2. Percolation and seepage

3. Which is harder to clean up, surface water or groundwater?

4. Groundwater pollution sticks around...
Very cold, no bacterial breakdown
Very slow water movement: recharge can take 100’s or 1000’s of years
Pollutants can stick to rocks in aquifer and pollute new water

5. What Pollutes Groundwater?

6. Sources of Groundwater pollution...
landfills
leaky underground storage tanks
mines
septic tanks
hazardous waste - deep well injection
any pollutant in runoff that percolates

7. Case Study: Natural Gas Drilling
Marcellus Shale
Fracking - Hydraulic Fracturing
Loophole in Safe Water Drinking Act
natural gas companies don’t have to
disclose chemicals being used

8. Earth = the natural filter

9. How can we protect groundwater?
Prevention is the key…
Monitor aquifers & landfills
Requirements for old fuel tanks
Leak detection system
Liability insurance
Stricter regulations on toxic waste disposal
Above-ground storage of toxic waste...but then you have toxic mud spills!

10. Water pollution laws
Recreation: Water fit for fishing and swimming, cleaned up locally (1972 Clean Water Act)
Oceans: Controlled dumping of waste and required double hulled tankers to prevent oil spills (Oil Pollution Act)
Drinking Water: Protect groundwater and surface water from pollution (1975 Safe Drinking Water Act)