When dealing with water pollution sewage is one of the leading problems that have become increasingly difficult to contend with.

With a growing population the wastewater that ends up in our natural waterways is also increasing.

While stricter laws have been passed to help eradicate the issue, raw sewage from dogs, boats, and commercial vessels are still getting into our water.

This means that people are swimming in (and swallowing) some amount of raw sewage along many of the most populated beaches and in rivers. Of course, sewage can also get into our drinking water with one cracked septic system or mismanagement at a waste water pollution treatment plant.

In the fight against water pollution sewage happens to be one of the easiest pollutants to control in theory, but the hardest to get the human population dealing with. Pleasure boaters have not been allowed to discharge directly overboard for almost ten years.

With difficulties in enforcing this policy, the US Coast Guard has had to expend resources boarding and inspecting pleasure boats to ensure that the raw sewage is being directed into a holding tank rather than a direct overboard discharge.

All pleasure boats built in the last thirty years have offered the buyer the option of discharging overboard or discharging into a holding tank. Boaters resist holding tanks because there is a residual odor that can not be easily contended with when raw sewage sits in the holding tank in summer heat.

Wastewater treatment plants are prone to mishandling of the wastewater due to employee training issues. It only takes a small accidental discharge to contaminate a large portion of the waterways with untreated sewage. With greater employee training and fail safe technology, this is the one problem that many ecological organizations feel can be reasonably dealt with in the coming years.

Raw sewage in our swimming and drinking water also comes from our beloved pets. Dog owners who do not take the small moment required to reach down and scoop their dogs’ waste are contributing directly to the water pollution sewage problem.

This type of waste can be especially difficult to contend with because many dogs tend to carry worms and other parasites that are excreted with their bowels. This means that when the rainwater carries away the defecation, there is an increased chance that internal parasites will enter the swimming and drinking water as well.

It is vital that everyone recognize the detrimental effects of raw sewage as one of our nastiest but solvable water pollution issues. The cooperation of pleasure boaters, boats and charters for hire, dog owners, and wastewater treatment facilities could decrease the threat of spreading infection, parasites, and water born illnesses by more than eighty percent.

With the chronic difficulties of getting everyone on board with the hazards that raw sewage poses within our natural waterways and our drinking water, it is not likely that we will see parasite and disease free water for a long time. The more effort we put into educating the public the closer we come to solving the problem of water pollution and sewage.

Our native waters are not the only waters at risk. Our waters are not only threatened by the actions and behaviors of its own residents when dealing with water pollution sewage issues. Around the globe there are raw sewage issues, and the more the untreated, infected, and parasitic waste enters the water the harder it is for the natural filtration system that the planet provides to clean the waterways.

With the current population, we have the potential to pollute every single waterway, ocean, and drinking water supply with raw sewage is we simply stop the effort to clean up after ourselves.

With such a harsh effect potentially waiting for us, why would we not all get on board the idea of keeping sewage out of our waterways? Water pollution and sewage treatment does not have to take over the planet, but it does take a cooperative effort.

However, we live in a world where water pollution is ever present due to actions of both industrial plants and unconcerned neighbors.

Tougher pollution laws are slowly helping to correct the actions of industrial plants to limit pollution.

Education and increased awareness is helping to curb the actions of the unconcerned neighbor.

However, much damage has already been done and damage is still being done every day, even if it is on a smaller scale. In order to truly clean up the waterways and the groundwater of the planet, the problem needs to be attacked by two angles.

Prevention and education is key to creating a better environment in the future while water pollution treatment is necessary to start cleaning up the damage of years past and giving the water the chance to become healthy.

Nature has a built in system to help deter the oversaturation of nitrogen in the water. The ecological version of water pollution treatment is known as dentrification. This is a natural process that helps take the pollution filtered into the ground and water and convert it into harmless organic matter.

There is a completely natural process that happens over time. The fertilizers that farmers and gardeners tend to use leech into the ground through rainwater runoff, over use, and spills. This is where an overabundance of nitrogen in the water comes from and can be highly dangerous in the water.

