The water bodies that have been polluted are being tested, based on the results of the source, the polluted water is being placed into two different categories; point source pollution and nonpoint source pollution.

o   Point source is where the source of pollution is not discrete and can easy be put into blame. For example, pipes or ditches, or even water sewage treatment plants that discharge their waste into waterways and contaminate them.

o   Non-point source is a type of water pollutant that is very hard to track where it is coming from. Non-point sources are more naturally occurring that point sources. For example; if there is a rainstorm and the water washes off a parking lot, the water may travel into a water drain and empty into the waterway nearby. Or if there is a construction site near a lake and it begins to rain there is more than likely going to be more pollutants in the water from construction site runoff.