What defines water pollution?

Water pollution is specifically defined as the contamination of water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, oceans, and groundwater, by harmful substances. These contaminants can include a wide variety of pollutants, such as chemicals, waste products, pathogens, and heavy metals, which can pose risks to human health, aquatic ecosystems, and wildlife.

Understanding water pollution in this context is crucial, as it emphasizes the impact of these harmful substances on water quality and the broader environment. Effective water management and pollution control measures are essential to mitigate these risks and to ensure clean and healthy water resources for all.

The other options relate to water issues but do not accurately define water pollution. For example, the depletion of water supply focuses more on the quantity of water available rather than the quality of water. Accumulation of sediment in rivers pertains to physical changes in water bodies rather than contamination, and the reduction of water levels in lakes addresses water volume issues, which also fall outside the definition of pollution.