Aquifer Contamination Notes

Groundwater Contamination

-The ability for an aquifer to store and transport water depends on its porosity

-Investigations now should focus on aquifers that are current or potentia drinking water supply sources.

-Emphasis should be placed on fields containing present or future planned drinking water supply sources

-Groundwater moves in response to gravity

-Groundwater flow is slow

-Groundwater as a sole source of drinking water is used by more than 50 percent of the total United States population and 97 percent of rural residents.

-40 % is agricultural irrigation water usage and 26 percent is industrial withdrawals

-The full extent to which groundwater in the United States is contaminated is not fully documented

-The nation is not facing an overall groundwater contamination crisis, but in some localities, local contamination has caused significant well closures and public health concerns.

-Contaminated groundwater has limited utility and deterioration of its quality constitutes a permanent loss.

-1/2 of the US relies on groundwater that is not treated or disinfected as their source of drinking water.

-In the Midwest, the use of agricultural fertilizers raised nitrate concentrations in groundwater above the federal safe drinking levels.

-Groundwater in ever section of the country, both private and public areas, have also been contaminated over the years by bcteria and viruses often as a result of improperly designed or maintained onsite liquid waste disposal systems (septic tanks, leachfields, leaky private r municipal sewer pipes)

-Contamination of groundwater from human activities and natural situations include many sources.

Causes of contamination:

Landfills- it is important to note that properly designed and contructed sanitary landfills and the variety of operations classed as refuse dumps. A landfill is defined as any land dedicated or abandoned to the deposit of urban solid waste regardless of how it is operated or whether