Agriculture uses an average of 70% of all surface water resources and is both a victim as well as a cause of water pollution.

 

Wastewater and polluted surface and groundwater contaminate crops and can then transmit diseases to consumers and farm workers, so it is imperative that water quality is maintained at acceptable levels for both growing and especially the processing of agricultural products to reduce, control and/or eliminate harmful pathogens, fungus and molds.

 

At the same time, agricultural discharge of pollutants and sediment through erosion, runoff irrigation and fertilizers adversely affect water quality, which results in freshwater, surface, groundwater, estuarine and coastal environmental damage.