Background on Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater). Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. There are two broad categories that explain water pollution.

There are four main factors that explain the contamination of our waters today: the chemicals were dumped into the water intentionally; the chemicals leaked into groundwater, rivers or streams because of broken pipes or tanks; the chemicals infected waterways because of industrial catastrophes; and the pollution of water settled out of polluted air.