Question

Write a one-page paper describing the difference between Point Sources and Non-point Sources of water pollution. Give real life examples of each source within a given community of your choice. Be sure to list references. Double spaced, 12-font, and Times Roman.

Answer 1

Some of the major differences between point and nonpoint sources of water pollution are as follows:

Point Source of Water Pollution:
1. It is pollution caused by discharge of effluents at one point.

2. Due to large scale entry of pollutants at one point, the contamination and harmful effect on quality of water is maximum.

3. Treatment plant can be installed in the area of flow of effluents.

4. Other type of control measures are not required.

Example : Deepwater Horizonoil spill, Gulf of Mexico — Releasing about 134 million gallons of oil the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill is the largest point source of oil pollution in United States history.

Mosaic Acidic Water Release, Florida — On Sept. 5, 2004, acidic water was released during Hurricane Frances from Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC’s storage containment system. The spill polluted nearly 10 acres of seagrass beds and more than 135 acres of wetland habitats, including almost 80 acres of mangroves.

Montrose Hazardous Releases, California — From the late 1940s to the early 1970s, millions of pounds of DDT and polychlorinated biphenyl were discharged into ocean waters off the southern California coast. Most of the DDT originated from the Montrose Chemical Corporation manufacturing plant located in Torrance, California. In 2001, NOAA and other federal and state agencies reached a settlement with the polluters, establishing the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program (MSRP)

Non-point Source of Water Pollution:

1. It is pollution caused by discharge of pollutants over a wide area.

2. There is some dilution of the effect of pollutants due to large size of area.

3. Treatment plant is useless for this type of pollution.

4. Control measures are required on a large scale for non-liberation of pollutants.

Example : Tijuana River, California — The large amounts of trash and larger debris that wash downstream threaten and degrade the Tijuana River Valley’s valuable ecological, cultural, recreational, and economic resources. A grant from NOAA funds work that includes the removal and disposal of debris that accumulates behind large trash booms designed to block debris from flowing into the ocean.

Shuyak Island, Alaska — With the support of a Marine Debris Program grant, the Island Trails Network (ITN) is leading an innovative two-year effort to remove marine debris from a remote island in Alaska. Working with 100 volunteers and trained crew, ITN created a kayak-based cleanup operation to remove about 40,000 pounds of marine debris from Shuyak Island. The island — a remote location with critical habitat for numerous species of birds, fish, and marine mammals — accumulates large amounts of marine debris because of ocean currents and winds