Hazards of Groundwater Pollution

When chemicals are released into the earth and find their way into groundwater, it is known as groundwater pollution. Water pollution can also occur naturally due to the presence of minor and undesired elements, contaminants, or impurity in groundwater. It is then called contamination rather than pollution. 

On-site sanitation systems, effluent from wastewater treatment plants, landfill leachate, petrol filling stations, leaking sewers, hydraulic fracturing, and overuse of fertilisers in agriculture are the reasons for groundwater pollution.

What is groundwater pollution?

The release of contaminants into the earth to natural underground water reservoirs, called aquifers, cause groundwater pollution. When contaminants are discharged into the environment, they contaminate groundwater. It is a sort of water pollution by the purposeful or unintentional release of pollutants from anthropogenic or natural sources. 

Pollutants travel through aquifers based on their physical, chemical and biological features. Dispersion, adsorption, diffusion and the speed of moving water are all examples of processes that aid movement. However, because the movement of contaminants inside an aquifer is usually sluggish, concentration tends to rise in the form of a plume.

What are the causes of groundwater pollution?

The various causes of groundwater pollution are:-

Natural Sources: Even though humans are hugely responsible for groundwater pollution, there are natural causes too causing the contamination. Substances found in rock, such as sulphates, fluorides, and iron, frequently get deposited in groundwater; once they accumulate in large amounts, they can degrade the water quality. 

Such water bodies must be taken care of before human usage. 

Waste: Waste disposal has an adverse effect on the quality of groundwater. Debris, paint, grass, cleansers, and oils get piled up in groundwater wells daily. Disposing harmful substances down the drain or failing to dispose of medications properly can contaminate your local groundwater supplies. Landfill garbage and other contaminants frequently seep into wells or aquifers, polluting groundwater. 

The location of the landfill is critical for keeping safe drinking water.

Pesticides and herbicides: Pesticides and herbicides are used on agricultural property to manage pests that reduce crop yield. Pesticides that persist and build in soils can disrupt biological processes, increase chemical uptake by plants, and pose a threat to soil organisms, resulting in soil pollution. The chemical determines the permanence of pesticides and herbicides, which affects adsorption dynamics and, as a result, fate and transport in the soil ecosystem. 

Pesticides can be collected by animals that eat contaminated bugs and soil organisms.

Chemical: Photographic chemicals, cooking oil, motor oil, pharmaceuticals, paint thinners, paints, garden chemicals, and swimming pool chemicals should not be disposed of in septic tanks or directly into the ecosystem since they can contaminate the environment. 

A licensed hazardous waste handler should be contacted for the disposal of these compounds.

Various ways to Prevention of groundwater pollution

• Do not dispose of industrial chemical waste directly in the water bodies such as lakes, rivers, streams etc.
• Stop using plastic & littering because these items clog drains and pollute the oceans.
• Ensure that the chemicals listed above are not utilised anywhere near streams of water and attempt to reduce their use.
• Farmers must transit from artificial fertilisers and pesticides toward organic farming methods.
• Make use of public transportation and decrease your carbon footprint by taking simple but significant steps that will help reduce pollution in the environment and secure a healthy and safe future for future generations.

What is the effect of groundwater pollution?

When the marine ecosystem absorbs pesticides, these pollutants become part of the ecosystem’s food webs. Toxic pesticides cause mutations and diseases in aquatic food webs, putting the entire living cycle in danger. These can alter tissue matter, biochemistry, behaviour, and reproduction and hinder and alter marine life’s growth. Toxins from the sea can be passed to land animals that eat fish or fish hydrolysate. Pollutants are subsequently transported from these land animals to dairy products and meat.

Ecosystems are incredibly dynamic & respond to even little changes in their surroundings. If allowed unchecked, water pollution can lead to the collapse of an entire ecosystem.

Eutrophication occurs when compounds in surface water foster algae development. On the surface of the pond or lake, these algae form a layer. Bacteria feed on this algae, reducing the level of oxygen in the water body and negatively impacting aquatic life.

Contamination of groundwater that is supplied to a particular area makes it unfit for living creatures to survive. The area’s population and the value of the land decreases. 

Another effect is that industries that rely on groundwater for production suffer due to reduced stability. Consequently, they may have to rely on water from other regions, which becomes expensive. They may even be compelled to close due to low water quality.

Conclusion

We have read about the various harmful impacts of groundwater pollution in the above topic. Water bodies get contaminated by the entry of any undesired physical, chemical, or microbiological substance. Although it is not possible to take care of the natural causes, if humans can become a little cautious, the level of pollution can surely be reduced.