1.1.1 Why Is Groundwater Contamination So Important?

Demand for groundwater as a resource has been increasing as population growth continues to build and opportunities to develop surface water supplies continue to diminish. Groundwater accounts for approximately two-thirds of all the freshwater resources of the world (Nace, 1971). If we subtract out the ice caps and glaciers, it accounts for over 99 percent of all the freshwater available to the planet (Nace, 1971). Clearly, with 99 percent of the available resources, it behooves environmental professionals to try and protect it and, should it become polluted, to treat it.

However, one aspect of its nature is its long residence time. While typical turnover times in river systems average around two weeks, groundwater systems move much slower. Indeed, groundwater in certain zones of the Lloyd Aquifer in Long Island, N.Y., has been around since the birth of Christ. Hence, in the past, the general viewpoint held by many groundwater professionals and policy makers was that once an aquifer had been polluted, its water usage must be curtailed or possibly eliminated because of the difficulty and time in cleaning up that aquifer. This viewpoint is changing, however, as a result of new methodologies for aquifer cleanup. However, as we enter a new century, aquifer cleanup is still a very difficult and a costly endeavor that takes a significant amount of time, often yields less than...