page_title: Water pollution
section_title: Erosion and sediment control from construction sites
hierarchical_section_title: Water pollution / Control of pollution / Erosion and sediment control from construction sites
caption_attribution_description: View of a silt fence installed on a construction site
context_page_description: Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities. Water bodies include for example lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants are introduced into the natural environment. For example, releasing inadequately treated wastewater into natural water bodies can lead to degradation of aquatic ecosystems. In turn, this can lead to public health problems for people living downstream. They may use the same polluted river water for drinking or bathing or irrigation. Water pollution is the leading worldwide cause of death and disease, e.g. due to water-borne diseases.
  Water pollution can be classified as surface water or groundwater pollution. Marine pollution and nutrient pollution are subsets of water pollution. Sources of water pollution are either point sources or non-point sources. Point sources have one identifiable cause of the pollution, such as a storm drain or a wastewater treatment plant. Non-point sources are more diffuse, such as agricultural runoff. Pollution is the result of the cumulative effect over time.
context_section_description: Sediment from construction sites is managed by installation of:
  erosion controls, such as mulching and hydroseeding, and
  sediment controls, such as sediment basins and silt fences.
  Discharge of toxic chemicals such as motor fuels and concrete washout is prevented by use of:
  spill prevention and control plans, and
  specially designed containers (e.g. for concrete washout) and structures such as overflow controls and diversion berms.
caption: Silt fence installed on a construction site.
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