1. Withdrawals:
We take water out of the system to irrigate crops, to provide us with drinking water and to carry out many of our industrial processes.
2. Discharges:
We add substances to the water – intentionally or not. As precipitation falls on the ground and moves into rivers and creeks, it picks up a whole range of pollutants. In rural areas these pollutants may include farm pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers as well as wastes from faulty septic systems and improperly handled manure. In urban areas, the pollutants may include gas, oil, pet waste, fertilizers, pesticides, salt and treated human waste from sewage treatment plants