Agricultural wastewater primarily falls into two categories, each with its own challenges:

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  Animal Farming Effluent: This is wastewater from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), including manure, urine, spilled feed, and barn wash-down water. Its high concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus can cause eutrophication in rivers and lakes—deoxygenating the water and killing aquatic life. It also contains pathogens and can produce strong odors.

  
  


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  Irrigation and Surface Runoff: This water runs off from fields after rain or irrigation. It carries away sediments, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides). This chemical-laden runoff can contaminate groundwater and surface water, harming ecosystems and potentially affecting drinking water quality.

  
  

In short, without treatment, these wastewaters act as pollutants, disrupting local ecosystems and violating environmental regulations.

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