Sources of Groundwater Contamination

Sources of Groundwater Contamination

It’s always a good idea to be able to recognize what causes groundwater pollution so you can help step up and make a difference when you see it in your area. When it comes to this type of pollution, every source can be grouped into one of four categories: direct, indirect, manmade, and natural. Although natural sources of pollution often can’t be changed much, there is always something you can do about other sources.

1-Direct

When learning about what causes groundwater contamination, you should first start with direct contaminants, as these are the ones you’re more likely to come into contact with.

Hazardous waste. When hazardous waste is disposed of or dumped incorrectly, the chances of it spilling and leaching into soil and water are great. It’s very likely for this type of spill to occur and go completely unnoticed. Unfortunately, this is also true of more widely recognized hazardous waste spills, but there’s very little that can be done about it. Once a spill occurs, it can almost never be removed from groundwater.

Landfills. Landfills are another direct cause of pollution in groundwater. The longer a landfill remains full of waste, the more the toxins from that waste seep into the soil below and around the landfill. This leads to groundwater contamination almost immediately. When landfills are very large, the amount of groundwater polluted by them is significant.

2-Indirect

But what are some sources of groundwater pollution that are less direct?

Atmospheric pollutants. Sometimes, when surface water in the area becomes polluted, this can lead to those pollutants evaporating into atmospheric air and water. In turn, polluted air can drift into areas where humans are more present, and polluted rain can fall as acid rain. This damages the environment and can also cause serious health risks for people in the area, too.

Petroleum fuels. Diesel and gasoline are well-known indirect causes of groundwater pollution. In some instances, these fuels, when kept in underground storage, can leak significantly and seep into the ground around them, leading to groundwater contamination. Most of the time, however, the use of these fuels pollutes the atmosphere and leads to indirect atmospheric pollution of groundwater through the rain.

3-Man-made

It’s no secret that human beings are a huge polluter of groundwater. These are just some of the manmade ways groundwater gets contaminated.

Septic systems. In much of the United States, city-based water and sewage are unavailable, especially in very rural areas. When this is true, septic systems are usually the go-to solution to provide running water and plumbing to people in these regions. Septic systems are very common in the U.S., and in most cases, they aren’t supposed to cause any groundwater contamination at all. Unfortunately, sometimes they are installed incorrectly or become damaged over time without regular maintenance. This causes human waste to leach into the surrounding soil, which in turn causes a lot of pollution very fast.

Chemicals. Road salts, solvents, and chemicals used on roads, in lawns, and around the home are some of the leading manmade causes of groundwater pollution. When these products are used on land surfaces or homes, they are easily washed away by natural rainfall. From there, since there’s nowhere else for them to go, they seep into the soil and reach the groundwater quickly. When humans and animals then drink this water, they are ingesting these chemicals, which can cause major health problems very fast. Also, when groundwater that has been affected by these chemicals is then used in agriculture or industry, it is unable to provide the proper nutrients and hydration required to get the job done.

Pesticide. Much like chemicals and other man-made solutions, pesticide is prone to washing into the soil after heavy rainfalls, especially when it is used frequently by farmers and other members of the agricultural industry. The chemicals involved in pesticides are very dangerous for both human and animal consumption, and when they reach groundwater, they can almost never be completely removed.

4-Natural

Learning about groundwater contamination involves finding out more about natural contaminants like animal waste, which is not a major source of groundwater pollution.

Animal waste. Although animal waste is usually more of a problem for surface water contamination and often stays out of groundwater, this isn’t always the case. In some situations, especially where animal life is very prevalent, urine and feces left behind by animals seep into the ground and cause some pollution to the groundwater there. When this happens, the type of pollution caused by these contaminants is usually easy to remove by water treatment facilities. However, it does make groundwater unsafe to drink without treatment.

Arsenic. Sometimes, arsenic is naturally present in rocks. When groundwater passes through or sits in these rocks for too long, it can cause arsenic to build up in the groundwater to levels that are capable of poisining animals or people who drink it. This is rare, but it does occur, especially in areas where mining has been present and might have exposed these types of rocks. Again, regular water treatment can usually remove arsenic from groundwater.

Radon. Radon gas is also another natural pollutant that can nevertheless cause serious problems. If a human being or an animal consumes water that has been polluted with radon gas, the results can be potentially fatal. Like the other types of natural pollution in groundwater, radon gas can sometimes be removed by treatment. However, it’s very important not to drink water that could have potentially been polluted with radon until it has been thoroughly tested by professionals.