Subjects
Groundwater protection, aquifer protection, land use control, source control, waste reduction
Audience
Legislators, governmental officials, environmental organizations, industry, general public
Background
Groundwater, is a vast resource that underlies the Earth's surface. Nearly half of the U.S. population uses groundwater for their drinking water source, including virtually all rural residents. In addition, groundwater, provides much of the water used for irrigation and for industry. On average, about 40 percent of the annual streamflow in the United States is comprised of groundwater seepage although in some areas more than three-fourths of the average streamflow, including virtually all fair weather flow comes from groundwater discharge into streambeds.
In most cases, groundwater needs little or no treatment prior to use. However, in many instances, natural groundwater quality is unsuitable without treatment. Groundwater occurrence, including its vulnerability to contamination and its value and use as a resource, varies from place to place.
Groundwater contamination has been documented in every state and region of the United States. It is recognized that a wide variety of human activities can adversely impact groundwater quality. Once contaminated, it is often very costly, time-consuming, and sometimes technically infeasible to restore aquifers to their original potential.
Issue
How do we protect the nation's groundwater from contamination for present and future use?
Position
It is the position of the National Ground Water Association that the fresh water aquifers of the United States should be protected from degradation. It is understood that a goal of nondegradation is economically and technically impractical in many circumstances. The goal of groundwater quality protection programs should be protection of the resource for existing or potential beneficial uses.
NGWA believes that no single method is available to address groundwater quality protection. Among the methods available are land-use controls and containment or isolation of contaminant sources.
Waste reduction, education, and technology transfer are important features of the effort to protect our valuable groundwater. A combination of measures is needed for an adequate protection program. NGWA recommends an increased level of scientific research that can be used to provide the basis for land-use control decisions.
Appropriations and program priorities should emphasize resource protection efforts. Control of potential and active sources of contamination should be a national objective, thereby reducing the need for remediation of groundwater.
Contact
Chris Reimer
NGWA
601 Dempsey Rd.
Westerville, OH 43081-8978
614 898.7791, ext 560
fax 614 898.7786
creimer@ngwa.org
Reference
USGS, National Water Surnmary 1986. p. 3.
Date
Originally adopted by the NGWA Board of Directors May 4,1990, NGWA issue briefs are updated as needed to reflect changes in information, as noted here: technical amendment made February 4, 1992, and brief reformatted February 1996.