of Noise Pollution, people cannot concentrate on their work. Thus they have to give their more time for completing the work and they feel tiring

•IV Abortion is caused: - There should be cool and calm atmosphere during the pregnancy. Unpleasant sounds make a lady of irriative nature. Sudden Noise causes abortion in females.

•V It causes Blood Pressure: - Noise Pollution causes certain diseases in human. It attacks on the person’s peace of mind. The noises are recognized as major contributing factors in accelerating the already existing tensions of modern living. These tensions result in certain disease like blood pressure or mental illness etc.

•VI Temporary of permanent Deafness:- The effect of nose on audition is well recognized. Mechanics , locomotive drivers, telephone operators etc. All have their hearing . Impairment as a result of noise at the place of work. Physictist, physicians & psychologists are of the view that continued exposure to noise level above. 80 to 100 db is unsafe, Loud noise causes temporary or permanent deafness.

•VII EFFECT ON VEGETATION Poor quality of Crops:- Now is well known to all that plants are similar to human being. They are also as sensitive as man. There should be cool & peaceful environment for their better growth. Noise pollution causes poor quality of crops in a pleasant atmosphere.

•VIII EFFECT ON ANIMAL:- Noise pollution damage the nervous system of animal. Animal looses the control of its mind. They become dangerous.

•IX EFFECT ON PROPERTY:- Loud noise is very dangerous to buildings, bridges and monuments. It creates waves which struck the walls and put the building in danger condition. It weakens the edifice of buildings


NOISE CONTROL (REMEDIES)

The solution the noise pollution may include one or combination of the following measures :

• Source Control : include source modification such as design changes, limiting the operational timings.
  
• Transmission Path Intermission : includes sound insulating enclosures, provision of noise absorbing materials.
  
• Receptor Control : includes provision of personal protection devices such as ear plugs while operating noisy machinery.
  

Legal Control:-

• Constitution of India Right to Life:- Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees life and personal liberty to all persons. It is well settled by repeated pronouncements of the Supreme Court that right to life enshrined in Article 21 is not of mere survival or existence. It guarantees a right of persons to life with human dignity. Any one who wishes to live in peace, comfort and quiet within his house has a right to prevent the noise as pollutant reaching him.
  
• Right to Information:- Every one has the right to information know about the norms and conditions on which Govt. permit the industry which effect the environment.
  
• Right to Religion and Noise:- Right to religion does not include right to perform religious activities on loud speaker and electronic goods which produce high velocity of noise.
  
• Directive Principal of State Policy:- The state has the object to make the enviorment pollution free.
  
• Fundamental Duties:- every citizen of the country has the fundamental duty to clean the environment.
  
  Rules/Regulation
  Court Orders
  –Bombay High Court Order : Oct 5, 2006: By Justice Gokhale and Justice Devadhar - Regarding problem arising from the use of loudspeakers and the instruments causing noise pollution
  
  –Calcutta High Court Judgement - April 1996 - Calcutta High Court and Karnataka High Court has taken a very serious view of sound pollution due to
  
  –News Article: Oct 6, 2006: TOI, Mumbai: No bursting crackers after 10 pm - Bursting of sound-emitting firecrackers not permitted between 10 pm and 6 am during Diwali
  
  In order to control the noise pollution caused from various sources , the Central Government has framed certain rules known as ‘ The Noise Pollution ( Regulation and Control) Rules,2000.’ The rules provide for the ambient air quality standard in respect of noise for different areas. An area comprising 100 meters around hospitals, educational institutions and courts has been declared as silence area or zone. A loud speaker or public address shall not be used at night between 10.00 pm to 6.00 pm except in closed premises.
  

Air Pollution

AIR POLLUTION

Definition
Air pollution may be defined as the presence in the air (outdoor atmosphere) of one or more contaminants or combinations thereof in such quantities and of such durations as may be or tend to be injurious to human, animal or plant life, or property, or which unreasonably interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property or conduct of business.
Air pollution only occurs outdoors.The atmosphere is composed of 78% of nitrogen, 21% of oxygen, 1% carbondioxide, remainder consist of water vapor, trace amount of several other gases such as hydrogen, neon etc.

Air Pollutant
It is a substance or effect dwelling temporarily or permanently in the air , which adversely alters the environment by interfering with the health, the comfort, or the food chain, or by interfering with the property values of people.
A pollutant can be solid , liquid or gas .
It may originate from a natural or human source (or both).
However, it is widely accepted that even a small change can have a significant adverse effect on the climate, ecosystem and species on the planet.
It may originate from both natural and human sources .
Natural sources include dust, forest fires, volcanic eruptions etc.
Human sources include emissions from vehicles, industries etc.