Once the high level of nitrogen enters the water, dentrification happens when natural bacteria found in the ground turns the nitrogen into nitrates, which is much easier on the plant life and the organic life in aquatic ecosystems.

One of the more interesting and more popular methods of water pollution treatment is known as ozone wastewater treatment. It has its benefits and its drawbacks, but it is one of the effective methods of treating pollution to keep it out of the water sources.

Ozone wastewater treatment involves the use of an ozone generator which can effectively break down the wastewater pollutants to prevent the continuous spread of pollution throughout natural water sources.

Ultraviolet radiation is the most common type of ozone generator used in the break down process. Oxygen in the ozone is used to in turn oxidize the organic matter, the bacteria, infectious molds, and of course other human generated pollutants through the natural reactive nature of the ozone oxygen.

Ozone water pollution treatment is so popular these days because it is very effective at neutralizing pollutants in the water and then can generate itself back into oxygen for the ozone as though it had never been touched.

The drawbacks of this method are not many and can usually be well controlled if the water pollution treatment is taken seriously and is used in conjunction with well educated efforts. While this type of treatment requires the use of electricity, it can also leave behind a small amount of by products that require additional treatment in order to avoid additional pollution.

If the by products are well cared for and dealt with swiftly, then it is perfectly possible for ozone wastewater treatment to have little to no impact on the surrounding environment.

Septic tanks are still used in outlying areas for the treatment of pollutants, usually those resulting from a single residence or a single structure. Everything that goes down the toilet or the drain that enters into a septic tank is filtered out based on waste weight. Anything that is heavy sinks to the bottom of the tank while light discharge ends up on the top of the tank.

The filtering process may vary from older tanks to newer tanks, but the basic premise is that the rate of filtration is based entirely on the weight of the material that would contaminate the surrounding land and water sources.

Any type of water pollution treatment is still much more costly and tome consuming than the average ounce of preventative action. Keeping the waters that we play in and drink clean and healthy requires help from everyone in any given community.

By keeping oils, chemicals, pesticides, and wastewater as clean as possible through responsible actions, the water that we depend on for our survival is much more likely to be free from harmful pollutants.

The ecological effects of oil pollution in the natural waterways have the potential to be absolutely devastating. Waterfowl, aquatic life, and even human water sources can be devastated by even a small oil leak in water. When a large water event happens, the damage takes decades to correct.

Most oil water pollution doesn’t happen in major newsworthy events like Exxon’s mishap. The majority of oil water pollution happens through the average consumer’s actions, whether those actions are based on not being fully aware of the consequences or not caring about the consequences of their actions.

Something as simple as dumping motor oil from the change of oil of a boat or car can cause pollution effects for miles.It takes very little oil to create significant ecological problems. The 3 to 4 quarts of oil that most car engines hold have the potential to pollute more than 100 miles of waterway.

This can cause the death of waterfowl and aquatic life, and even annihilate water foliage that is vital to the natural ecosystem’s health.

The biggest problem with contaminating water with oil or oil based water pollution is that the oil adheres to everything, restricting a bird’s ability to fly, cutting off essential light sources for underwater life, and even suffocating fish as they take oil in through their gills.The devastation can have ecological impacts for years while the natural environment attempts to bounce back.

Car motor oil, boat engine oil, and oil based applications such as teak oil used to beautify the wood on boats can simply continue adding damage on top of more damage as these small infractions continue to add an accumulative power to the oil discharge that is already in the water.

You don’t have to live right next to a waterway to contribute to the oil water pollution problem. Disposing of oil in inappropriate ways seeps into the ground, contaminates drinking water, and can find its way to some of the waterways through rain runoff.

Every single time oil is spilled on the ground, coats our roadways, is dumped overboard or is pumped out through the boat’s bilge, you can be guaranteed that either groundwater or a natural waterway will feel the effects of the action.

A little bit of public education is invariably important in correcting the problem, it will perhaps contibute to solving the effects of water pollution. It is necessary for boat owners to farmers to residential communities to become oil aware.

Every time waste oil is properly disposed of, oil leaks from cars and trucks are fixed, and oil is recycled without spillage, hundreds of miles of waterways and groundwater is saved from the deadly effects that oil water pollution brings to our world.

