Which type of pollution is characterized by warm water discharge from a factory?

The scenario described involves warm water being discharged from a factory, which points specifically to thermal pollution. Thermal pollution occurs when water bodies are heated by human activities, such as industrial discharges, which can lead to detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems. Warmer water temperatures can reduce oxygen levels in the water and disrupt the growth and reproduction of aquatic organisms. Unlike point source pollution—which refers to contaminants entering a waterway from a single identifiable source—thermal pollution is a specific type of pollution resulting from temperature increases due to such discharges.

Understanding this context helps clarify that while warm water discharge is indeed a point-source problem, it is more accurately classified as thermal pollution because it specifically deals with the increase of temperature in water bodies.