A factory manager claims that simply diluting hot water from the plant with river water before discharge is s…

Question

A factory manager claims that simply diluting hot water from the plant with river water before discharge is sufficient to prevent thermal pollution. Why is this claim flawed, and what should be done instead?

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer The claim is flawed because simply diluting hot water does **not** remove the heat — it only spreads the thermal effect across a larger volume of river water. Thermal pollution occurs when hot water is drained into rivers **before cooling**, which harms aquatic life by reducing dissolved oxygen levels. **What should be done instead:** - Hot water and effluents must be **treated before releasing** them into rivers and ponds. - Industries should adopt **reusing and recycling** of water in successive stages. - Effluents should undergo **primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment** before discharge. *Source: Industrial Pollution and Environmental Degradation; Control of Environmental Degradation — Chapter 6* --- ## Explanation The examiner expects two parts: (1) why dilution alone fails — it doesn't eliminate thermal pollution, just disperses it; and (2) the correct measures from the textbook — proper treatment of hot water/effluents before discharge, reuse/recycling of wa…

Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question