Groundwater Importance and Vulnerability

Study Notes

Groundwater is a vital natural resource, providing drinking water, household uses, crop irrigation, and more to over 1/3 of Earth's population, including 99% of the rural population in the U.S.
Despite its importance, groundwater is vulnerable to environmental issues due to its underground location, making it difficult to access for testing, regulating, and cleaning.

Groundwater pollution occurs when harmful substances enter the soil and are carried into aquifers by rainfall.
Agriculture is a significant contributor to groundwater pollution through the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.
Nitrates from fertilizers have been linked to various cancers, miscarriages, and birth defects in drinking water.
Manufacturing industries also pollute groundwater through the improper disposal of toxic chemicals.
Underground storage tanks, such as septic tanks, can leak sewage waste, oil, and toxic chemicals into the ground.

Groundwater can be depleted faster than surface water because aquifers take a long time to refill.
The rapid removal of groundwater for drinking water and agricultural irrigation can lead to depletion.
Overdrawing groundwater can cause saltwater intrusion into aquifers along coastal areas, making them undrinkable.
The concept of groundwater depletion can be likened to a bank account, where withdrawals exceed deposits, leading to a dwindling balance.

Overdrawing groundwater leads to subsidence, or the sinking of the ground, as the space below is left unfilled.
Subsidence can occur suddenly, creating sinkholes, or over a large area, such as a city.
Mexico City, for example, has sunk over 33 feet due to subsidence, resulting in buckled streets, tilting buildings, and broken underground pipes.

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