What Are the Top Ten Water Pollutants?

Water pollution poses serious risks to the health of the environment, people and animals. While there are many sources of water pollution, they can all be categorized into either point or no-point contaminants. While the former are closely monitored and regulated in Western countries, the latter are much more difficult to control and pose the greatest problem.

Pesticides and Fertilizers

• Pesticides and fertilizers are two of the most prolific polluters when used both commercially and in the home. Runoff from farms and lawns leaks into drains, streams and rivers and eventual drain into fresh waters. Fertilizers enhanced with various nutrients for plant life eventually make it into fresh water disturbing the natural balance of nutrients necessary for aquatic vegetation.

Oil and Gas

• Oil spills like the recent disaster in The Gulf account for the third largest polluter of water. When oil spills occur in the oceans, tons immediately contaminate the nearby waters while petroleum spilled on land is transported via rainwater to the oceans. Shipping also accounts for a large deposit of petroleum waste into the water. Gas leaked from storage containers is a large problem for water pollution as well. Numerous groundwater wells have been shutdown due to contaminated ground water for leaking tanks.

Mining and Foresting

• Mining releases previously-untouched compounds onto the ground which are then carried by water into the water. Similar processes occur when forests are cleared and sediment, which would otherwise be locked in the soil, is brought to the surface of the earth. Both industries also produce wastes brought by rainwater to rivers and oceans.

Chemicals, Industry and Plastic

• According to "Grinning Planet," more than half of all the most dangerous liquid wastes produced by industries are dumped directly into groundwater. These include a number of metals and radioactive materials produced as a byproduct of various industries. Plastics are also discarded into the oceans and cause serious injuries to various animals living in water as they are often entangled in it. When broken down, the plastics are consumed by smaller animals.

Household Products and Sewage

• When ordinary household items flush down the drain, they are often sent unprocessed directly into nearby waters. These often include medications, fragrances and other chemicals detrimental to marine life and the quality of the water. Fragrances are often found in the tissue of fish. Sewage has an equally detrimental effect, in that it is often sent into the water untreated due to a lack of regulation or malfunctioning treatment facilities.