Types of Pollutants

Primary pollutants : are those which are emitted directly into the troposphere from both natural and human activities. There are five primary pollutants – carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, suspended and particulate matter.

Secondary pollutants : when some of the primary pollutants may react with one another or with the basic components of air to form new pollutants eg: sulfuric acid, nitric acid, carbonic acid etc.

Pollutant -Sources -Effects
Carbon Monoxide (CO) -Cigarette smoking, motor vehicle exhaust-Reduces oxygen carrying capacity of blood ,triggers heart attack, causes collapse, coma etc.

Nitrogen Dioxide -Burning of fossil fuel, power & industrial plants. -Lung irritation, aggravates asthma, bronchitis etc.

Sulfur Dioxide -Coal burning in power plants & industrial processes-Breathing problems, bronchitis, reduces visibility etc.

Ozone -Chemical reaction with VOCs by cars & industries.-Heart disease, eyes, nose & throat irritation, cough etc.
Suspended Particulate Matter - Burning coal in power & industrial plants, diesel in vehicles, agriculture, construction. -Nose & throat irritation, lung damage, cancer, shortens life, asthma.

Lead - Metal refineries, storage batteries, lead manufacture. -Accumulates in the body, brain & other nervous system damage, mental retardation.

Effect on Vegetation
Chronic exposure of leaves to air pollution can break down the waxy coating that helps prevent excessive water loss and leads to damage from diseases, drought, reduces nutrient uptake and cause the leaves to turn yellow, brown or drop off altogether.

Green House Effect

Atmospheric scientists first used the term 'greenhouse effect' in the early 1800s. At that time, it was used to describe the naturally occurring functions of trace gases in the atmosphere and did not have any negative connotations. It was not until the mid-1950s that the term greenhouse effect was coupled with concern over climate change. And in recent decades, we often hear about the greenhouse effect in somewhat negative terms. The negative concerns are related to the possible impacts of an enhanced greenhouse effect. It is important to remember that without the greenhouse effect, life on earth as would not be possible.

Greenhouse Effect is the build up of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. These gases act like a blanket and trap heat, thereby leading to global warming. While the earth's temperature is dependent upon the greenhouse-like action of the atmosphere, the amount of heating and cooling are strongly influenced by several factors. The sun heats the Earth; solar radiation passes through the atmosphere, and is absorbed at the Earth’s surface. This heat is emitted from the surface as infra-red radiation. This infra-red radiation cannot escape the atmosphere easily. Instead, some is trapped by a number of gases, hence we have Greenhouse Effect.

Green House Gases

Two greenhouse gases with the largest concentrations are water vapour controlled by the hydrological cycle and carbon dioxide controlled by the carbon cycle. Methane , nitrous oxide , and a few other gases are greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide is produced when the fuel is burnt. Plants convert the carbon dioxide back to oxygen but the release of carbon dioxide from human activities is higher than the world’s plants can process. The situation is made worse since many of the earth’s forests are being removed, and plants life is being damaged by acid rain. Thus the amount of carbon dioxide in the air is continuing to increase. This build up acts like a blanket and traps heat close to the surface of the earth. The planet is losing less heat and as a result we are beginning to experience Global Warming.

GLOBAL WARMING
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution around 1750 ther has been a sharp rise in :
•The use of fossil fuels which releases large amounts of the greenhouse gases into the troposphere,
•Deforestation and clearing and burning of grasslands to raise crops, which release carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere,
•Use of inorganic fertilizers which release nitrous oxide into the troposphere.
The increased inputs of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from human activities will :
•Enhance the earth’s natural greenhouse effect,
•Raise the average global temperature of the atmosphere near the earth’s surface.
This enhanced greenhouse effect is called Global Warming

EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

Warming driven changes: The planet had been heating at the rate of 4 degrees Celsius per century in the last twenty years :
•Warming is causing the breakup of Antarctic ice shelves.
•High above the oceans, most of the earth’s glaciers are retreating – Peruvian Andes & Greenland ice sheet.
•The Arctic sea has thinned by 40 percent in the last two decades.
•Altered the timings of the seasons because of the buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Sea level: A 20 cm rise by 2030 is expected to result from glacial melting and from the thermal expansion of the oceans as water temperature rises, increasing the risk of flooding.

Water resources : Global rainfall patterns will change. This will have serious global implications , droughts & floods will become more common, water quality will suffer owing to an increase in algal blooms.

Terrestrial ecosystems : Many plants & animal species will have problems adapting , which may result in risk from extinction, whereas more tolerant varieties will thrive.

Human health : There is likely to be an increase in the spread of certain diseases – malaria, heat induced deaths are likely to increase, urban air pollution is likely to get worse.

Economic consequences : Rise in disaster relief costs to governments & escalating losses to the world’s property.