Nonpoint Source Pollution

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, also known as polluted runoff, is a leading cause of water quality problems in Wisconsin. Polluted runoff is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground picking up natural and human–made pollutants, depositing them into rivers, lakes, wetlands and groundwater. Pollutants include fertilizers, nutrients, oil, grease, sediment and bacteria from agricultural, urban and residential areas.