Contaminated groundwater is a human hazard, and can make tap water highly unsafe to drink or to cook with. The oil water pollution found in groundwater isn’t likely to come pouring out of the faucet in thick black clumps.

Rather it is likely to carry the toxins into the tap and distribute it throughout the body without a great deal of detection until serious illness takes over and becomes arguably a forced recognition in order to improve the health of the contaminated drinking water victims.

Oil water pollution is one of the most damaging environmental concerns of today. The potential for the chronic and morbid destruction is far reaching and ever able to be doubled and tripled on negative effects simply through the daily actions of individuals and small businesses.

It is vital that the public become adequately educated on how their handling of oil and oil based components are likely to damage the world around them, sicken the ecosystem and in some cases even sicken their own family.

Storm water refers to the water from rain or melting snow that “runs” downhill, usually into a storm drain, stream, lake, bay, river, ocean, or another body of water.

As the storm water runs toward its destination it is likely to pick up various pollutants from the ground.

Since the water is not running where it can be filtered whatever it picks up along the way will become part of the storm water runoff.

This means that water which runs through a contaminated area, such as a road construction site, can bring the tainted pollutants into the body of water causing pollution for the natural environment.

You can’t stop the storm water from running and you can not very well redirect it to avoid a specific area. Storm water pollution prevention is all about the cohesive efforts and responsible behaviors of everyone. It is necessary to cut polluted water off where it starts, which would be at the ground level.

Storm water pollution prevention is necessary for a variety of reasons. Pollutants can cause harm to the natural environment and the wildlife within the environment. It takes a surprisingly small amount of toxic pollutants to ruin the drinking water that is available for the surrounding wildlife as well as create an unhealthy environment for recreational or even commercial fishing.

Swimming areas can be closed down. In fact, at any given time of the year in the United States nearly 25% of recreational swimming beaches are closed due to poor storm water pollution prevention. That very same storm water can additionally throw of the balance of natural bodies of water and cause the growth of algae that is harmful to wildlife and to humans.

The Environmental Protection Agency, casually referred to as the EPA, has implemented some much needed guidelines for developing storm water pollution prevention plans. These plans developed by the EPA include a registry program for any business or industry that emits potential storm water runoff. This registry process serves several purposes.

For starters, it helps the EPA keep track of the industries that are discharging potentially toxic waste into our waterways. It also helps the EPA establish which pollutants are most likely to show up in various regions based on the industries that have applied for a permit. This can help accelerate the process of water testing and assist in developing in depth studies of the effects of the pollution.

Additionally, the permit registration process helps to raise funds for the clean up operations that are continuously taking place. With a system in place to help fund the clean up operations and keep close tabs on the level of pollution being pumped onto the ground for the next rain or snow event.

Storm water pollution prevention requires more than just buying a permit. All industries and businesses regardless of their size need to put forth their own environmental clean up effort.

Assembling a team for clean up of the discharge is not difficult. One person needs to stay on top of the plans and oversee that the prevention plan is well maintained. Small businesses that discharge waste are just as culpable for the condition of the waterways and surface pollution.

Businesses that deal with any type of discharge that can be spilled, such as antifreeze, need to be vigilant about teaching employees the proper clean up procedures for polluted storm water.

There is a very narrow window of time that a chemically based spill can be efficiently cleaned up. One of the most important aspects of storm water pollution prevention is fast action when spills happen, although spill prevention is always preferable.

Storm water pollution is one of the biggest pollutant problems that can occur. With simple pollutants covering the roadways, construction sites, industry, and even household projects all contribute to the growing problems of water pollution. The solution lies in the promise of each and every individual to intentionally and purposefully combat the contaminants that end up in our natural resources.

The potential effects of industrial water pollution could grow to catastrophic levels. Not only does the potential for destruction of fish and other water dwelling creatures exist, but the potential for serious human illness also exists.

Additional studies on the toxicity and hazardous waste need to be done in order to determine whether more stringent regulations are necessary in order to save the planet’s natural waterways.

