Point Source and Non- Point Source: Most of us know that if we go all the way back, we will always be the cause of pollution. We all know it exisits, but we don't all know where it comes from. We should try our best to improve the quality of water and air for our future generations. To do this we start off by knowing the sources that are causing the pollution to prevent the pollution. There are 2 types of sources:
1. Point Source: Point Source pollution originates from a specific, identifiable place, such as a factory, a sewage plant, an underground fuel tank, or even an animal feedlot. Because a point source comes from a specific place, it will be easier for us to treat it and get rid of it. Factories and sewage treatment plants are two common types of point sources. Factories and chemical, electronic, and automible manufactures, typically discharge one or more pollutants in their discharged waters (called effluents). Some factories discharge their effluents directly into a waterbody. Others treat it themselves before it is released, and still others send their wastes to sewage treatment plants for treatment. Sewage treatment plants treat human wastes and send the treated effluent to a river. Instead of just treating them some sewage treatments mix it with other urban run offs. In all conditions this harms our water by polluting it. To control point source pollution, countries around the world created the clean water act. Factories must have a permit or license to discharge their wastes in large waterbodies.  This is the process of a sewage treatment! |
2. Non- Point Source: Non- point source (NPS) is water pollution affecting a water body from a diffuse source such as, polluted runoffs from agriculture areas draining into a river. Unlike point sources, NPS don't come from a specific location. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters. Reports say that nonpoint source pollution is the leading remaining cause of water quality problems. The effects of nonpoint source pollutants on specific waters vary and may not always be fully assessed. However, we know that these pollutants have harmful effects on drinking water supplies, recreation, fisheries and wildlife. There are no exact solution to non- point source pollution, but the best we can is to reduce pollution.
 Water pollution is caused from run offs of agriculture areas, like this!!
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