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WATER AND HEALTH
(Water Induced Diseases)
Dr. H.S. Ramesh

Professor of Environmental Engineering
S.J. College of Engineering, Mysore 570 006
In human body, water is of utmost physiological importance and has specific

functions to perform. It acts as a solvent for the secretory and excretory products. It is a
carrier of nutrient elements to the tissues and removes waste materials from them. It also
acts as a regulator of body temperature. Water is more important than food. Deprivation
of water brings about death much more quickly than that of food. The total body water
constitution is 60-70% of adult body weight.
Water is an essential constituent of all
animals and vegetative matter. Over 80% of the earths surface is covered by water in
the form of relatively pure liquid in lakes, ponds and rivers, as a dilute salt solution in
ocean or as nearly pure solid in snow fields, glaciers and other polar ice caps. Next to air,
water is the most important substance for the existence of life on the earth.
Today water resources have been the most exploited natural systems since mans
existence on the earth.
Pollution of water bodies is increasing steadily due to rapid
population growth, industrial proliferations, urbanizations, increasing living standards

and wide spread human activities.
Time is perhaps not too far when pure and clean
water, particularly in densely populated industrialized water scare areas may be

inadequate for maintaining the normal living standards. Groundwater, river, seas, lakes,
ponds and streams are founding it more and more difficult to escape from pollution.
Many rivers of the world receive heavy flux of sewage and industrial effluent, domestic
and agricultural waste which consists of substances varying from simple material to
highly toxic hazardous chemicals.
Water Borne Diseases

About 1.1 billion people in the world still lack access to safe water for drinking
and 2.4 billion people have no basic sanitation.
The large majority of people are
seriously affected by or die from preventable water and sanitation related diseases are
rural dwelling and the urban poor in the developing countries.
Current international
estimate of deaths are due to water related diseases which range from 2.2 million to 5
million annually.
Classification of Water Related Diseases

Water related diseases can be grouped into four general classes: water borne,
water-washed, water-based and water related insect vectors. The first three classes are
closely linked to peoples lack of access to safe water supply.
Classification of Water Related Diseases
Disease Classification
Description
Water Borne Diseases
Caused by the consumption of water contaminated by human

or animal excreta (feces, urine) containing disease causing
organisms such as bacteria, viruses, worms and amoebas
Water-Washed Diseases
(Water Scared Diseases)
Caused by poor personal hygiene and skin or eye contacts

with contaminated water and / or insufficient quantities of
water for personal hygiene and washing
Ex: Scabies, trachoma (eye infections), flea, lice, typhus
Water-based Diseases
Caused by parasite found in intermediate organisms living in

contaminated water. These diseases are passed on to humans
when they drink / wash with it.
Ex: Dracunculiasis, Schistosomiasis, other helminthes
Water Related
Insect-Vector Diseases
Caused by insects, especially flies and mosquitoes that breed

in or feed near contaminated water sources.
Ex: Malaria, dengue, blindness, sleeping sickness,
yellow fever.
Description of Selected Water Borne Diseases

Disease
Description
Diarrhea
It is the most common type of water related illness and is caused by

drinking water contaminated with disease causing bacteria, viruses and / or
tiny parasites like worms / amoebas from human excreta. People who are
sick with this have to defecate more often than usual which results in
problem of dehydrations and malnutrition.
Dysentery
It is a more serious form of diarrhea and occurs when contaminated water

is used for eating / drinking. The persons feces will frequently contain
blood or mucus. It spreads from person to person.
Cholera
It is a highly contagious diarrhea caused by drinking / eating food of water

contaminated with the feces or vomit of an infected person. It can also be
spread by dirty hands / flies. Cholera outbreaks commonly occur in
crowded slums and in the aftermaths of major diseases where water and
sanitation facilities are non-existent / damaged / destroyed. In severe
cases rapid loss of body fluids leads to dehydration and shock.
Typhoid Fever
Typhoid is a gut infective caused by food / water contaminated with

bacteria found in human excreta, and often occurs in epidemics. This
disease results in high fever accompanied with diarrhea or vomiting.
Trachoma
(Eye Infection)
It is a chronic form of conjunctivitis (pink eye) that get progressively

worse and may last for months or many years. The disease is spread by
touch of flies. Trachoma is a major cause of blindness in developing
countries.
Malaria
Malaria is a disease caused by the micro organisms that are passed onto
people who are bitten by malaria infected mosquitoes. People who suffer
from malaria suffer from recurring attacks that cause shivers, fevers and
aches.
Schistosomiasis
This disease is caused by blood flukes-tiny worms that begin their lives
inside fresh water snails.
After being released with water as freeswimming worms they penetrate the skin who are swimming, bathing or
washing in contaminated water. Once in the blood stream, the worm cause
victims to suffer from fever, pain in the lower abdomen over time this
results in liver damage.
Trypanosomiasis This disease is a dangerous infection spread by infected flies commonly

(Sleeping
found much in woodland especially around water holes where flies breed.
Sickness)
People suffer from fever, ache, fatigue and progressive confusion and
difficulty in walking and talking.
Dracunchliasis
(Guinea Worm)
This disease is resulted by small worms that enter people in bodies when
they drink contaminated water. These worms in body can grow upto 50
cm in length or more just under the skin. The adult worm will form a
blister on the skin, normally in the lower parts of the body or legs. When
the blister pops, the worm will start to come out of the victims body.
Other Effects of Water-Bone Diseases

In addition to the immediate and often devasting health effects of water related
diseases, affected individuals cannot work.
Meager savings are exhausted, people
become poor, cannot be productive in turn results in poverty. Water borne infections
hamper absorption of food even when intake is sufficient causing malnutrition.
Prevention and Solutions

