The state of water resources in the Philippines - Greenpeace

e found in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, and in plants, soil, air,
and the aquatic environment. Fecal coliforms are those coliforms found in the
feces of various warm-blooded animals.
Effluent - discharges from known sources passed into a body of water or land, or
wastewater flowing out of a manufacturing or industrial plant, or from domestic,
commercial and recreational facilities
Freshwater - water containing less than 500 ppm dissolved common salt,
sodium chloride, such as that in groundwater, rivers, ponds, and lakes
Groundwater - a subsurface water that occurs beneath a water table in soils and
rocks, or in geological formations
Groundwater recharge - inflow to a groundwater reservoir
Groundwater reservoir - an aquifer or aquifer system in which groundwater is
stored. The water may be placed in the aquifer by artificial or natural means.
Hydrologic cycle - natural pathway water follows as it changes between liquid,
solid, and gaseous states. This biogeochemical cycle moves and recycles water
in various forms through the ecosphere. (Also called the water cycle.)
Indicator organisms - microorganisms, such as coliforms, whose presence is
indicative of pollution or of more harmful microorganisms
Leachate - water containing contaminants which leaks from a disposal site such
as a landfill or dump.
Non-point source - any source of pollution not identifiable as point source to
include, but not be limited to, runoff from irrigation or rainwater which picks up
pollutants from farms and urban areas
Per Capita Water Availability (per year) - water available per person per year
Point source - any identifiable source of pollution with specific point of discharge
into a particular water body
Receiving Water - a river, stream, lake, ocean, or other surface of groundwater
into which treated or untreated wastewater is discharged
Recharge - refers to water entering an underground aquifer through faults,
fractures, or direct absorption
Renewable Resource - resource that potentially cannot be used up because it is
constantly or cyclically replenished
Reservoir - a pond, lake, tank, or basin (natural or human-made) where water is
collected and used for storage. Large bodies of groundwater are called
groundwater reservoirs; water behind a dam is also called a reservoir of water.
River basin - area drained by a river and its tributaries. A principal river basin
has a drainage area of at least 40 km 2 , while a major river basin has a drainage
area of more than 1,400 km 2 .
Runoff - surface water entering rivers, freshwater lakes, or reservoirs
GREENPEACE | The state of water in the Philippines 6