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What is Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution?
Questions and Answers
(taken from EPA's Polluted brochure
EPA-841-F-94-005, 1994)
Q: What is nonpoint source pollution?
A: Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and
sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is
caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the
runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants,
finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even
our underground sources of drinking water. These pollutants include:
Excess fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from agricultural lands
and residential areas; Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy
production; Sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding streambanks; Salt from irrigation practices and acid drainage from abandoned
mines; Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty septicsystems;
Atmospheric deposition and hydromodification are also sources of nonpoint
source pollution.
Q: What are the effects of these pollutants on our waters?
A: States report that nonpoint source pollution is the leading remaining
cause of water quality problems. The effects of nonpoint source pollutants on specific waters vary and may not always be fully assessed. However, we know that these pollutants have harmful effects on drinking water supplies,
recreation, fisheries, and wildlife.
Q: What causes nonpoint source pollution?
A: We all play a part. Nonpoint source pollution results from a wide
variety of human activities on the land. Each of us can contribute to the
problem without even realizing it.
Q: What can we do about nonpoint source pollution?
A: We can all work together to reduce and prevent nonpoint source
pollution. Some activities are federal responsibilities, such as ensuring that federal lands are properly managed to reduce soil erosion. Some are state responsibilities, for example, developing legislation to govern mining and
logging, and to protect groundwater. Others are best handled locally, such as
by zoning or erosion control ordinances. And each individual can play an
important role by practicing conservation and by changing certain everyday
habits.
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