Rural industries play a vital role in the economic development of a country, offering employment opportunities and providing a means for income generation while reducing migration to cities. However, these industries often lack proper wastewater management facilities, resulting in a significant consumption of large volumes of water and subsequent direct release of untreated wastewater into freshwater bodies or the soil, thereby releasing toxic substances into the environment with its attendant costs. The wastewater released is often laden with heavy metals, nutrients, and organic compounds with high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). This review therefore examines the impact of releasing such wastewater into freshwater on the ecological structure and function of the environment without prior treatment.