Contaminant |
Type
of wastewater |
Effect |
a)
Biodegradable
organics |
Domestic
and certain
industrial wastewater |
Depletion
of oxygen and
development of anaerobic
conditions in receiving water
bodies and land. |
b)
Pathogens |
Domestic
wastewater |
Water
borne diseases |
c)
Suspended solids |
Domestic,
industrial
and storm wastewater |
Unsightly
sludge deposits and
anaerobicity in receiving water
bodies. |
d)
Nutrients |
Domestic
and agricultural
wastewater. |
Eutrophication
of surface waters
and likely contamination of
ground waters. |
e)
Refractory
organics (eg. Phenols,
surfactants and
agricultural pesticides) |
Industrial
and agricultural
wastewater. |
May
cause taste and odor
problems; may be toxic or
carcinogenic and possibility of
biomanification. |
f)
Heavy metals |
Industrial
wastewater |
Toxicity
to aquatic and
terrestrial organisms. |
g)
Dissolved
inorganics |
Increased
levels in water
supply by domestic and/
or industrial operations. |
Excessive
salts may degrade
quality of resource pool,
and interface with effluent reuse. |