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Raw sewage and industrial waste in the New River as it passes from Mexicali to Calexico,
California
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and
groundwater). This form of environmental degradation occurs when pollutants are directly or
indirectly discharged into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful
compounds.
Water pollution affects the entire biosphere plants and organisms living in these bodies of
water. In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and population,
but also to the natural biological communities.
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Categories
o 2.1 Point sources
o 2.2 Non-point sources
o 2.3 Groundwater pollution
3 Causes
o 3.1 Pathogens
5 Measurement
o 5.1 Sampling
o 5.2 Physical testing
o 5.3 Chemical testing
o 5.4 Biological testing
6 Control of pollution
o 6.1 Sewage treatment
o 6.2 Industrial wastewater treatment
o 6.3 Agricultural wastewater treatment
o 6.4 Erosion and sediment control from construction sites
o 6.5 Control of urban runoff (storm water)
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Introduction