Water pollution occurs when harmful substances are added to water. There are different types of pollutants including disease-causing microorganisms, water soluble acids and salts, and other pollutants like oil, plastic, and pesticides. Water can also be classified as hard or soft depending on if it produces lather with soap, with hard water containing dissolved salts that prevent lathering and soft water typically used in homes lathering easily. Various purification methods like filtration, boiling, and chlorination can be used to remove impurities and pollutants from contaminated water.