What is Water pollution?
[[File:Nrborderborderentrythreecolorsmay05-1-.JPG|thumb|280px|right|Raw [[sewage]] and industrial waste in the [[New River (California)|New River]] as it passes from [[Mexicali]] to [[Calexico]], [[California]]]] [[File:Blue stream - Jerome, Arizona.jpg|thumb|By-products of [[copper]] color this stream blue.]] '''Water pollution''' is the harmful [[pollution]] of bodies of water, such as [[lake]]s, [[river]]s, seas, the [[ocean]]s, as well as [[groundwater]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-03-16|title=Freshwater 101: Pollution|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/pollution/|access-date=2020-08-21|website=National Geographic|language=en|archive-date=2020-09-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922055510/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/pollution/|url-status=dead}}</ref> It occurs when [[pollutant]]s reach these bodies of water, without treatment. [[Waste]] from homes, factories and other buildings get into the water bodies and as a result water gets polluted. Water pollution is a problem for the [[species]] and [[ecosystem]]s there. It affects plants and organisms living in the water. In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and populations, but also to the wider biological [[community|communities]]. The color is usually green or brown but normal water can be blue. Agriculture is one of the major sources of water pollution. The [[fertilizer]]s given to the crops for better growth are washed into rivers and lakes, which in turn pollutes the water. There are many chemicals that are naturally found in these bodies of water. Today water may be polluted by [[nitrate]]s, [[phosphate]]s, [[oil]], [[acid rain]], and [[debris]] such as [[sediment]], fallen [[log]]s and so on. When people and animals drink water from such rivers, the poisonous chemicals may affect them. Life in rivers is also affected, and humans who consume fish may also have health problems. == Related pages == *[[Ocean pollution]] == References == {{Reflist}} [