Coal and Water Pollution | Union of Concerned Scientists
#0183;#32;Water use. All coal plants rely on water. They function by heating water to create steam, which then turns turbines, generating electricity.. But the water must come from somewheretypically a nearby river or lake. Oncethrough coal plants pump the water directly from a water source, heat it up, then discharge it waste water is typically hotter (by up to 2025#176; F) than the