Water pollution in India

Water pollution refers to the contamination of water bodies (such as rivers, lakes, oceans, groundwater) by harmful substances or pathogens, making them unfit for human use or harmful to aquatic life. This contamination can occur from various sources, including industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, untreated sewage, and improper disposal of waste. The presence of pollutants in water can have serious environmental, health, and economic consequences.

Canals, rivers and lakes in India often serve as dumping grounds for sewage, solid and liquid wastes. These are sources of water pollution, as illustrated in Tamil Nadu (above) and West Bengal (below).

Water pollution is a major environmental issue in India. The largest source of water pollution in India is untreated sewage.^[1] Other sources of pollution include agricultural runoff and unregulated small-scale industry. Most rivers, lakes and surface water in India are polluted due to industries, untreated sewage and solid wastes.^[2][3] Although the average annual precipitation in India is about 4000 billion cubic metres, only about 1122 billion cubic metres of water resources are available for utilization due to lack of infrastructure.^[4] Much of this water is unsafe, because pollution degrades water quality. Water pollution severely limits the amount of water available to Indian consumers, its industry and its agriculture.