Study expands SA knowledge of agricultural non-point source pollution

Abstract

Pollution Some kinds of pollution are much easier to identify, measure and control than others. When one is dealing with a sewage spill or dumped chemicals the source and effect of pollution is fairly straightforward. The same cannot be said for fertiliser or pesticides leaching slowly from an irrigated field into the soil. This is but one example of the non-point sources of pollution that a recently published multiyear, multidisciplinary WRC study aimed to understand. As project leader, Prof André Görgens, from Aurecon explains, agriculture has been identified as a significant source of non-point source pollution. “Non-point source pollution impacts from agricultural activities include salinisation (through irrigation return flows or salt wash off and leaching under dry land cultivation), eutrophication (through fertiliser leaching and nutrient wash-off from human settlements on farms), sediments (as a result of erosion), pathogens (from intensive animal production), pesticides (through the application of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides), and heavy metals.

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