REVIEW: Water Quality

Water Quality

pollution
Water pollution in Dakshinkali. Photo courtesy of ankraut/Flickr.



There are major categories of pollution: point source and non-point source pollution. Point source pollution comes from a particular location, for example, from a pipe that dumps directly into a nearby stream. Non-point source pollution cannot be pinpointed to one specific location; rather, it comes from a wide variety of sources. Urban runoff is an example of non-point source pollution because it can include sediment, oil, salts, and household chemicals that wash off the streets and into storm drains that eventually empty into water bodies. Sources of water pollution include community & industrial waste, agricultural activities (fertilizer, pesticides, nutrients, bacteria), erosion, and mining.

Some common measurements scientists use to assess the health of a water body include dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, nutrients, bacteria, and specific conductivity.
Last modified: Thursday, 3 February 2011, 2:25 PM