Some people might say, “We don’t often come into contact with the water underground. How could it get polluted?” Why not? In this article, let’s take a look at several main sources of groundwater pollution together.
When it comes to the sources of groundwater pollution, other sources can also be contaminated through multiple channels, such as chemical products, road salt, and petroleum. Once these substances seep into groundwater, they will cause pollution to it. There are a total of six different sources, including septic tank systems, oil storage tanks, landfills, air pollutants, chemicals, and so on. In specific circumstances:
The Septic Tank System Causes Pollution
Septic tanks are indispensable “tools” in most buildings. Their purpose is to alleviate the harmless discharge of human feces. However, if the staff do not maintain them properly or the structure is inappropriate, it will cause groundwater pollution. How should I put it? If a malfunction occurs, the system may break and leak, which is very likely to cause harmful substances such as viruses and chemicals to enter the groundwater, thereby affecting the surrounding plants, animals and ourselves.
However, one point to note is that the monitoring of the effluent and influent water quality of septic tanks still needs to be done well. Coliform bacteria exist in the feces of animals or humans, so it is necessary to conduct real-time monitoring of coliform bacteria in the sewage first. The monitoring instrument used is called an “Online Coliform Bacteria Analyzer“. In addition, disinfection in septic tanks will produce residual chlorine. At this time, it is necessary to monitor the total residual chlorine in real time and control the dosage of chlorine-containing disinfectants well.
Contamination of Oil Storage Tanks
Of course, it is only when the oil storage tank leaks that it will cause pollution to the groundwater. These water tanks usually hold oil, chemicals and other harmful liquids. Once they leak into the water, it will cause pollution very quickly! There are various harms it brings to the human body, such as symptoms like headache and nausea.
Hazards Caused by Landfills
A landfill is actually what we call a garbage burial site. If it is not well designed, the garbage is buried in the ground. How could this not pollute the groundwater? To ensure that garbage does not contaminate groundwater, a bottom protective layer should be well established during the design process to prevent harmful substances from the garbage from entering the groundwater.
Can air pollution cause groundwater pollution?
When it comes to groundwater, it is a standard water temperature cycle. It is precisely because of this circulation that pollution from surface water or the atmosphere may reach underground water sources. For instance, surface water flows into streams as runoff and then into the groundwater area. Take power plants for example. When acid rain is produced during power generation, the chemical substances in the rain will seep into the groundwater, which pollutes the water and makes it unusable.
