Highlights•Food production is a source of multiple pollutants in aquatic systems.•We draw
lessons for large-scale multi-pollutant assessments of water quality.•We present a
framework for optimistic and optimal solutions for water pollution.•Future water quality
assessments should account for societal and economic targets.•Participatory approaches
can help to ensure the feasibility of future solutions.Food production is a source of various
pollutants in aquatic systems. For example, nutrients are lost from fertilized fields, and …

Food production is a source of various pollutants in aquatic systems. For example, nutrients
are lost from fertilized fields, and pathogens from livestock production. Water pollution may
impact society and nature. Large-scale water pollution assessments, however, often focus
on single pollutants and not on multiple pollutants simultaneously. This study draws lessons
from air pollution control for large-scale water quality assessments, where multi-pollutant
approaches are more common. To this end, we present a framework for future water …