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Chemical Water Pollutants

Many sources of pollution can affect our waters. Different types of chemicals are released that harmfully affect our drinking water, aquatic life and wildlife. From natural process to commercial procedures, our water suffers. The Environmental Protection Agency and other organizations work continuously to improve safety practices and work toward a greener way of production.

Air Pollutants
- Fossil fuels create energy and power and cause air pollution that results in toxic waters.
  
  Air pollutants such as nitrogen and sulfur compounds, mercury and pesticides get washed down into our water systems. The combustion of fossil fuels for energy and transportation and chemical byproducts from industrial agricultural processes are just a few causes of air pollution.
  
  There are also natural processes that cause pollution to our atmosphere such as volcanoes and forest fires. These pollutants fall through precipitation, dust and gravity directly into surface waters or land and get carried away.
Commercial &Industrial Sources
- Toxic waste from industrial processes such as power plants have harmful effects on our water.
  
  Many urban and suburban areas have buildings and pavement which lack proper drainage. This does not allow water to soak into the ground and this increases runoff pollution. Commercial businesses release oil, grease and toxic chemicals that end up in sewage systems and waterways. Construction sites that are not properly managed can release sediment into the water systems.
  
  Heavy metals from the roof shingles of homes and buildings, oil and grease from motor vehicles and thermal pollution from pavement and rooftops all affect our waterways, aquatic animals, wildlife and vegetation. Radioactive wastes from power plants and the corrosion of metal pipelines affect aspects of our water.
Farmland
- Livestock waster is just one cause of water pollution.
  
  Chemicals that come from farmland such as fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides are considered runoff pollutants. Due to rain and the melting of snow, these chemicals travel into lakes, rivers, wetlands, oceans and groundwater. Bacteria and waste from livestock as well as faulty septic systems cause chemicals to pass through our water.
Mining Pollutants
- Acid drainage from mines are toxic to our water.
  
  Abandoned mines pollute our waters through acid, alkaline and metal drainage such as high levels of lead. Acid drainage is known to have the most effect. It forms when surface water from rain mixes with subsurface water that contains sulfur-bearing minerals. This creates sulfuric acid and can be highly toxic to humans, animals and plants.

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