Water-Borne Diseases
Provides wholesome water and good sanitation.
Constructing sanitary latrines
and treating wastewater to allow for biodegradation of human waste will help to curb
diseases caused by pollution.
Water-Washed Diseases
They can be controlled effectively with better hygiene for which adequate
freshwater is necessary.
Water-Based Diseases
Individuals can prevent infection from water-based diseases by washing
vegetables in clean water and thoroughly cooking the food. Practicing filtration with
nylon gauge clothes to remove guinea worms.
Good hygiene, suitable disposal of
human waste.
Water Related Insect-Vector Diseases

The solution to water related vector diseases would appear to be clear to eliminate
the insects that transmit diseases.
Putting pesticides, there also have some negative
effects.
Alternate techniques include using bed nets / introducing predators and sterile
insects.
Another way is using biological methods and habitat management to reduce /
eliminate the natural breeding grounds of the disease vectors.
What is important is to
have wholesome drinking water to reduce the incidence of diseases and also to reduce
malnutrition.
Sustainability needs to be addressed by moving away wherever possible
from groundwater to surface water resources or groundwater recharge.
Fluoride Problem in Drinking Water

Fluorosis
Fluoride in water is mostly of geological origin. Waters with high levels of
fluoride content are mostly found at the foot of high mountains and in areas where seas
has made geological deposits.
Ingestion of excess fluoride, most commonly in drinking water can cause

fluorosis which affects the teeth (dental) (see photo) and bones (skeletal). Moderate
amounts lead to dental effects, but long term ingestion of large amounts can lead to
potentially severe skeletal problems.
Fluorosis is caused by excessive intake of fluoride. The dental effects of fluorosis

develop made earlier than the skeletal effects in people exposed to large amounts of
fluoride.
Clinical dental fluorosis is characterized by staining and pitting of teeth. In
more severe cases all the enamel may be damaged.
High level exposure to fluoride can lead to skeletal fluorosis (photos).
Here,
fluoride accumulates in the bone progressively over many years. The early symptoms of
skeletal fluorosis include stiffness and pain in the joints. In severe cases the bone
structure may change and ligaments may calcify resulting impairment of muscles and
pain. Acute high level results in abdominal pain excessive saliva, nausea and vomiting.
Dental Fluorosis
Very Mild
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Skeletal Fluorosis
Cause
Acute high level is very rare and usually due to accidental contamination of
drinking water. Moderate level chronic exposure (>1.5 mg/l) is more common. People
affected by fluorosis are often exposed to multiple sources of fluorosis, such as in food,
water, air and excessive toothpaste.
However, drinking water is typically the most
significant source.
Scope of the Problem

The prevention of dental and skeletal fluorosis is most entirely clean.
It is
believed that fluorosis affects millions of people around the world, but as regard to dental
fluorosis the very mild and mild forms are the most frequent.
Interventions
Removal of excess fluoride in drinking water is difficult and expensive.
The
preferred option is to find a supply of safe drinking water with safe fluoride level where
access to safe water is already limited, defluoridation may be the only option.
bone charcoal, contact precipitation, use of Nalgonda activated alumina.
Use of
Since all
method produces sludge with very high concentration of fluoride that has to be disposed
off. Only water for drinking and cooking purposes should be treated. A new invention
on this is the modified Nalgonda Technique i.e., design of continuous flow defluoridation
unit which has been developed at S.J. College of Engineering, Mysore, by this author.
************

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WATER AND HEALTH

(Water Induced Diseases)

Dr. H.S. Ramesh

In human body, water is of utmost physiological importance and has specific

Water is an essential constituent of all

Pollution of water bodies is increasing steadily due to rapid

population growth, industrial proliferations, urbanizations, increasing living standards

Time is perhaps not too far when pure and clean

water, particularly in densely populated industrialized water scare areas may be

Water Borne Diseases

The large majority of people are

Classification of Water Related Diseases

Classification of Water Related Diseases

Water Borne Diseases

Caused by the consumption of water contaminated by human

Caused by poor personal hygiene and skin or eye contacts

Caused by parasite found in intermediate organisms living in

Caused by insects, especially flies and mosquitoes that breed

Description of Selected Water Borne Diseases

It is the most common type of water related illness and is caused by

It is a more serious form of diarrhea and occurs when contaminated water

It is a highly contagious diarrhea caused by drinking / eating food of water

Typhoid is a gut infective caused by food / water contaminated with

It is a chronic form of conjunctivitis (pink eye) that get progressively

Trypanosomiasis This disease is a dangerous infection spread by infected flies commonly

Other Effects of Water-Bone Diseases

Meager savings are exhausted, people

Prevention and Solutions

Constructing sanitary latrines

Good hygiene, suitable disposal of

Water Related Insect-Vector Diseases

Putting pesticides, there also have some negative

Another way is using biological methods and habitat management to reduce /

eliminate the natural breeding grounds of the disease vectors.

Sustainability needs to be addressed by moving away wherever possible

from groundwater to surface water resources or groundwater recharge.

Fluoride Problem in Drinking Water

Ingestion of excess fluoride, most commonly in drinking water can cause

Fluorosis is caused by excessive intake of fluoride. The dental effects of fluorosis

Clinical dental fluorosis is characterized by staining and pitting of teeth. In

more severe cases all the enamel may be damaged.

High level exposure to fluoride can lead to skeletal fluorosis (photos).

However, drinking water is typically the most

Scope of the Problem

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