what is diffuse pollution?

Question

want to know about diffuse water pollution urban catchments

Answer 1

(m)

Diffuse Pollution comprises true non point source contamination and pollution arising from a multiplicity of dispersed, often individually minor, point sources. Examples of true non point sources are sheet run off from fields or seepage of nutrients from soil into ground water. Examples of minor point sources are field drains or surface water drains in urban areas. Diffuse sources are often individually minor, but collectively significant.

One of the current areas of concern is the problem contamination of water bodies of potentially harmful bacteria from human and animal waste, the presence of which is assessed by measuring Faecal Indicator Organisms or FIO’s. FIO’s can come from a number of different sources in both urban and rural areas and can cause illness in both humans and animals. This problem is being addressed mainly to ensure compliance with various EU directives such as the Bathing waters and Shellfisheries directives


The Problems


Diffuse pollution can come from many different sources. Pollution sources are sometimes uniformly dispersed, but are often aggregated within a catchment. Diffuse pollution is closely linked to land use; for example the application of fertiliser to farmland, or forestry plantations; livestock stocking rates on pastureland; handling and transport of oil, chemicals, raw materials and products through catchments, but especially on industrial and commercial estates. Some diffuse pollutants of watercourses are not pollutants at all if not transported from the land, soil being the most obvious example. Problems occur in both the Urban and Rural environments


The Solutions


There is no single solution to tackling diffuse pollution. The most effective approach is the treatment train concept or Best Management Practises, which rely on a range of measures from changes in house keeping and behaviour, through source control, site control and regional control to reduce and alleviate Diffuse pollution impacts. Some of the types of activities and developments involved in controlling diffuse pollution can be seen in the Urban and Diffuse Solutions pages.

Answer 2

Diffuse Pollution comprises true non point source contamination and pollution arising from a multiplicity of dispersed, often individually minor, point sources. Examples of true non point sources are sheet run off from fields or seepage of nutrients from soil into ground water. Examples of minor point sources are field drains or surface water drains in urban areas. Diffuse sources are often individually minor, but collectively significant.

One of the current areas of concern is the problem contamination of water bodies of potentially harmful bacteria from human and animal waste, the presence of which is assessed by measuring Faecal Indicator Organisms or FIO’s. FIO’s can come from a number of different sources in both urban and rural areas and can cause illness in both humans and animals. This problem is being addressed mainly to ensure compliance with various EU directives such as the Bathing waters and Shellfisheries directives

Answer 3

Diffuse Pollution comprises true non point source contamination and pollution arising from a multiplicity of dispersed, often individually minor, point sources. Examples of true non point sources are sheet run off from fields or seepage of nutrients from soil into ground water. Examples of minor point sources are field drains or surface water drains in urban areas. Diffuse sources are often individually minor, but collectively significant.

One of the current areas of concern is the problem contamination of water bodies of potentially harmful bacteria from human and animal waste, the presence of which is assessed by measuring Faecal Indicator Organisms or FIO’s. FIO’s can come from a number of different sources in both urban and rural areas and can cause illness in both humans and animals.