Environmental Science: Water Pollution

Conserving water involves multiple habits, such as turning off the tap while brushing teeth, managing waste to prevent pollution, and watering lawns efficiently.

Nonpoint-source pollution comes from many diffuse sources, such as runoff from farms, streets, and parking lots, rather than a single identifiable pipe.

Point-source pollution is defined as pollution that comes from a single, identifiable source, such as a factory pipe or sewage treatment plant.

Desalination is the industrial process of removing salt and other minerals from saline water to make it suitable for human consumption or irrigation.

Dams are structures built across rivers or streams to hold back water, creating reservoirs that help control flooding and store water for various uses.

Potable water is water that is safe enough to be consumed by humans or used with low risk of immediate or long-term harm.

Permeability is the measure of the ability of a porous material, such as rock or soil, to allow fluids to pass through it.

Groundwater is water located beneath the Earth's surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations.

A watershed is the specific geographic area where all rainfall and runoff drains into a common body of water, such as a river or lake. Surface water refers to water on the ground, while a river system includes the river and its tributaries.

Surface water is defined as water that is found on the Earth's surface, including lakes, rivers, and streams. Groundwater is found beneath the surface in soil and rock.