A man in India has been arrested for illegally sourcing polluted water from a local lake and selling it despite knowing that it could make people sick.

In the south-central city of Hyderabad, a man was caught running an operation that drilled underground to collect lake water that is contaminated with metals like cadmium and nickel, according to a report by The Siasat Daily.

This was discovered when officials started restoration work on the lake and found the rogue pipelines being used for water collection. The water was being sold to nearby apartment buildings and businesses, such as hostels.

It is, of course, very dangerous to drink and bathe in water that's heavily polluted with toxic metals, and doing so could cause many health issues and even death.

Waterways around the world have been contaminated due to human intervention, like waste and runoff from factories, oil spills, and microplastics.

This makes the water unsafe not only for us, but also for wildlife. A ruined water source can destroy the local ecosystem and threaten the fish, birds, and other animals that depend on it.

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It's crucial that government officials pass laws that hold companies and individuals accountable when they pollute water and the atmosphere.

For example, the European Union drafted a new law to require cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies to pay for 80% of the costs to clean up the water they contaminate.

And in Canada, coal mines polluting water have been a problem for years. A new panel of experts was recently formed to analyze water quality data, study the impact on humans, and find a solution.

Thankfully, the individual selling dirty water in India was stopped because of an effort by the local government to clean up and restore the lake.

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Officials diverted the sewage line that was causing the pollution and are working on preventing rainwater from freely flowing into the water, and have plans to add pathways, landscaping, and a playground to the area, according to The Siasat Daily.

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