Nonpoint sources of pollution are best described as which of the following?

• A. Broad areas contributing pollutants such as runoff from many lawns
• B. A single factory spill
• C. An oil tanker accident
• D. A sewer line leak

Answer: (A)

Nonpoint pollution comes from many diffuse sources that can’t be traced to a single origin. Rainfall or snowmelt picks up pollutants from broad areas—like numerous lawns, streets, and fields—and carries them into rivers and lakes. That spread-out, cumulative effect is what makes it a nonpoint source.

In contrast, the other scenarios each come from a single identifiable source: a factory spill from one place, an oil tanker accident, or a sewer line leak. Those are classic point sources because you can pinpoint the exact origin and address it directly. So the description that best fits nonpoint pollution is the broad areas contributing pollutants such as runoff from many lawns.