28th Ambassadorship, Month 1, Report 2

Month: March

Thematic report

Topic: Water Pollution

Environmental pollution occurs when pollutants contaminate the natural surroundings. Pollution disturbs the balance of our ecosystems, affect our normal lifestyles and gives rise to human illnesses and global warming. Pollution has reached its peak due to the development and modernization in our lives. With the development of science and technology, there has been a huge growth of human potentials. People have become prisoners of their own creations.

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (like oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, aquifers, and groundwater) usually caused due to human activities. Water pollution is any change, minor or major in the physical, chemical or biological properties of water that eventually leads to a detrimental consequence of any living organism. Drinking water, called Potable Water, is considered safe enough for human and animal consumption. In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species & population but also the natural biological communities

objectives:

a)In order to know about water pollution in the society

b)To record and list several pollutants.

c)To identify reason behind the pollution

d)To give the remedial measure or alternative method for reason causing water pollution

Methodology:

1)Site selection: We selected easily accessible and suitable place i.e. Sesmati, Kathmandu.

2)Data collection:

2.1)Primary data collection Primary sources of information included case studies, interviews, questionnaires and observations. For collection of primary data, methods included questionnaire,survey, physical mapping and references provided by concerned local residents. Questionnaire surveys were conducted with people living there. An investigation survey was conducted for the identification of the study areas. The study areas were identified and delineated. For this purpose, internet surfing was done and the site was visited.

a)Interview: The interview is an important tool of research. The oral questionnaire method was used in the analysis and the response of the interviewee were written and recorded.

b. Questionnaire: A questionnaire is a formulated series of questions. It is used when factual data

and information is desired. Questionnaires administered personally to an individual or groups

2. 2)Morphometry: Sesmati is located at eastern Tarakeshwor municipality .Study area is located

at 27 0 44’ 38’’ N and 850 18’ 00’’E. It is 9 k.m from Kalanki.

2.3) Climate and Soil:

Climate is nearly temperate & it is well watered by the seasonal river as well as abundant ground water. Summer is warm & humid while winter is mild & pleasant. Alluvial soil is present here.

Result and discussion:

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms— contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment. Human activity is the principal cause of the poor water quality.

There are mainly two chief sources of water pollution. They are point & nonpoint source. When contamination originates from a single source, it’s called point source pollution. Examples include wastewater (also called effluent) discharged legally or illegally by a manufacturer, oil refinery, or wastewater treatment facility, as well as contamination from leaking septic systems, chemical and oil spills, and illegal dumping. Nonpoint source pollution is contamination derived from diffuse sources. These may include agricultural or storm water runoff or debris blown into waterways from land. Water is uniquely vulnerable to pollution. Known as a “universal solvent,” water is able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on earth. The uncoordinated rapid urban expansion, inadequate wastewater treatment facilities, low levels of awareness, lack of regulations and insufficient adherence to municipal and industrial wastewater generation laws are considered to be the primary reasons for pollution in the Sesmati River. The direct source of water pollution in the river can be rendered as the large population of Kathmandu valley. Indirect sources of water pollution include contaminants that enter the water supply from soils or groundwater systems & from the atmosphere through rain.

Effects of Water Pollution:

1. Diseases: In humans, drinking or consuming polluted water in any way has many disastrous effects on our health. It causes typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and various other diseases.

2. Effects of Hazardous Pollutants (Toxic Metals and Other Chemicals): Compounds of mercury, arsenic and lead are poisonous and chemically harmful as they even affect water treatment plants Example Organics Sulphur compounds interfere with nitrification.

3. Destruction of Ecosystems: Ecosystems are extremely dynamic and respond to even small changes in the environment. Water pollution can cause an entire ecosystem to collapse if left unchecked.

4. Eutrophication: Chemicals in a water body, encourage the growth of algae. These algae form a layer on top of the pond or lake. Bacteria feed on this algae and this decreases the amount of oxygen in the water body, severely affecting the aquatic life there.

5. Effects the food chain: Disruption in food chains happens when toxins and pollutants in the water are consumed by aquatic animals (fish, shellfish etc) which are then consumed by humans.

6.Stagnant water should be removed to prevent breeding of mosquito. When water borne diseases appear it must be detected & vaccination should be done accordingly.

7.Care must be given specially to children & the diseased person separately.

Level of water pollution on visited sites:

Water pollution and its primary cause as the degradation of aesthetic value of Sesmati River and the foul smell from the river side was the main problem.

People of that area use water as damping sites. They are unaware about the biodegradable and nondegradable compounds. By the use of degradable compound and they can make compost manure and for the management of non-degradable compound they can reuse and recycle but totally unknown about this. Various substances like Pb, Hg, etc are deadly to human and aquatic

plants and animals. People are disposing their wastage, plant residue, farm animal’s wastage, unnecessary plastics bag, meat product, waste from the cremation ritual of people into the river. Therefore pollution increases day by day.

Summary and Conclusion:

After our observation & study on that site, we identify various reasons for the pollution of that river. There were many pollutants present in that area that spread the viral and epidemic diseases. The main cause for the pollution of water bodies is mixing of drainage, plastic, sewage into the river. And the main is lack of awareness among the local resident about effects of water pollution. The specific contaminants leading to pollution in water include a wide spectrum of chemicals, pathogens, mixing of wastage from the temple into the river & physical changes such as elevated temperature & discoloration.

Water pollution can be caused in a number of ways, one of the most polluting being sewage & industrial waste discharge. The direct source of water pollution in the river can be rendered as the large population of Kathmandu valley. Indirect sources of water pollution include contaminants that enter the water supply from soils or groundwater systems & from the atmosphere through rain. Soils & groundwater contain the residue of human agricultural practices & also improperly disposed industrial wastes that lead to pollution.

Pollution possess a serious risk to life especially when the water is a source of drinking and for domestics purpose for human polluted waters are potent agents of diseases such as cholera , typhoid ,and TB . Some insecticides like DDT are particularly dangerous when allowed into bodies of water because its concentration increases along the food chain

References:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S111049291630090X