Algal bloom in a Canadian prairie lake. The bloom is caused by a buildup of nutrients from agricultural fertilizers entering the water and can lead to fish kills.
Contaminated water is a public enemy .
It kills millions of people worldwide every year. Agriculture discharges pollutants such as chemical pesticides and fertilizers into surface and groundwater. Poor farming practices can lead to soil erosion and sediment buildup, while inefficient irrigation schemes can cause waterlogging and salinization that destroys soil fertility and poisons groundwater with concentrated salts and minerals. Completing the cycle, the use of wastewater and polluted surface and groundwater contaminates crops and transmits diseases to consumers and farmworkers alike. One of the most tragic examples of how deeply flawed farming practices have led to water contamination and related health problems can be found in the Aral Sea Basin of Central Asia.