What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution is when harmful things like chemicals, plastic, or waste get into rivers, lakes, oceans, or other water sources. It’s usually caused by human activity and can hurt animals, humans, damage the environment, and make water unsafe to use.

Although there are multiple different types of pollution, there are 3 main categories in which they all fall under.

• Chemical
Pollution

Chemical Pollution

Chemical pollution is when toxic or harmful chemicals enter water sources, usually because of human activities like farming, factories, or oil spills. These pollutants can include pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals like mercury or lead, and industrial waste. Once in the water, these chemicals can harm fish and wildlife, poison drinking water, and disrupt entire ecosystems. Chemical pollution is one of the most dangerous types of water pollution because it’s often invisible and hard to clean up.

• Dead zones—areas with no oxygen in oceans—are growing, with over 500 worldwide, harming marine life.

Physical Pollution

Physical pollution is when solid waste like plastic, glass, or metal ends up in rivers, lakes, or oceans. This usually happens when people litter, dump trash, or when garbage gets carried into waterways by wind or rain. These materials don’t break down easily and can harm animals that get tangled in them or try to eat them. Physical pollution also makes water look dirty and can block sunlight from reaching underwater plants. It’s a big problem because it builds up over time and is hard to remove once it spreads.

• The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a plastic debris area roughy twice the size of Texas.
• Over 1 million sea animals die each year from eating or getting trapped in plastic waste.
• Plastic takes up to 1,000 years to break down in water — and even then, it becomes harmful microplastics.

Biological Pollution

Biological pollution happens when harmful organisms like bacteria, viruses, or invasive species enter water sources and cause damage. Things that also cause is human waste, animal waste, or stormwater runoff that carries germs into river and lakes. These pollutants can make the water unsafe for drinking, swimming, or fishing, and can spread diseases to both humans and animals. Invasive species, like certain types of fish or plants, can also take over habitats and push out native wildlife. Biological pollution is dangerous because it often spreads quickly and can be hard to control once it's in the water.

• Diseases like cholera and typhoid spread through dirty water, especially in areas with poor sewage systems.
• Just one gram of human waste can contain millions of bacteria and viruses that pollute water.
• Animal waste from farms and pets can wash into water and carry harmful bacteria like E. coli.