Just like the human body (as well as the bodies of animals) metabolizes blends of minerals together, the human body can also metabolize blends of toxins found in polluted water. Calcium is metabolized better when blended with Vitamin D. There are countless toxins that blend together in the very same way.

However, instead of promoting healthy bone growth the blend of pollutants causes illness and potentially fatal diseases. This is why further research is necessary to determine the true possible damage to the natural environment as well as to the human body.

Industrial water pollution has been a very serious issue since the beginning of the industrial age. A great many industrial buildings were originally built alongside rivers and bays for the convenience that the water offered.

Whether the water was needed for the production purposes or it was used as a convenient waste disposal site, it took several decades for the damage to become apparent enough to require governmental intervention. The greatest concern with this type of pollution is that it can be very difficult to discern every single toxin in any given area when the pollution is industrial.

Through the process of manufacturing there can be a great number of pollutants for one single product. Once the pollutants hit the water and disperse, identifying the source becomes even more difficult.

The overall effect of industrial water pollution can be devastating to the environment. When pollution hits the water the entire ecosystem becomes affected in one way or another. The toxins can be absorbed by plants and ingested by the sea life.

If the pollution levels are toxic enough the sea life not only starts to die off but many toxins can be passed to other animals in nearby ecosystems if the affected sea life is eaten. On top of that, the pollution often changes the algae and natural bacteria levels in the water which can significantly increase of decrease the oxygen levels in the water. Too much oxygen in the water is just as detrimental as too little oxygen in the water.

Governmental regulations have helped to put a damper on the level of pollutants that are released into the waterways. However, the regulations are either not strict enough or they are not enforced with enough vigor.

New regulations are often created to restrict the pollutants from entering the water but do not go into effect immediately. Industrial corporations are often given as long as five years to eliminate their pollutants from their discharge. The government offers the industrial world this type of time extension due to the hefty expense that making the appropriate adjustments can accrue.

On a positive note, most businesses now choose to use office water coolers which supply clean drinking water to their employees and having either a bottled or bottleless water cooler dispenser in the building is one sure way of avoiding the polluted water from tap water.

The toll the industrial water pollution takes on the planet’s well-being can be extreme. Cleaning up the polluted water is certainly no easy task. It takes a combination of natural filtration, human effort, and preservation techniques.

Even then there are some pollutants that will remain embedded in the silt and plant life for decades. Industrial water pollution can leave its mark in some of the worst ways for a long time which makes it one of the worst forms of pollution. The long term effects on natural ecosystems as well as humans are not yet completely understood, but it is understood that the long term effects are detrimental.

Over the years there have been many amendments and alterations to address more specific issues as our society grows and our industry flourishes.

When it was first introduced, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act designated that each state had the responsibility of finding ways to reduce or eliminate pollution, leaving the responsibility of joining forces with local or federal agencies in order to best accomplish the task in the hands of the state agencies.

The act was passed to start improving the level of awareness within communities, industries, and governmental agencies.

The initial draft of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act indicated that throughout the necessary improvements that were to be made, conservation and specialized segregation of the various water uses. Conservation of waters for aquatic ecosystems, agriculture, recreational purposes, as well as industry needs were indicated as a necessary focal point for the act.

Water conservation practices were put into place to be sure that public water supplies were not only available but that the public water supply was sanitary. This act was the first real effort to improve the quality of drinking water, protect the sanctity of natural ecosystems, and attempt to incorporate the needs of industry all in the same act.

While the ideas and motivations behind the original Federal Water Pollution Control Act were of the best intentions, the limitations set were not stringent enough to prevent further pollution from entering all the water sources.

One of the main focuses of the original draft of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act was the appropriate treatment of raw sewage. The bacteria from raw sewage entering the waterways can lead to a vast array of potential diseases.

Raw sewage from land based buildings, institutions, and towns were once permitted to flow directly into the nearest body of water. While these issues were dealt with in the original draft of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, raw sewage discharge from pleasure boats was not officially outlawed until the 1990s. Discharging is still permitted 5 or more miles offshore.

