DWM Publications > Table of Contents > Chapter One

THE CLEAN WATER BOOK:
CHOICES FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION

Malfunctioning septic systems
Soil erosion from construction sites or farms
Discharges of sewage and garbage from boats
Cleansers, paint and antifouling compounds used on boats
Hazardous household waste improperly stored or discarded
Acid rain
Oil leaking from home heating oil storage tanks
Pollution from road deicing activities
Disposal of wastes in catch basins or storm drains
Leaking sewerage lines
Pesticides and fertilizers misused in gardens
Motor oil and grease dripping from cars and trucks
Animal waste from pets and livestock
Litter

While a major portion of nonpoint source pollution in New Jersey comes directly from everyday individual activities, there are some other sources. These can be categorized as:

Agriculture
Pollutants from agriculture include: sediments from eroded cropland and overgrazed pasture, excess fertilizers and pesticides applied to crops and animal waste from confined animal facilities.

Hydromodification
Engineering projects, such as reservoirs and stream channelization, change patterns of water flow. When such changes occur, there is often an increase in sediment deposits as well as an adverse impact on aquatic life due to habitat changes.

Construction
New building and highway construction produces sediment and possibly toxic materials. While pollutant loadings from construction are generally localized and of limited duration, such events can have severe short-term impacts. Large amounts of sediment may degrade water quality and permanently alter wildlife and fish habitat.

In terms of environmental impacts, we can break down these nonpoint sources into types of pollution and look specifically at how they affect us:

Nutrients
All plants require nutrients in order to grow and reproduce. Three major nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. When an oversupply of these are present in streams, lakes and estuaries, algae and aquatic weeds will grow to the point that they will compete for oxygen and space in the water. Overgrown vegetation in lakes will eventually prevent recreational use for fishing and swimming. Such lakes are typically the result of nutrients from failing septic systems or fertilizers from farms and lawns that are carried into the lake by stormwater runoff.

Sediments
Sediments are soil particles carried by rainwater into streams, lakes and estuaries. Sediments can accumulate and fill in stream channels and lakes, which contributes significantly to flooding. The soil particles can also carry chemical pollutants and nutrients with them into the water. In addition, the suspended soil particles in the water may reduce light needed for photosynthesis by plant life, clog the gills of fish and have other negative effects on aquatic life.

Toxins
Toxins are chemical substances that can cause harmful health effects, and sometimes even cancer. Their impact on health may be acute, occurring quickly after exposure, or chronic, occurring over a long period of time. Toxins include certain metals (such as lead, mercury and cadmium), pesticides and other organic chemicals such as formaldehyde. Pesticides refer to all substances used to destroy unwanted vegetation, insects or other animals. The presence of toxins in water may render it unusable for fishing and swimming and will make it more difficult and expensive to treat before it can be safely used for drinking.

Pathogens
Disease-causing microorganisms, or pathogens, are often present in human or animal fecal matter. Diseases that can result from exposure to fecal matter include dysentery, hepatitis, gastroenteritis (food poisoning), and parasitic infections. The extent of pathogens in water is typically indicated by levels of fecal coliform, a type of bacteria found in human and animal feces. In New Jersey, the presence of pathogens beyond levels deemed safe results in closure of bathing beaches, condemning of waters for shellfish harvesting and restrictions on drinking water supplies.

Oxygen Demand
Oxygen is a natural component in all bodies of water, and it is needed by all aquatic plant and animal life. Oxygen is needed by the microorganisms that play an important role in cleansing polluted streams by breaking down complex organic pollutants into simple and harmless chemicals. However, the more polluted a stream, the more the microorganisms and other aquatic life have to compete for the oxygen dissolved in the water. Thus, high levels of pollution cause high levels of oxygen demand and may cause such dramatic results as fish kills.

Acidity
Runoff from soils with a high acid content can increase the acidity of streams and lakes, which may affect aquatic life. Acid rain can also increase water acidity. Many of New Jersey's bodies of water are naturally acidic because of the particular make-up of New Jersey's soil and vegetation, but further increases can disrupt natural biochemical processes in stream life.

Physical Habitat Alteration
Activities such as construction, dredging, channeling and filling in of streams and wetlands can have a serious impact on aquatic life. When wetlands are destroyed, their ability to filter pollutants, nutrients and sediments is eliminated. When the sediment in the stream bed is removed or disturbed, the large populations of microorganisms that help the stream to cleanse itself may be sharply reduced or eliminated. Other aquatic life is also usually disrupted by habitat changes and may disappear at least for a period of time. As development occurs at a rapid rate throughout New Jersey, more and more stream habitats are being destroyed, temporarily or permanently.

NPS was identified as affecting water quality to some extent in all watersheds New Jersey, usually in the form of bacteria, sediments and nutrients. NPS is cited as a major reason why New Jersey waterways do not meet fishable and swimmable standards established by the Clean Water Act.

In addition, seasonal monitoring of swimming beaches reveals that NPS has been the cause of greater than 70% of all beach closings in New Jersey. Over 7000 stormwater outfalls have been found along the Jersey Shore alone.

Because of high levels of bacteria, 71% of streams and rivers monitored in New Jersey do not meet the standards required to permit swimming.

All of New Jersey's lakes are classified as threatened for swimming use. Nonpoint source pollution has been cited as the primary pollutant source.

Of 680,000 acres of coastal and estuarine waters that are monitored and are capable of supporting various shellfish populations, 28% are closed to shellfish harvesting. Many of these closures are due to NPS.

Ground water is also at risk from nonpoint source pollutants as they enter the state's aquifers.

Innovative legislation, active enforcement and cooperation among all levels of government will have to be part of New Jersey's creative solution to the challenge of nonpoint source pollution. But the key is always you, the individual citizen and your own commitment to seeing a healthy environment in New Jersey for your family and future generations. Ultimately, control of NPS will require the voluntary cooperation of individual citizens in making the choices described in this booklet. It is not an overstatement to say that the key to a healthy environment is in your hands!