What human activities effect upon groundwater quality?

Answer 1

Human activities can have an immense impact on ground water. Toxic chemical spills, old land fills with no catch basins and septic systems placed too close to wells are just a few examples of ways humanity has found ways to contaminate ground water. Under normal circumstances, ground water is purified by passing through the many layers of earth before emerging from at the surface from a spring. Old land fills that can be hundreds of feet deep place contaminants well past the main filtering layers of the earth and sometimes penetrate into the water table, the level at which the underground "lakes" of water exist. New landfills today are lined with a gigantic vinyl liner , like a swimming pool, with catch basins and pumps at the bottom to prevent any toxins from escaping.

Septic tanks at homes hold all the drainage from a house that slowly leaks back into the ground. Bacteria "eat" the sewage, turning all the solids of food bits , paper and human waste into liquids If the house also has a well using ground water, it must be placed at a far enough distance from the septic system for the ground to filter is so as to not become contaminated and undrinkable.

Rivers are a main source of water for many older communities. A toxic spill, like a fuel tanker truck leaking or crash at a riverside can make an entire towns water supply undrinkable. People that dump chemicals onto streets such draining oil and coolant from their cars can be unwittingly poisoning themselves, as many street drains empty right into the rivers.

Too many people using water in an area can deplete the water table and make people have to drill deeper and deeper wells. California is a prime example of too many people, not enough water. The California aqueduct system was built primarily to irrigate Southern California. By the time the project was finished, it was already showing signs of strain. The news that water would be abundant helped spur explosive growth, for which the system was unprepared...so other sources were tapped. For instance, Mono Lake, not originally in the plan, is now being used to supplement the water supply.

As far as purchasing land, you can build what you want on it, but you cant necessarily take what you want.. Water and mineral rights are a totally separate clause in purchasing property...so you own the surface, but not what is under it. AND, you can be fined heavily for mining or drilling a well on "your" property.

The political aspects of water are many fold. Los Angeles officials are constantly harping that the area needs more water. What they fail to realize is there is only so much water , and yet the metro area is constantly growing. Much of the Colorado River is already diverted for Southern California, and they are still looking for more. Central California counties are already being siphoned, much to the chagrin of the central area farmers.

In the instance of California, and especially Southern California, the problem is that the area is already using more than can be sustained by natural means, and this is the paradox. Humanity is constantly trying to use more than there is available. Just because one area has more people should not mean others are deprived of what they need as well. Southern California should stop its over expansion ,, or at least slow way down, or there will come a time that no matter what they do, the resource WILL fail to provide adequate for the needs of the area