Aside from raw sewage issues, the clean water act also attempted to deal with the contamination of waterways incurred when industries disposed of wastes via the closest body of water. With the enhanced development of industry it didn’t take long for natural bodies of water to become overwhelmed with pollutants.

Because industry developed faster than the agencies could keep up with the environmental impact, the environment as well as the ground water supply was affected for the long term.

Tainted ground water meant that the pollution that was found in the waterways was now being found in drinking water of families throughout the country. The potential for serious illness was great and the current trend of bottled water dispensers and water filters was unheard of.

This situation led to a more aggressive stand on the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The first changes came with the amendments to the act, allowing for quality testing of ground water, pollution testing for all bodies of water, and the development of standards and the determination of allowable discharges.

In early December of 1970 an amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act created the governmental agency known as the EPA.

The Environmental Protection Agency replaced the Federal Water Quality Administration to take on all issues of pollution and issues related to the health and wellbeing of environmental factors. The EPA has become the single most vital agency when it comes to preventing and correcting all issues of pollution.

Since its inception the Federal Water Pollution Control Act has been amended to include studies of pollution effects on the Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes, and the shores of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Amendments were made to check the pollution levels of the waterway against the pollution levels in the sediment.

Because of all of these amendments the information that has been gathered over the past 6 decades has opened up a wealth of information on how pollution works and its overall impact on the environment and drinking water. These various studies were the backbone of all of the basic information that we know today about pollution.

Passing the clean water act not only educated the appropriate agencies in the United States about the serious implications of pollution, but that education has been able to be taken around the world to help people in other countries find clean water management skills.

While there is still a great deal of pollution to deal with in the United States, the chronic efforts of the EPA and adjoining agencies continue to combat the pollutant wars. With more education and a renewed dedication to cleaning up our polluted waters, the clean water act has the potential to continue to grow and continue to develop new laws that benefit the planet.

Ground water pollution is an epidemic, and almost all of the contaminants that reach water sources are caused by the actions or inactions of people. Everything from agricultural sources to industrial sources contributes to the ground water pollution problem. 

Regulation laws have been implemented to help offset the damage that has already been done to the ground water supply. Stricter regulations regarding industrial pollutants as well as residential waste management have been implemented in order to further resolve the contamination problems within the ground water. 

Ground water pollution is such a serious problem because the tainted water puts everyone at risk for potential healthproblems. The level of contamination and the vast variations of the contamination make it nearly impossible to determine the exact potential for health threats.

While some contaminants cause very obvious health problems, many of the pollutants have an unknown effect on the health of the human body. 

The good news is that there are plenty of opportunities for humanity to prevent further ground water pollution. Responsible and ecologically ethical management of household chemicals, including products such as dishwasher detergents and laundry soaps, can drastically help reduce the pollution that can be found in ground water. 

Using environmentally friendly products and protecting the ground’s surface from contact with products that are not environmentally sound is one of the most important steps that the average citizen can take. If each individual put the precautionary steps into place the reduction in ground water pollution would be significant. 

Of course, residential contamination is not the only cause of the pollution of ground water. While industrial regulations help to prevent excessive pollution, the smaller businesses are not monitored as closely. Auto maintenance and repair shops are almost always in constant violation of OSHA standards. 

Because these businesses are smaller they end up not being as closely monitored for pollutant contributions. Antifreeze, waste oil, and deicer can cause significant and dangerous pollution levels in the ground water. The necessary regulations exist but the follow through and enforcement of the regulations are woefully undermined by many of the smaller businesses that are not closely monitored. 

Some of the biggest contributors to the industrial pollution problem include quick stop oil change businesses, small auto mechanic businesses that are in rural areas and run often from the same property as the family home, and traveling auto repair businesses. 

The more public education that reaches the management of these small businesses as well as the average home owner the greater the chances are that we can see a significant reduction in contamination of the ground water within the next ten years. 

While government regulations can continue to pile up and enforcement can improve immensely, what will lower the concentration of pollution in our ground water comes down to education and perhaps even incentives for small businesses.

