The word itself has become pervasive in contemporary conversation, but its actual meaning is not quite as straight forward as it may seem. Pollute, contaminate, taint, infect, defile, and debase refer to the process of making a thing dirty, impure, or worthless. Pollute suggests the end of this process, and contaminate, its beginning. The term polluted in reference to a stream, however, may have different meanings in different places and in different States. Take the lake which is not of a quality to provide drinking water but which supports fish consumption and recreational uses.
Definitions vary according to what usage of a term is attempting to achieve.
Dictionary-style definitions of pollution, according to Dr. Ruth Patrick, Francis Boyer Chair of Limnology at The Academy of Natural Sciences and one of the worlds most respected fresh water experts, are far too generalized to promote any real understanding of the complex interactions which occur in the natural world. In order to talk about whether or not something is a water pollutant, we need to know what its effects are, and how to measure them. To do that, we need to know the chemical, physical, and biological condition of the river or stream. Fallen leaves, animal wastes, run-off waters from croplands, parking lots, or forest floors all these things are potential pollutants when they enter a stream. In general, every body of water has the capacity to absorb or break down certain quantities of various types of introduced materials.