Groundwater Pollution:

Groundwater refers to water collected under the Earths surface. The

sources of groundwater are rain, snow, hail, sleet, etc. Water that falls
on the Earths surface continues to travel downwards due to gravity,
until a zone comes where it is saturated with water.

At this depth, the spaces between the soil and rock particles are filled
up with water. This particular zone is known as the saturated zone.
The topmost portion of the saturated zone is referred to as water
table. The level of water table changes depending upon the season, it
is highest in spring and lowest in summer.

Groundwater is connected to surface water such as rivers, streams

and lakes. In fact, there is continuous exchange of water between
surface water and groundwater. Groundwater pollution is a change in
the properties of groundwater due to contamination by microbes,
chemicals, hazardous substances and other foreign particles. It is a
major type of water pollution. The sources of groundwater pollution
are either natural (mineral deposits in rocks) or man-made.

Natural sources are less harmful compared to hazardous chemicals

generated by human activities. Any chemical present on the surface
can travel underground and cause groundwater pollution. The
seepage of the chemical depends on the chemical type, soil porosity
and hydrology.

One of the major sources of groundwater pollution is industries.

Manufacturing and other chemical industries require water for
processing and cleaning purposes. This used water is recycled back
to water sources without proper treatment, which in turn, results in
groundwater pollution.

It is also to be noted that solid industrial wastes that are dumped in

certain areas also contribute to groundwater pollution. When rainwater
seeps downwards, it dissolves some of these harmful substances and
contaminates groundwater.

Another source of groundwater pollution is agriculture; the fertilizers,

pesticide and other chemicals used in growing plants contaminate
groundwater. Residential areas also generate pollutants
(microorganisms and organic compounds) for groundwater
contamination.

Groundwater pollutant can be divided into point source and non-point

source based on the nature of disposal. The former refers to
contaminants originating from a particular source such as sewage
pipe or tank; whereas non-point source is spread over large areas (for
example, pesticides and fertilizers).
Groundwater pollution cannot be prevented completely. As there are
varied sources, it is not always practical to prevent the contamination
of groundwater. However, there is no doubt that individuals can
contribute in many ways to reduce groundwater pollution.

Some of the basic tips are proper disposal of waste, waterproof

storage of household chemicals (paints, medicines and detergents)
and agricultural chemicals to avoid leaching, etc. Proper installation of
septic systems along with regular cleaning will reduce groundwater
contamination.

It is very difficult and costly to treat contaminated groundwater. Hence,

it is better to minimize the risk of groundwater pollution. Public
awareness programs about the importance of groundwater and ways
to minimize its contamination should be implemented.

Control of Water Pollution:

The following points may help in reducing water pollution from non-
point sources.

(i) Judicious use of agrochemicals like pesticides and fertilizers which

will reduce their surface run-off and leaching. Use of these on sloped
lands should be avoided.

(ii) Use of nitrogen fixing plants to supplement the use of fertilizers.

(iii) Adopting integrated pest management to reduce greater reliance
on pesticides.

(iv) Prevent run-off of manure. Divert such run-off to basin for

settlement. The nutrient rich water can be used as fertilizer in the
fields.

(v) Separate drainage of sewage and rain water should be provided to

prevent overflow of sewage with rain water.

(vi) Planting trees would reduce pollution by sediments and will also
prevent soil erosion.

For controlling water pollution from point sources, treatment of waste

waters is essential before being discharged. Parameters which are
considered for reduction in such water are: Total solids, biological
oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrates and
phosphates, oil and grease, toxic metals etc. Waste waters should be
properly treated by primary and secondary treatments to reduce the
BOD, COD levels up to the permissible levels for discharge.

Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process

of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage,
both runoff (effluents) and domestic. It includes physical, chemical,
and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological
contaminants. Its objective is to produce an environmentally-safe fluid
waste stream (or treated effluent) and a solid waste (or treated sludge)
suitable for disposal or reuse (usually as farm fertilizer).

Sewage is created by residential, institutional, and commercial and

industrial establishments and includes household waste liquid from
toilets, baths, showers, kitchens, sinks and so forth that is disposed of
via sewers. In many areas, sewage also includes liquid waste from
industry.

Sewage can be treated close to where it is created (in septic tanks,

bio-fitters or aerobic treatment systems), or collected and transported
via a network of pipes and pump stations to a municipal treatment
plant.

Sewage collection and treatment is typically subject to local, state and

federal regulations and standards. Industrial sources of wastewater
often require specialized treatment processes (see Industrial
wastewater treatment).

Conventional sewage treatment may involve three stages, called

primary, secondary and tertiary treatment. Primary treatment consists
of temporarily holding the sewage in a quiescent basin where heavy
solids can settle to the bottom while oil, grease and lighter solids float
to the surface. The settled and floating materials are removed and the
remaining liquid may be discharged or subjected to secondary
treatment.
Secondary treatment removes dissolved and suspended biological
matter. Secondary treatment is typically performed by indigenous,
water-borne micro-organisms in a managed habitat. Secondary
treatment may require a separation process to remove the micro-
organisms from the treated water prior to discharge or tertiary
treatment.

Tertiary treatment is sometimes defined as anything more than

primary and secondary treatment. Treated water is sometimes
disinfected chemically or physically (for example, by lagoons and
microfiltration) prior to discharge into a stream, river, bay, lagoon or
wetland, or it can be used for the irrigation of a golf course, green way
or park. If it is sufficiently clean, it can also be used for groundwater
recharge or agricultural purposes.

Regulations

The Clean Water Act passed in 1972 was enacted to reduce point source
pollution. The act requires an NPDES permit to discharge any pollutant from
a point source, specifically industrial facilities and publicly owned treatment
works. Before this regulation, many facilities were discharging contaminants
directly into waterways. This regulation is aimed at protecting surface water.
However, point sources do not just contaminate surface water; they can
contaminate groundwater as well. Point sources that can contaminate
groundwater include landfill leachate and leaking underground storage
tanks. These discharges are normally accidental and therefore, not regulated.
The Water Quality Act of 1987 set up specific permitting guidelines for storm
water discharge. This made industries become more aware of the effect their
operations were having on the environment and held them accountable for
anything they discharged into the sewer systems. In 1987, the Clean Water
Act was amended to establish the section 319 Non-Point Source
Management Program. This program allows states, territories and Indian
tribes to receive grants to address non-point pollution. In 1991, the National
Monitoring Program was established and supported by the funds authorized
under Section 319 of the amended Clean Water Act. The primary objectives
of the program include evaluating the effectiveness of watershed
technologies designed to control non-point source pollution and improving
our knowledge about non-point source pollution.