It takes more effort for a small business, as well as individuals, to dispose of wastes in an environmentally friendly manner that will not continue to contaminate the ground water than it does to simply go about business in the environmentally destructive manner. Incentives may help increase the response necessary for cleaner ground water.

Reading articles on water pollution is a depressing and a very complicated subject to get into, but even the quick facts on water pollution are enough to give any conscientious person the chills:

Researcher Larry West estimates that every day, 14,000 people die because of water pollution.

According to official classification, 41.3% of the United States’ water is polluted.

China is the latest victim of impure water tragedies. Emissaries around the globe are working nonstop to help China prevent a polluted-water epidemic before their contaminants spread even further. Some facts on water pollution in China:

70% of Chinese lakes and rivers are polluted, not to mention 90% of their groundwater (which constitutes most of the “potable” water people use for drinking, cooking, etc.) This pollution means that 320 million Chinese citizens have no clean drinking water.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently estimated that 75% of all disease in China comes from water pollution.

WHO puts the number of Chinese water-pollution-related deaths at 100,000 per year.

Water pollution in China is largely due to lax restrictions. In 2005 a Chinese petro-chemical plant exploded, shooting 100 tons of benzene into the Songhua River—and as usual, the company would have gotten off scot-free if the international community had not noticed something amiss and raised the alarm.

International distress is well-placed. Consumers of Chinese goods, who number in the millions, are upset by reports of unhygienic practices because of the overwhelmingly numerous Chinese imports distributed worldwide.

Children’s toys are largely made in China and this is a particular concern. Many people are smart enough to realize that sources of water pollution have an extremely pervasive vehicle in which to transmit toxins. Citizens of the USA’s Pacific Coast are especially worried that China’s polluted water will reach them in tidal currents.

The environment is extremely fragile. Recent pollution offenses include mountaintop mining in the Appalachians, oil drilling at both the Arctic and Antarctic poles which results in massive wildlife death, and oil spills that sicken people, as was recently the case in Puerto Rico.

So, after all of this sobering and unpleasant information, one question remains: how to stop water pollution? There are many technicalities involved, but the most comprehensive and pressing solution is better regulation. Government oversight needs a dramatic facelift.

A recent, disgraceful slump is due to a 2002 ruling by British courts which, incredibly enough, stated that heavy industrial mining waste was not dangerous and could be dumped into any water source at any time without permission. Articles on water pollution in the news reflect the consequences.

This ruling has given rise to a scandal currently unfolding in the Appalachian Mountains—West Virginian senator Robert Byrd, backed by profit-hungry mining companies and the Corps of Engineers, are literally “blowing the tops off mountains” to get at the ore inside and then dumping their poisonous leftovers directly into nearby streams, making them direct sources of water pollution.

They have even insulted public intelligence with their ludicrous claim that there is no better way to dispose of this waste. Well, if ultimately drinking it is the best solution, then here’s a toast to Senator Byrd. But if it turns out that putting heavy mining slag into our bodies isn’t the best solution, then here’s hoping that the government steps in to regulate pollution—and soon.

Here are a few quick ways to ensure that this coming summer, you have quality water rather than just quantity;

Individually, you can do small things to help. For example you may not realize that over-watering your lawn can wash dirt and heavy fertilizers into storm drains, where they join up with the main water supply. Water in small amounts throughout the day so that the ice water you drink after your yard work doesn’t taste like the fertilizer you just applied

 Sources of water pollution are everywhere. You might not think that dead leaves from your yard could pollute water, because a leaf is biodegradable plant matter. But something as simple as a layer of leaves blocking light can make water grow murky with algae and kill off the fish living there, for example. So, bag your leaves or better yet, go green by turning them into compost for your garden.

Be aware that all drains lead to the ocean, in a manner of speaking. Think twice before you pour chemicals in your sink such as paint or cleaning supplies. Instead, think about how to stop water pollution and dispose of them in an alternative manner, as dictated by the instructions on their bottles

One of the facts about water pollution that will surprise you is just what can get into your water supply. If you have decided to start a compost pile, try dumping your potato peelings there instead of into the garbage disposal.

