Ustream

Preliminary results of the study suggest that current models may underestimate the amount of pollution contributed by homes by up to 50 percent. The typical house in the United States is an alarming and probably underestimated source of water pollution, scientists are reporting. They say that runoff results from rainfall and watering of lawns and gardens, which winds up in municipal storm drains. The runoff washes fertilizers, pesticides and other contaminants into storm drains, and they eventually appear in rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. Preliminary results of a study suggest that current models may underestimate the amount of pollution contributed by homes by up to 50 percent. See corresponding news release, abstract, and nontechnical summary for AGRO 193.Loren Oki, Ph.D., and Darren L. Haver, Ph.D. are with the University of California, Davis.