Surface Water Pollution

Abstract The surface water pollution in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, coastal areas, and other surface water resources may occur mainly because of point‐source pollution and nonpoint‐source pollution. The term point‐source pollution refers to pollutants discharged from one discrete location or point, such as an industry or municipal wastewater treatment plant, to surface water resources (Fig. 1). The effluent out‐fall from factories, refineries, waste treatment plants, etc. emits fluids of varying quality directly into surface waters. The term nonpoint‐source pollution refers to the discharge of pollutants that cannot be identified as coming from one discrete location or point. The pollution outflow from nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, or diffuse pollution, include contaminants that enter the water supply from soils/groundwater systems and from the atmosphere via rain water. Soils and groundwaters contain the residue of human agricultural practices (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and improperly disposed of industrial wastes.