The Different Types of Water Pollution Water pollution is the impairment of surface water or groundwater by human activities. Dirt particles, bacteria, and other biological and chemical pollutants and higher than normal water temperatures make water unsafe for drinking and recreating, and may well spoil the aquatic habitat that supports fish, birds, and other wildlife. Dirt particles, bacteria, and other biological and chemical pollutants make water unsafe for drinking and recreating, and may well spoil the aquatic habitat that supports fish, birds, and other wildlife. Water becomes polluted in a number of ways. Industries and municipal wastewater treatment plants discharge wastes, via a pipe, into surface waters.
Polluted runoff is one example and exists in rural, suburban, and urban environments.
Other examples of nonpoint source pollution include airborne toxics, contaminated groundwater from the leaching of pollutants, and contaminated sediments. Other types of impairment include alteration of physical habitat like channel modification and streamflow alteration. Polluted runoff is caused by rainwater or snowmelt flowing overland into nearby waterways. Water becomes polluted as it picks up silt from eroding soils, oils, toxic metals, and other wastes on roads from vehicles, and animal wastes and chemicals from farm fields and suburban lawns. Runoff can also be the result of agricultural irrigation.