| Ground water is the water that has drained down | | | | to the deep tables as well. The more water draining |
| from the surface of the Earth. It collects in porous | | | | down to the table, the faster the contamination will |
| areas of rock, clay, sand or any material not packed | | | | be. Also the concentration of the contaminants will |
| so tight that water cannot collect around it. This | | | | affect the rate of contamination reaches the water |
| makes up a water table or saturated zone known as | | | | also. |
| an aquifer. This area can be just a few feet below | | | | Contaminants can get in to the water table from run |
| the ground surface or hundreds of feet. This is | | | | off from salting the roads in winter time where the |
| where you have to drill to get to the water. | | | | roads get snow and ice, to wide use of pesticides |
| Sometimes the water will be in the ground high up | | | | and fertilizers on farms. Residential septic systems |
| and will run out of the ground at a lower altitude such | | | | not connected to a sewage treatment system and |
| as in a valley as a spring or an artesian well. | | | | underground storage of farm animal wastes that |
| Water tables will rise and fall with usage and also by | | | | leech into the ground pollute. Furthermore, the use of |
| the rate that they are replenished. If it rains the | | | | lawn chemicals adds to this problem too. |
| water will soak down through the ground and | | | | Under ground or above ground storage tanks for |
| replenish the water table. If it rains too much it can | | | | gasoline and any other man made chemicals well add |
| soak the ground to the point that the water will no | | | | to this problem also. There is always a certain |
| long soak into the ground. | | | | amount of spillage at these sights and the |
| How does the water get cleaned in the under ground | | | | contamination will find its way into the water table. |
| aquifers? By the action of the water running down | | | | Industrial accidents like spills do happen, and our |
| through the Earth, all of the soil, sand and other Earth | | | | water supply will pay of it. |
| materials are supposed to remove all of the solid | | | | Landfills are a major contributor to water table |
| containments from the water. However, in some | | | | pollution. There are also countless abandoned |
| cases they can add to the water in the form of | | | | hazardous waste sites with steel barrels rusting |
| minerals and metals. | | | | away. These are leaking their contents right into the |
| Types of water contamination can be manmade and | | | | ground and into the water tables that we all drink |
| also accrue naturally also even without any human | | | | from. |
| action involved. Natural contamination can be from | | | | The only way to know if your water is safe to drink |
| Chlorides, Boron, Magnesium, calcium and Arsenic. This | | | | is to get it tested. You can buy water-testing kits |
| will depend on what the ground or mineral makeup is | | | | and test it yourself. You can also contract with a |
| in a particular area. | | | | testing lab that specializes in testing water and send |
| Man made contamination can happen in four ways, | | | | them some samples. The costs for both are about |
| Municipal, industrial, residential uses and agricultural. | | | | the same. You can check on the Internet for labs or |
| These types of contamination will affect shallow | | | | kits. This way you will know what is in your water |
| water tables faster than deep water tables. | | | | for certain. |
| However, the contaminants will find their way down | | | | |