Disclaimer/copyrights : In preparation of these slides, materials have been taken from

different online sources in the shape of books, websites, research papers and
presentations etc. However, the author does not have any intention to take any benefit
of these in her/his own name. This lecture is prepared and delivered only for educational
purposes and is not intended to infringe upon the copyrighted material. Sources have
been acknowledged where applicable. The views expressed are presenter’s alone and do
not necessarily represent actual author(s) or the institution.

Course Title: Environmental Geology

Lecture Topic: Water Pollution

1
 Water pollutants:
• Water pollutants include contamination due to domestic wastes,
insecticides and herbicides, food processing waste, pollutants from
livestock operations, volatile organic compounds(VOCs), heavy
metals, chemical waste and others.
The activities that results in polluted water includes:
– Sewage leakages
– High population density
– oil spillage
– Industrial waste dumped into our waters
– Pollution of ground water through drilling activities
– Flooding during rainy season which carries waste deposits into our water
– Building lavatories and visionaries over running water or even the sea as it
the practice in some riverine areas.
– Radioisotopes
– Heavy metals
– Combustion
– Toxic waste disposal at sea
– Mineral processing plant (e.g. coal production)
– Eroded sediments
– Deforestation
– Mining
 Types of water pollutants
• Contaminants can be divided into four general
classes:
• Sediment and natural organic materials:
• The erosion of land surfaces and stream banks
produces sediment. Sediment deposited in streams
can restrict navigation. Sediment can also increase
the potential for floods by decreasing reservoir
storage and stream-channel capacity. Suspended
sediments contribute to the reduction of water
clarity and quality.
• Nutrients:
• An excess amount of nutrients in water can
result in a disproportionate amount of aquatic
vegetation. The decomposition of this excess
vegetation can remove oxygen from water and
cause fish and other aquatic life to die.
• Bacteria:
• Some bacteria are disease-causing organisms
that may be delivered to surface water and
groundwater by sewer overflows, leaking
septic tanks, and runoff from animal feedlots
or pastures. Some bacteria are a threat to
humans. Indicator bacteria are found in great
numbers in the intestines of humans and other
warm-blooded animals.
• Toxic substances:
• In enough quantities, toxic substances, such as
cleaning solvents, pesticides, and certain
metals, can cause sickness, genetic disorders,
and even kill organisms. Toxic chemicals can
enter waters through direct discharge from
industry or by improper disposal of industrial,
mining, farm, and household wastes.