Water Pollution Overview

Water pollution can come from many different sources such as garbage and lawn clippings, urban runoff that includes oil and heavy metals from roads, animal and human feces, and pesticides and nitrates from home gardening or agricultural operations. For a list of pollutants, their sources and effects see the pollutant fact sheet.

Unlike sewers, storm drains are not connected to treatment plants. Water and pollution that runs off of streets and land flows directly into rivers, creeks, sloughs and the ocean without being filtered or treated. In North County, storm drain runoff is directed into open spaces where it is allowed to infiltrate into the groundwater.

Water pollution is a serious problem because it causes changes in the biological, physical and chemical characteristics of a water body. Some attributes of water that are affected by pollution are pH, acidity, dissolved oxygen content, nutrient or sediment load and the presence or absence of pathogens. Changes in these attributes caused by pollution can harm aquatic life, create unpleasant odors and, in the case of pathogens, may cause disease in humans that come into contact with the water.

The goal of Project Clean Water is to reduce water pollution in order to protect the health of the public and the environment.

You can help keep our creeks, beaches and parks clean by doing 9 simple things. Contact Project Clean Water at (805) 568-3546 for information on volunteering and for free copies of brochures containing guidelines for dog and horse owners, gardeners and creekside neighbors.

Read more about changes occurring in the ocean as a result of pollution in a five-part series called Altered Oceans published by the Los Angeles Times.

Plastic debris that accumulates in the ocean poses a dangerous threat to wildlife.
From Altered Oceans.