contaminated water
Unsafe drinking source
Contaminated water contains harmful substances—bacteria, chemicals, heavy metals, or other pollutants—that make it unsafe for drinking, swimming, or other uses.
The contamination may be visible or invisible: The well water was contaminated with agricultural runoff.
Contaminated water is a major public health concern, causing waterborne diseases when consumed or used for bathing.
- diarrheaFrequent liquid bowel movements
- pesticidesChemicals destroying harmful organisms
- diseaseDisorder impairing normal function
- waterborne diseasesIllnesses from contaminated aquatic sources
- heavy metalsDense metallic environmental contaminants
cholera · pathogens · agricultural runoff · bioaccumulation · microplastics · eutrophication · infection · outbreak · public health crisis · wastewater treatment plants · bioremediation · oil spills · sewage overflow · radioactive waste · plastic pollution · dirty · groundwater · sludge
- wastewaterwastewater, sewage, sewage treatment, effluent, raw sewage
- pollutionair pollution, soil pollution, smog, toxic waste, noise pollution
- public healthdisease prevention, immunization, disease control, health education, epidemiology
- Health Hazardsair pollution, asbestos, carbon monoxide, chemical spills, cholera
- undrinkableraw sewage, industrial waste, chemical runoff, bleach, gasoline
- Biohazardsanthrax, HIV, pathogens, prions, smallpox
contaminated waterclean water
Uncontaminated hydration source
pure water · potable water · safe drinking water · purified water · drinking water