Effects of Groundwater Contamination

Effects of Groundwater Contamination

Understanding the common sources of groundwater pollution is always a good first step, but from there, you should realize what the effects on your health and the world around you can potentially be when this type of contamination is present. Now that you can recognize what are possible sources of groundwater contamination, read on to find out more about what this means for you and your community.

1-Health

Health effects are some of the greatest risks associated with groundwater pollution. Here are just a few you should be concerned with.

Hepatitis. In areas where septic systems have not been installed or kept up correctly, groundwater may become infected with hepatitis due to human waste present in the water supply. Hepatitis is a very serious condition that causes irreversible damage to the liver.

Dysentery. Much like hepatitis, dysentery can be caused by drinking water where waste is present—either human or animal in nature. Once again, when septic systems don’t operate correctly, the chance for dysentery is much higher, much like with hepatitis. Dysentery causes infection throughout the intestine and digestive system, and can also cause diarrhea so severe it can lead to dehydration and even death when not treated properly.

Poisoning. When wells are not dug or placed correctly, poisons from both nature and from human use of pesticides and solvents can leach into the well water and poison the water supply. When humans then drink this water, they can become very ill very fast from exposure to chemicals and other pollutants that are unsafe for ingestion. This can also make animals sick as well, including animals that might be watered from a well on a farm.

2-Economy

When groundwater becomes contaminated, the economy can also easily suffer. Check out this list of potential economic problems associated with groundwater pollution.

Depreciating value of land. When groundwater becomes more contaminated in a given area, that area becomes less capable of sustaining human, animal, and plant life. If the area is known for its natural beauty and that nature begins to suffer the effects of pollution, the chances of people wanting to live there decrease even more. Although it might not be an immediate result of groundwater pollution, the depreciation of land value is definitely a potential side effect.

Less stable industry. Many industries rely on groundwater to help produce their products and keep their factories running smoothly. Since the pH and quality of groundwater from a given area rarely changes, it becomes a vital part of many industries that rely on water they don’t have to constantly test. However, when groundwater becomes polluted, this convenience is stripped away, and the industries are less capable of stable production. This, in turn, can affect the economy in any given area as industries are forced to move.

3-Environment

Last but certainly not least, the environment can be seriously altered when groundwater is polluted. Here are just some of the ways in which this occurs.

Nutrient pollution. Groundwater pollution can cause certain types of nutrients that are necessary in small amounts to become far too abundant to sustain normal life in a given ecosystem. Fish might start dying off quickly because they are no longer able to process the water in their water supplies, and other animals might become sick from too much of certain types of nutrients in the water they drink. Plants might not be able to absorb water as easily, and the entire ecosystem will suffer

Toxic water in ecosystems. When groundwater that supplies lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, and swamps becomes contaminated, this slowly leads to more and more contamination of the surface water as well. When this happens, fish, birds, animals and plants that live in the area become sick and die off quickly. This is a huge factor in the destruction of the wetlands, which rely heavily on groundwater to recharge their lakes and ponds after drought periods. In turn, people who use this land for hunting, fishing, and even for their own sources of clean water are affected by this type of pollution.