Running Head Point source water pollution and non-point source pollution 1

Point source pollution and non-point source pollution

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Point source water pollution and non-point source pollution 2

Project 2
Point source pollution and non-point source pollution
Today pollution is becoming a major concern for health and the environment. The increasing

population and excessive use of resources in our daily lives are among few factors leading to

environmental pollution. Water is the basic necessity of life, as life is associated with water as

life cannot exist without water. today, water pollution is on the rise and has become a global

issue. There are many causes and sources of water pollution. But the major two types of water

pollution are point source and non-point source pollution. Point source pollution refers to those

sources of pollution which are easily identifiable. “any single identifiable source of pollution

from which pollutants are discharged, such as a pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack.”

(Environmental protection Agency, USA). While on the other hand, the sources of water

pollution which occur as a result of runoff, when rainwater or melted snow flows over or through

the ground and water absorbs and assimilates pollutants present in its path, is known as a non-

point source of pollution.

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It is easy to identify point sources of pollution, but it is difficult to identify non-point sources of

pollution, as they vary with time and place. Point sources of pollution include factories, like

fertilizers, oil, and gas and paper industries, drainage of a society or a town, etc. sewage

treatment plants are present in certain urban areas, which treat water for human waste and

discharge it into a river or sea. Some sewage treatment plants are combined with urban run-off

water systems, thus known as combined sewer plants. In case of excessive rain, the run-off water

carrying all the dissolve able and non-soluble pollutants overflows the combined sewer treatment
Point source water pollution and non-point source pollution 3

plants and mixes with other (fresh) water bodies, causing pollution on a major scale. Some other

sources of point source pollution include livestock farms, automobile industries, and buildings.

Like point source water pollution, non-point source water pollution is also dangerous for the

ecosystem. the positive side of the point source water pollution is it can be controlled by using

different control methods. While non-point source water pollution requires complete studies and

data of pollutants, their origin, and ways, by which they are polluting the water. Only then one

can develop an effective control technique to control non-point source water pollution. There can

be various sources of non-point source pollution, but the major source is urban areas. Urban

areas are generally made of concrete, which is a hard surface and hardly absorbs any water, thus

rainwater or flood water can run off these surfaces, easily dissolving harmful pollutants in its

way, and mixing into a large water body. It can carry discarded construction materials, chemicals

used in lawn care, wet pastes, etc. with it and end up in a river.

Agricultural lands also contribute to the non-point source of water pollution. As in agriculture,

fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides are used for the growth and protection of crops

respectively. When the crop is cultivated, the soil is often plowed, which leads to soil erosion in

case of excessive rain. The rainwater erodes the soil while assimilating harmful chemicals

present in the soil with it. Similarly, forestry operations also lead to non-point source pollution,

in the form of soil erosion.

Some sources of pollution contribute to both point and nonpoint sources of water pollution.

Industrial facilities are among the top contributors to both types of water pollution. As we known

industries release wastewater, into the river or form a wastewater pond, which seeps in through

the soil and mixes with groundwater as well, thus polluting it. Similarly, industries release
Point source water pollution and non-point source pollution 4

harmful toxic gases into the atmosphere, which ultimately leads to acid rain, contributing to a

non-point source of water pollution. Similarly, mining operations are also a contributor to both

point and non-point sources of water pollution. Mining operations require stripping of the upper

layers of soil and get to the desired layer of minerals for extraction. This requires heavy

machines, and automobiles, which cause soil erosion and directly contribute to point sources. But

mines that are not properly taken care of, after the minerals are extracted and left abandoned,

contribute to nonpoint sources. The water flows through the soil, dissolving minerals like

Sulphur, zinc, and mercury, becoming highly acidic and heavy, ending in a freshwater body,

such as streams and rivers.

In anchorage, leather factories and anchorage fur factory are a contributor of point source

pollution. In leather factories, leather is tanned, and leather tanning requires the use of harmful

chemicals such as chromium, mixed with water, and the water is released into the ponds, seeping

in through the soil and contaminating groundwater. similarly, in fur factories, nutrients from fur

factory farms lead to the growth of toxic algae in the waterways, which causes loss in

biodiversity and decreases the amount of oxygen in the water.

On the other hand, Alaska packaging Inc. and restaurants in anchorage like Alaska Dinner

factory are a contributor of nonpoint source water pollution. Alaska packaging Inc. uses boats for

transportation purposes, which during maintenance spill color, oil, and other metal parts into the

water, thus contaminating the water. A certain amount of fuel used to turn its rotor is left

unburned, and spilled in water. Another nonpoint source of pollution is domestic animals, as

their waste is not properly disposed of, and as a result of run-off, it pollutes the coastline of the

ocean along anchorage.

Point source water pollution and non-point source pollution 5

According to EPA, and the Safe drinking water act (SDWA), only 0.1mh/L of chromium in

water is safe for health and has no concerns for human or animal health. But chromium content

exceeding 0.1mg/L in drinking water can lead to diarrhea, stomach and intestinal bleedings,

cramps, liver, and kidney damage, similarly, nutrients pollution in the water can lead to an algal

bloom, which either or non-toxic is harmful to water, while toxic algae, like red tides, blue-green

algae, and cyanobacteria are harmful to life and even can kill humans or animals. They also

create dead zones in water and increase the treatment cost of drinking water. Non-point sources

of pollution are polluting the ocean, by oil spillage of boats, directly impacting the marine or

aquatic life, reduction in fish production in the ocean, and damaging the coastlines. The marine

life is continuously affected due to the boats of Alaska shipping Inc. and urban run-off

containing soluble and non-soluble wastes and contaminants etc.

Point source pollution and non-point source pollution, both have a major concern for the

ecosystem. As water is the basis of an ecosystem, and water pollution affects every living thing

in the entire eco-system. There is a dire need for reducing water pollution through point sources

and non-point sources as well. Various methods are in place to control point source water

pollution, but research is still in progress to form control methods for non-point source water

pollution.

Work Citation

N.A. (N.d). Background on drinking water standards in the safe drinking water act (SDWA).

Environmental protection agency USA. Background on Drinking Water Standards in the Safe

Drinking Water Act (SDWA) | Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) | US EPA

N.A. (N.d). Point source. US geological survey. Point Source: Pollution Tutorial (noaa.gov)
Point source water pollution and non-point source pollution 6

N.A (N.d). Non-point source. NonPoint Source: Pollution Tutorial (noaa.gov).