Things that you would normally put in the disposal are usually compatible with composting, and putting them there gives your city water filter one less job to do (and potentially mess up on)

Limit your dumping. Try to avoid the junk yard.  Inevitably, we must do something as a community. The facts about water pollution are simple—no one person can stop it. As a community, as a state, and as a nation, we must all do certain things to ensure that our children have a future that includes clean water and all that this entails.

We need to make sure that our nuclear waste dumps are more strictly regulated, that no one is allowed to dump any amount of toxic waste into a stream (even if it is below the current regulation limit) and step up conservation laws to include every type of known toxin, rather than accommodating lucrative businesses at a terrible cost.

Water pollution in China has reached epic proportions because of these exact practices—and we are being shown, over and over again, that when it comes to the environment, cutting corners doesn’t pay.

We can’t allow regulation to continue as it is now. Few people realize how many tons of toxic waste are allowed as a safe dumping amount before the company in question will have violated a government regulation. It’s time to find out what’s going on and take steps on every level to limit and reverse water pollution.

These may also be referred to as point and nonpoint contamination. In both cases, the descriptive word applied to the contamination type references its amount of direct contact with the water source.

Direct, or point contact, is something introduced right into the water. Indirect, or nonpoint contact, is contamination that occurs elsewhere and then finds its way into a water source, generally by natural means.

Point contamination involving surface water has typically gotten the most attention from the media; articles on water pollution will frequently highlight oil spills out at sea and similar scandals. These are the most visible type of water pollution.

The terrible reality that we see in front of our eyes is not always the fullest extent of pollution, however. As bad as oil and chemical spills are (and they are bad), much of the worst pollution goes unnoticed by most people because it occurs underground, affecting groundwater aquifers.

Groundwater is a prime nonpoint contamination target, which occurs in many ways and as we discuss the issue of how to stop water pollution, the best way to do it is to attack indirect pollution of groundwater, by finding the sources of water pollution.

Groundwater accounts for nearly 90% of the world’s drinking water. It’s especially difficult tracking nonpoint contamination because many times it occurs naturally when small amounts of pollutant find their way together and the overall effect becomes dangerous.

This means that regulations must be stepped up. If small amounts of pesticides are sprayed over orchards by a crop duster, for example, each individual dose of pesticide might be perfectly up to code. Then after it rains, these pesticides become sources of water pollution by draining slowly together until they finally run through the soil and reach an underground aquifer.

Pesticides are a relatively mild example. Rain can fall anywhere and anytime it wishes, thereby washing pollutants into major water sources. These pollutants can come from construction sites, which contain heavy metal content as well as chemical elements.

They can also come from something as innocuous as rainwater washing across asphalt-this is known as “urban runoff” and is actually somewhat poisonous. (Not a very comforting thought when we consider the prevalence of asphalt in modern life.) Then, we have more typical sources of water pollution: major corporations dumping toxic waste. Still, is it always those big-business bad guys ruining our lives with their sludge? The answer may surprise you.

Extreme forms of contamination often come from landfills. Sometimes nuclear waste has been buried by the government and, when mixed with rainwater, this becomes a very toxic runoff. But the worst and most dangerous landfills are those created by ordinary people.

You and I throw garbage away without thinking about where it goes-but in reality, it goes into our faucets. Facts about sources of water pollution are disturbing, partly because we are to blame. Rainwater runs through our garbage, becoming a thick, grimy juice of toxins in our water sources. Your baby’s diaper doesn’t biodegrade.

Old tyres don’t biodegrade. Plastic shopping bags don’t biodegrade either, and best of all, everything made of plastic originates from petroleum, or natural gas. We drink these residues every day.

We also eat residues. In 1962, researcher Rachel Carson wrote a groundbreaking book called Silent Spring in which she blew the lid off of lax government restrictions and showed contamination to the world.

For the first time, people became aware of what they were doing to the environment as they read the facts about water pollution, including this one: a stalk of celery, if grown in soil that has been exposed to polluted water, can magnify the pollutant in its stem many times over as it grows. That’s the ugly truth about sources of water pollution-whether direct or indirect, eventually they affect us all.