Syed Ali Abdullah Rizvi 2005-ENV-01

Point and No point Pollution Sources

In the simplest of terms, a pollutant is a substance that enters the environment and
elevates the "natural" background level of that substance. In many

Fig 1: Location of a point source of Wastewater in a water body.

This drainage outlet delivering polluted runoff into the Ohio River is a point source of
pollution because the pollution originates from a single, identifiable source.
cases, the natural system may not have any of the substance present until human
activities add it to the environment.

Pollution originating from a single, identifiable source, such as a discharge pipe from a
factory or sewage plant, is called point-source pollution. Pollution that does not originate
from a single source, or point, is called nonpoint-source pollution. Liquid, solid, and
airborne discharges from point sources as well as pollutants from nonpoint sources may
go either into surface water or into the ground. (Airborne pollutants can be assimilated
into rainwater and can affect water quality: acid rain is an example.) The ability for these
pollutants to reach surface water or groundwater is enhanced by the amount of water
available from precipitation (rain) or irrigation. [1]

Point Sources:

Point sources of wastewater are discrete and identifiable sources that are divided into
domestic and industrial sources.

Domestic sources: include residences and small businesses. Compared with industry,
these are relatively small sources. As a result, a major issue in this category is the
collection of wastewater (i.e., it is a major expense when added up for the entire
community). Nationwide, about 80% of domestic wastewater is sent to sewerage
systems, and about 20% to private systems (e.g., septic tanks).

1
Syed Ali Abdullah Rizvi 2005-ENV-01

Table 1: Typical Characteristics of Untreated Domestic Waste Water [2]

Concentration
Contaminants Unit Weak Medium Strong
Solids, total (TS) mg/l 390 720 1230
Dissolved, total (TDS) mg/l 270 500 860
Fixed mg/l 160 300 520
Volatile mg/l 110 200 340
Suspended Solids (SS) mg/l 120 210 400
Fixed mg/l 25 50 85
Volatile mg/l 95 160 315
Settable solids mg/l 5 10 20
BOD5, 20Co mg/l 110 190 350
Total Organic Carbon mg/l 80 140 260
COD mg/l 250 430 800
Nitrogen ( total as N) mg/l 20 40 70
Organic mg/l 8 15 25
Free Ammonia mg/l 12 25 45
Nitrites mg/l 0 0 0
Nitrates mg/l 0 0 0
Phosphrous (total as P) mg/l 4 7 12
Organic mg/l 1 2 4
Inorganic mg/l 3 5 10
Chlorides mg/l 30 50 90
Sulfate mg/l 20 30 50
Oil and Grease mg/l 50 90 100
Volatile Compounds 100 -
(Organic) mg/l <100 400 >400
Total Coliforms mg/l 106 ~ 108 107 ~ 109 107 ~ 1010
Fecal Coliforms mg/l 103 ~ 105 104~ 106 105 ~ 108

Industrial sources: are relatively large sources that include such sub-categories as the
chemical, pharmaceutical, oil, mining, and metal industries. Because of their size, these
sources are generally easier to collect, but harder to treat (e.g., their chemical content can
vary tremendously). Of course, collection is not always easy: a special sub-category
includes the shipping industry, and shipping accidents can occur during transport (e.g.,
the Exxon Valdez).

2
 Syed Ali Abdullah Rizvi 2005-ENV-01

Table 2: Characteristics of Wastewater from Individual Process (Textile Processing) [4]

Temp.
Process Co pH BOD COD TDS TSS Cr SO4
Bleaching 50-80 10-11 200-300 1100-1400 1400-1500 100-200
Mercerising 60-70 13-14 700-800 20000-30000 300-800
10000- 300-
Dying 60-70 10-11 2000-4500 30000 1000
Printing Room 8-11 80-120 300 - 3000 1000-3000 50-300
Colour Kitchen 30 7-8.5 80-100 1000-1500 10-15
Boiler 100 11-12 >100 150-200
500-
Screen 100
Development 1.5-2.5 0
Laboratory 9-10 >100 ~1000 ~10 3000-4000
NEQS 40 6-10 80 150 3500 150 1 600

Point-source pollutants in surface water and groundwater are usually found in a plume
that has the highest concentrations of the pollutant nearest the source (such as the end of
a pipe or an underground injection system) and diminishing concentrations farther away
from the source. The various types of point-source pollutants found in waters are as
varied as the types of business, industry, agricultural, and urban sources that produce
them.

Commercial and industrial businesses use hazardous materials in manufacturing or

maintenance, and then discharge various wastes from their operations. The raw materials
and wastes may include pollutants such as solvents, petroleum products (such as oil and
gasoline), or heavy metals.

Nonpoint Sources:

Non-point sources are diffuse and generally occur from water runoff. Because they are
spread over large areas, they tend to be more difficult to control, and in recent years they
have gained greater attention from legislators. They are divided into agricultural, urban,
and atmospheric sources.

Agricultural sources: include farms, which can contribute fertilizers, pesticides, soil
erosion, and plant and animal wastes to water runoff. Collectively, they usually constitute
the largest source of pollutants to water, and the erosion contributions are being worsened
by the deforestation occurring in various parts of the world.

Urban sources: include the storm water systems that collect water from the gutters of
streets in towns and cities. The true scope of the problem from urban sources is still not
very well understood, but it is clearly a major contributor.

3
Syed Ali Abdullah Rizvi 2005-ENV-01

Table 3: Quality of Urban Runoff (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Quality of Urban Land Runoff

Parameter Range Units Mean
Turbidity 30 - 1000 - 170
Color 10 - 380 - 81
Ph 5.3 - 8.7 - 7.5
Alkalinity 10 - 210 mg/l 59
Hardness (Ca) 24 -200 mg/l 63
Cl- 3 to 35 mg/l 12
SS 5 - 1200 mg/l 210
VSS 1 - 290 mg/l 53
COD 20 - 610 mg/l 99
CBOD (5- day) 2 to 84 mg/l 19
Nitrogen (as N) organic 0.02 - 0.2 mg/l 0.05
NH3 0.1 - 1.5 mg/l 0.4
NO2 0.1 - 1.9 mg/l 0.6
NO3 0.2 - 4.8 mg/l 1.7
PO4 (total soluble as PO4) 0.07 - 4.3 mg/l 0.8

Atmospheric sources include air pollution's contribution during precipitation (e.g., acid
rain). We do not discuss it in detail here because we have already covered it in a previous
section. Nevertheless, it is a classic example of the multi-media role of wastewater
pollution.

The water that carries nonpoint-source pollution may originate from natural processes

Fig 2: Non Point source of wastewater from agricultural land

4
Syed Ali Abdullah Rizvi 2005-ENV-01

References:

[1] http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Po-Re/Pollution-Sources-Point-and-
Nonpoint.html

[2] Metcalf and Eddy. Wastewater Engineering, Treatment and Reuse. 4th Edition 2004.
Table 3-15

[3] http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0551e/t0551e03.htm#TopOfPage

[4] Impact of Environmental Regulations on the Textile Sector of Pakistan by Atif S.

Malik