Diffuse pollution is the release of potential pollutants from a range of activities that individually may have little effect on the water environment, but at a catchment scale can have a significant effect.
The problem is mainly during heavy storms and results from rainfall carrying runoff pollution from agriculture and roads into our rivers and ground waters. Point source pollution is from a direct specific source, for example an effluent discharge pipe. Trusts are working to educate the public by raising awareness of the ways pollution enters our rivers, with campaigns such as Yellow Fish.
Trusts are working with farmers through catchment sensitive farming schemes to improve soil cover and structure to minimise nutrients leaching into the rivers.
