Explain any three factors responsible for water pollution.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:05 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Three factors responsible for water pollution are:
- Domestic Waste: Large urban populations generate huge amounts of sewage and domestic waste that are discharged into rivers and water bodies, making water hazardous for use.
- Industrial Waste: The ever-increasing number of industries releases chemicals and effluents into freshwater sources, severely polluting them.
- Agricultural Chemicals: Excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers in agriculture seeps into groundwater and surface water, contaminating them and making water unsafe for human consumption.
Source: Water Scarcity and the Need for Water Conservation and Management, Chapter 3
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Explanation
The textbook explicitly lists domestic wastes, industrial wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers as causes of water pollution. Examiners expect students to name each factor clearly and add a brief explanation (one line each). Avoid vague answers — always link the factor to how it pollutes water. Three factors = 1 mark each.