Point Source Pollution

Definitions

Point Source Pollution - "Water pollution coming from a single point, such as a sewage-outflow pipe." - U.S. Geological Survey, 2011

Point Source Pollution - "Pollution discharged through a pipe or some other discrete source from municipal water-treatment plants, factories, confined animal feedlots, or combined sewers." - National Water Quality Monitoring Council, 2007

Point Source Pollution - "Pollutant loads discharged at a specific location from pipes, outfalls, and conveyance channels from either municipal wastewater treatment plants or individual waste treatment facilities. Point sources can also include pollutant loads contributed by tributaries to the main receiving water stream or river." - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010a

Point Source - "Originating at any discrete source." - U.S. Geological Survey, 2009

Point Source - "A point source is a stationary location or fixed facility from which pollutants are discharged or emitted or any single, identifiable discharge point of pollution, such as a pipe, ditch, or smokestack." - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010b

Point Source Contaminant - "Any substance that degrades water quality and originates from discrete locations such as discharge pipes, drainage ditches, wells, concentrated livestock operations, or floating craft." - U.S. Geological Survey, 2007

Related Definitions

Non-Point Source Pollution

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

Nutrients

USGS Information

• Subsurface Point-Source Contamination, Research Project
• Subsurface Point-Source Contamination Investigations and Projects
• Non-Point Source Ground-Water Contamination in Relation to Land Use
• Search the Toxic Substances Hydrology Program's Bibliography for "point source"

Related Headlines

• The Atmosphere--A Potential Source of MTBE to Ground Water
• Decades Required for Natural Processes to Clean Wastewater-Contaminated Ground Water
• Glyphosphate Found in Wastewater Discharged to Streams

More Information

• Polluted Runoff--Nonpoint Source Pollution, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

References

National Water Quality Monitoring Council, 2007, Glossary of water-quality monitoring terms: Advisory Committee on Water Information, access date July 1, 2011.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010a, Glossary--Total maximum daily loads: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, access date July 1, 2011.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010b, Waste and cleanup risk assessment glossary: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, access date July 1, 2011.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2007, USGS NAWQA glossary: U.S. Geological Survey, , access date July 1, 2011.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2009, Water basics glossary: U.S. Geological Survey, access date July 1, 2011.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2011, Water science glossary of terms: U.S. Geological Survey, access date July 1, 2011.

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