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Microplastics & Chemical Contaminants
FASCINATING
• Microplastics in Drinking Water: The WHO reports
FACTS ON WATER that microplastics are present in 90% of bottled water
globally, with unknown long-term health impacts.
CONTAmINATION (World Health Organization, WHO)

• Forever Chemicals in Water: Chemicals like PFAS
HEALTH ImPACTS OF CONTAmINATED WATER (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), known as "forever
chemicals," are found in the water supplies of millions
• Unsafe Drinking Water: An estimated 485,000 deaths globally and are linked to cancer and hormonal
are caused annually by contaminated drinking water disruption. (Environmental Working Group, EWG)
worldwide. Contaminated water is linked to diseases
like cholera, dysentery, and polio. (World Health Water Quality and Accessibility
Organization, WHO)
• Water Quality in Rural India: Approximately 70% of
• Arsenic in Groundwater: India has the largest rural households in India do not have access to piped,
population exposed to arsenic in drinking water, potable water. Many rely on unregulated wells or
with over 1.5 million cases recorded, mainly due rivers that are vulnerable to contamination. (Ministry of
Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India)
to high levels of naturally occurring arsenic in
groundwater. (WHO) • Global Water Crisis: Around 2.2 billion people globally
lack access to safe drinking water, primarily due to
Pollution Sources
contaminated water sources. (United Nations, UN)
• Industrial Waste: Around 70% of India's surface Climate Change and Water Contamination
water resources are contaminated by industrial and
domestic waste. Nearly 40% of India’s water pollution • Rising Salinity: Climate change is increasing the
is attributed to untreated sewage and industrial salinity of groundwater and freshwater sources
discharge. (Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India) in coastal areas. In bangladesh and parts of
India, saltwater intrusion from rising sea levels is
• Agricultural Runoff: Fertilizers and pesticides used contaminating water supplies. (Intergovernmental
in agriculture are significant contributors to water Panel on Climate Change, IPCC)
pollution. Nitrogen-based fertilizers, when washed
into water bodies, cause harmful algal blooms that can • Extreme Weather Events: Flooding due to extreme
weather events often leads to contamination of water
devastate aquatic ecosystems. (Food and Agriculture supplies with pathogens and chemicals, affecting
Organization, FAO)
water quality for millions. (National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, NASA)

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