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Top5WaysWaterGetsPolluted:TreeHugger

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Top 5 Ways Water Gets Polluted

Blythe Copeland (@blythecopeland)
Science / Clean Water
June 15, 2009

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common form of water pollution, think again: from agricultural runoff to waste
treatment, pollution affects more and more of the Earth's water supply every minute.
Check out five of the most invasive and damaging types of pollution (but please: still
throw that sandwich wrapper in the trashcan).Sewage and Fertilizer
Sewage doesn't present as big of a problem as some other pollutants, but it does have
its dangers: in small quantities, it breaks down naturally and doesn't harm water at all,
but in large quantities it depletes the amount of oxygen in the water. When too much

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oxygen is erased, the polluted area can't support sea life. These areas are known as
"dead zones," and there are more than 400 of them around the world, causing major
damage to the health of the oceans.
Acid Rain
Though the acid rain-awareness campaign has made this less of an issue than it was in
the past, it's still a major pollution problem. A quick refresher on the how: the burning
of fossil fuels releases compounds that interact with the H20 in the air, creating a
modified version of the raindropone that includes nitric and sulfuric acid, which
pollutes the water and ground that's affected by the rain. Too much of those acids
inhibits plant growth, and soil damage on a major scale would take eons to repair
which makes soil a "non-renewable resource," according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Non-point Sources
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Top5WaysWaterGetsPolluted:TreeHugger

All water pollution happens in one of two ways: via non-point or point systems. Nonpoint pollution comes from indirect sources, like agricultural runoff, mining waste,
paved roads, and industrial activity. It's impossible to trace the original polluter in these
cases, but toxic chemicals and compounds make their way into the water system just
the samethrough rainwater drainage, melting snow, and running rivers.

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the possibility for water pollution. From rigs that are compromised by foul weather (like

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those on the Gulf Coast) to barges that have accidental spills, the damage is never
intentional, but it's still one of the major dangers facing clean water and marine life.
Heat
This may not seem like such a bad thingafter all, hot water and cold water even out
eventually, right? Rightbut until then, discharging hot water while cooling power
plants means changing the temperature of the water source, which can encourage the
species density to change and alter the biology of the water. Thermal pollution, then,
can be just as damaging as bacterial or sediment pollution.

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