-Priyanti, Subject Matter Expert at Edumarz
Solution: Our water sources are subjected to extensive pollution. The major culprits are the industries pouring their wastes into water bodies, especially rivers. These wastes may be of chemical nature and, more often than not, are toxic. Heavy metals such as zinc, mercury, cadmium , are present in these disposals. Consuming such contaminated water gives rise to a multitude of diseases. Also, people who throw their wastes directly into water bodies decline its quality. Washing clothes, bathing, and carrying out other daily ablutions in rivers pollute them extensively. Our groundwater reserves are also threatened by the same problem; if chemical wastes from industries seep into the groundwater and mix with it, the water becomes unsafe for consumption. Pesticides meant for agricultural use sometimes get leached into the soil and contaminate groundwater. In our area, owing to the digging of too deep tubewells, arsenic pollution is a major problem. Naturally occurring arsenic is found quite deep underground, and disturbing those reserves mix overlying groundwater with this deadly metal. Consumption of such water leads to arsenic poisoning and even death.