Since the industrial revolution, we have achieved a lot; our manufacturing processes have become more efficient and productive, science has become much more advanced, and our life has transformed a great deal. But perhaps nothing comes without a price. All the advancement and development witnessed in the last few centuries have also brought with them a wide spectrum of problems, water pollution being one of them. Pollution refers to the contamination of the environment by harmful and waste materials, which bring about a significant change in the quality of the surrounding atmosphere. Environmental pollution can be classified as air pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution. Water pollution signifies contamination of water bodies, which makes their water unfit for drinking and other purposes. There are basically five primary sources of water pollution―domestic sewage, agricultural runoff, industrial effluents, wastewater from septic tanks, and stormwater runoff. Industrial water pollution is caused by the discharge of harmful chemicals and compounds into water, which makes it unsuitable for drinking and other purposes. Although 70% of the Earth is covered by water, water of the seas and the oceans is saline and hence, cannot be used for drinking, and agricultural and industrial uses. Only water bodies like lakes, ponds, rivers, reservoirs, and streams provide us with fresh water, and so, keeping them clean is an issue of survival not only for humans but for all other forms of life. » Though industrial water pollution is difficult to contain, it is not impossible. A greater awareness needs to be created among the common mass about how water gets polluted, its effects on human health and marine life, and how it can be prevented. It is not possible to reduce water pollution without public cooperation, and cooperation of industrial units. » Strict pollution control laws and legislation, and their effective implementation do have an important role in controlling any kind of pollution. The development of affordable pollution control equipment, and incentives from government for installing such equipment can encourage industries to take up pollution control seriously. » Some industrial wastes are ordinary wastes, just like domestic sewage. Such wastes can be easily treated by the municipal facilities. But some wastes like heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and oil and grease do need special treatments. Industries can install a pre-treatment system to separate such dangerous wastes. The partially treated wastewater can be sent to the municipal system for further purification. » But large-scale industries generate a great amount of wastewater. Such industries should redesign their manufacturing processes to reduce the amount of pollutants and operate their own on-site treatment systems. The treatment of industrial wastewater can be done in three phases―primary treatment that involves mechanical processes, secondary treatment by biological processes, and tertiary treatment that can be done with the help of biological, physical, and chemical processes. » In primary treatment, pollutants are separated from water with the help of screening, grinding, flocculation, and sedimentation processes. In secondary treatment, biological methods are used for wastewater treatment. Finally, the wastewater is recycled in tertiary treatment with the help of biological, physical, and chemical processes. Thermal pollution on the other hand, can be controlled by forming cooling ponds, or by using cooling towers. In the United States, the industries contribute to more than half of the total water pollution. In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its National Water Quality Inventory, reported to the Congress that about 40% of the surveyed rivers, estuaries, and lakes were polluted to such an extent that their water cannot be used for activities like drinking, fishing, and swimming. To control the menace of water pollution, various legislation have been introduced by the United States, which include Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act of 1972), the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (1972), and the Safe Drinking Water Act (1974). The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act was also amended in 1988. The cooperation of citizens and industrial units, proper enforcement of laws and regulations, and the availability of efficient and cheaper pollution control techniques are the most important prerequisites for the success of such legislation.