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- According to the EPA, water pollutants such as heavy metals and salts build up in the water systems in nuclear power plants. These pollutants, along with the hot temperatures of the water discharged from power plants, can contaminate lakes and rivers to pollute water. This can be harmful on aquatic life and the quality of the water. It can also be harmful if this water is drunk by humans.
- Nuclear reactors are radioactive, but water discharged from the plant isn't considered to be radioactive because it doesn't come into contact with such materials. However, according to the EPA, rainwater runoff that does come into contact with the reactors can contaminate the groundwater. The contamination of groundwater will eventually make its way into the water system, which can cause problems with water quality and harm those that drink it.
- One way in which nuclear power plants affect water pollution, as well as the habitats of animals, is by construction. That is, when nuclear power plants are built, a large amount of land must be cleared. This could include removing trees, building near lakes and rivers, and plowing land. Furthermore, the construction of a nuclear plant has the potential to contaminate the nearby land and water so that it may become inhospitable to future plant and animal life.
- All nuclear power plants in the United States produce about 2,200 metric tons of radioactive waste per year, the EPA has stated. They must shut down every 18 to 24 months to remove the waste. Currently, this waste is stored on-site in steel drums. However, like all containers, these drums have the potential to leak. This was the case in Fukushima, Japan, in April 2011, after an earthquake caused damage to the nuclear plant. Highly radioactive chemicals began to leak out of the plant's drums into the sea, polluting the waters.
Water Discharges
Water Runoff
Construction
Radioactive Waste
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