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Oil spills and leaks from cars and boats are one form of water pollution, according to the city of Bremerton website. Major oil spills cover the surface of the water and also coat aquatic animals, which makes it hard for them to breathe, move and eat. This can kill off a large part of the local animal population. Other pollutants include chemical runoff from cars, like antifreeze and gasoline. Both of these chemicals can kill or sicken animals, fish and vegetation in an inland waterway or ocean. Pesticides, chlorinated solvents, phenols and detergents are other kinds of common water pollutants that can also sicken or kill aquatic wildlife.
Sewage Waste
Failing septics systems can pollute groundwater and waterways. Sewage from septic tanks is generally treated at waste water plants before being released into water, but failing septic tanks allow raw, untreated sewage to leak directly into waterways and groundwater. Boaters and travelers in mobile campers who illegally dump their sewage waste into rivers and streams also contribute to pollution in waterways. Other common types of waste pollution comes from animals. When dog owners don't pick up after their dogs the waste can run off into local streams and rivers. Farms are also a major source of water pollutants because rain can carry animal waste on the farms to nearby streams and rivers and contaminate waterways as well as irrigated water used to grow food, according to the official city of Bremerton website.
Natural Debris
Not all pollutants are poisonous chemicals or waste. Some pollutants are natural materials like grass clippings, piles of leaves and tree trimmings that make their way into waterways and block the water flow. When these materials break down in the water they become unwanted fertilizer that sprouts excess vegetation that clogs rivers and streams. These materials can also lead to excess nutrients being released into the water than can result in algae blooms in a pond or lake that threaten fish and animals by decreasing light in the water and using up all of the oxygen in the water, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.
Soil Erosion
Soil washed away from hillsides, roads and lawns is called erosion. Excess soil in a waterway can clog up and block a waterway which can kill fish and aquatic animals as well as aquatic vegetation, according to the city of Oceanside website. Excess soil can also reduce visibility in the water, making it hard for aquatic wildlife to see well, find places to lay their eggs or hunt in the water. The excess soil in the water also makes it difficult for fish to breathe.