What is nonpoint source pollution?
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution occurs when rainfall, snowmelt, or irrigation runs over land or through the ground, picks up pollutants throughout the watershed, and deposits them into rivers, lakes, and coastal waters or introduces them into ground water. Imagine the path taken by a drop of rain from the time it hits the ground to when it reaches a river, ground water, or the ocean. Any pollutant it picks up on its journey can become part of the NPS problem. NPS pollution also includes adverse changes to the vegetation, shape, and flow of streams and other aquatic systems. NPS pollution is widespread because it can occur any time activities disturb the land or water. Septic systems, urban runoff, construction, recreational boating, agriculture, forestry, grazing, physical changes to stream channels, and habitat degradation are all potential sources of NPS pollution. Careless o
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is the Nation’s leading source of water quality degradation. Although individual homes might contribute only minor amounts of NPS pollution, the combined effect of an entire neighborhood can be serious. These include eutrophication (nutrient pollution), sedimentation, and contamination with unwanted pollutants.
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from diffuse sources. NPS pollution occurs when rainfall or irrigation runs over land or through the ground, picks up pollutants throughout the watershed, and deposits them into rivers, lakes, coastal waters or introduces them into ground water. Imagine the path taken by a drop of rain from the time it hits the ground to when it reaches a river, ground water, an ocean or other waters. Any pollutant it picks up on its journey can become part of the NPS problem. NPS pollution also includes adverse changes to the vegetation, shape, and flow of streams and other aquatic systems. NPS pollution is widespread because it can occur any time activities disturb the land or water. Septic systems, urban runoff, construction, recreational boating, agriculture, forestry, grazing, physical changes to stream channels, and habitat degradation are all potential sources of NPS pollution. Careless or uninfo
Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) occurs when rainfall, snow melt, or irrigation runs over land or through the ground, picks up pollutants, and deposits them into rivers, lakes, and coastal waters or introduces them into ground water. Imagine the path taken by a drop of rain from the time it hits the ground to when it reaches a river, ground water, or the ocean. Any pollutant it picks up on its journey can become part of the NPS problem. NPS pollution also includes adverse changes to the vegetation, shape, and flow of streams and other aquatic systems. NPS pollution is widespread because it can occur any time activities disturb the land or water. Agriculture, forestry, grazing, septic systems, recreational boating, urban runoff, construction, physical changes to stream channels, and habitat degradation are potential sources of NPS pollution. Careless or uninformed household management also contributes to NPS pollution problems. The most common NPS pollutants are sediment and nutrients. T
Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution, or runoff, is a drop in water quality caused by contaminants entering streams and lakes from places that not easy to find. Unlike pollutants that come from “point” sources like the discharge pipes of wastewater treatment systems, pollutants from “nonpoint” sources enter our waters through many different paths. For example, NPS pollutants enter our streams and lakes when it rains. Runoff from rain carries soil, pesticides, fertilizers, paints, motor oil, animal waste, antifreeze and salt, that have been sprayed, laid, poured or spilled on the ground. These pollutants enter our waters through storm drains, ditches, culverts, gullies and other manmade or natural channels.
