Residents of a certain village rely on a local river for drinking water. What are the potential health risks that they might face ?

Residents who drink untreated river water may face serious health risks because river water can be contaminated by sewage, animal wastes, industrial wastes, pesticides and chemical fertilisers. Such polluted water may contain harmful microorganisms that cause water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A and polio. It may also contain toxic chemicals, pesticides and heavy metals, which can cause long-term health problems such as cancer and organ damage, especially affecting the liver and kidneys.