how would the setting of a factory on the bank of a river affect the population downstream?

Setting of a factory on the bank of a river will pollute the river water by industrial effluent which includes wastes discharged harmful chemicals such as alkalis, acids etc. and toxic metals like mercury, arsenic etc. which will effect the population downstream by various ways:

Water contamination gives rise to many water borne pathogens which can cause many gastro-intestinal or water-borne diseases such as typhoid, polio, diarrhoea, cholera etc. Water contaminated with harmful chemicals is fatal for life. For example- Nitrate contamination in water causes  Blue Baby syndrome, fluoride contamination affects teeth etc. Thus, many diseases like cancer, irritation in skin, damage in nervous system etc develops due to water contamination. It also destroys the aquatic life and disturbs the food chain by bioaccumulation.
 

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As the wastes released from the factory will pollute the river water which is being used or consumed by the population downstream and affect their health.

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