--- title: "Water pollution and fecal-oral route" subject: "Technology, Environment and Society" chapter: 5 key: "semester_7/technology_environment_and_society:water-pollution-fecal-oral" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/water-pollution-fecal-oral site: BCT Engineering --- # Water pollution and fecal-oral route Technology, Environment and Society · Chapter 5: Water and Air Pollution - Asked in: 2074 Chaitra, 8 marks - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/water-pollution-fecal-oral - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/chapter-5 ## Question Explain water pollution. Write down fecal oral infection route and discuss their mitigation measures. ## Short answer Water pollution from untreated sewage, industrial effluents and agricultural runoff harms health and ecosystems. The fecal-oral route spreads pathogens via water, fingers, flies, fields and food. Mitigation includes safe excreta disposal, water treatment, handwashing, food hygiene and sewage treatment. ## Answer **Water pollution** is any change in the physical, chemical or biological quality of water that makes it harmful to health or unfit for use. It is caused by adding substances such as sewage, industrial chemicals, fertilisers, pesticides, pathogens or heat beyond the self-purifying capacity of the water body. #### Types of water pollution - **Physical** – turbidity, colour, odour, temperature (thermal pollution). - **Chemical** – organic (BOD-causing matter) and inorganic (arsenic, iron, nitrate, heavy metals). - **Biological** – pathogens: bacteria, viruses, protozoa, worm eggs. #### Sources and causes - Untreated domestic sewage (e.g. Bagmati and Bishnumati in Kathmandu). - Industrial effluent (tanneries, dyeing, distilleries). - Agricultural runoff with fertilisers and pesticides. - Solid waste dumping on river banks. - Open defecation and leaking septic tanks. - Natural arsenic in Terai groundwater. #### Effects - Water-borne diseases (cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, hepatitis). - Arsenicosis, nitrate poisoning. - Oxygen depletion, fish kill, eutrophication. - Loss of aesthetic, religious and recreational value; higher treatment cost. #### Fecal-oral infection route Pathogens in faeces of an infected person reach the mouth of another through the "F-diagram": ```text +--> Fluids (water) ------+ +--> Fingers -------------+ FAECES -----+--> Flies ---------------+--> FOOD --> MOUTH +--> Fields/soil ---------+ ``` - **Fluids:** polluted water from sewage-contaminated sources or pipes. - **Fingers:** unwashed hands after defecation. - **Flies:** carry faecal matter to food. - **Fields:** open defecation, raw excreta on crops, contaminated soil. - **Food:** contaminated by the above and eaten. #### Mitigation measures 1. **Safe excreta disposal** – toilets for all households, end open defecation, safe faecal sludge management. 2. **Safe water** – protect sources, treat water (boiling, filtration, chlorination, SODIS), maintain pipelines, separate water and sewer lines. 3. **Hand washing with soap** at critical times. 4. **Food hygiene** – wash, cook and cover food. 5. **Fly control** – solid waste management and clean surroundings. 6. **Sewage and industrial effluent treatment** before discharge. 7. **Health education** and community participation. 8. **Vaccination**, deworming, and ORS for diarrhoea. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What is water pollution? A. Any change in physical, chemical or biological quality that makes water harmful or unfit, by adding substances beyond the water body's self-purifying capacity B. Only an increase in water temperature C. Only the presence of fish in water D. Only the presence of rain Answer: A. Pollution is a harmful change in quality caused by adding sewage, chemicals, pathogens or heat beyond self-purification. (Key point: Definition of water pollution) 2. Which classification of water pollution types is correct? A. Arsenic is biological and bacteria are physical B. Turbidity is chemical and nitrate is physical C. Pathogens are physical and BOD is biological D. Turbidity and temperature are physical; arsenic and nitrate are inorganic chemical; pathogens are biological Answer: D. Physical includes turbidity, colour, odour and temperature; chemical includes organic and inorganic; biological includes pathogens. (Key point: Types of pollution) 3. What does 'Fields' mean in the fecal-oral route? A. Contaminated soil and crops from open defecation or raw excreta B. Fields of electricity C. Sports fields for children D. Fish ponds only Answer: A. Open defecation and raw excreta on crops contaminate soil, which carries pathogens to food. (Key point: Fields in the F-diagram) 4. Which set is a correct mitigation for fecal-oral infections? A. Open defecation and untreated water B. Toilets for all, safe treated water, hand washing with soap, food hygiene, fly control, vaccination C. Leaving sewage untreated and storing water uncovered D. Dumping waste on river banks Answer: B. Mitigation breaks the route with toilets, safe water, hand washing, food hygiene, fly control, effluent treatment, education, vaccination and ORS. 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