Groundwater Contamination in Perth – What You Need to Know

What is Groundwater Contamination – Perth

Groundwater contamination happens when the water in the ground (usually used as a sources of drinking water) is contaminated by something of human origin. These include fuel, fertilizer, bacteria, viruses and chemicals – among others. Groundwater forms when water from lakes, rivers and snow run underground and becomes stored there. When groundwater becomes large enough to supply a community’s consumption, it becomes an aquafier. There are generally two types of aquafiers which are the confined and unconfined. A confined aquafier is surrounded by rock while an unconfined aquafier is surrounded by permeanble materials, therefore putting it at risk of contamination.

Health Risks of Groundwater Contamination in Perth

Groundwater contamination in Perth will have the same results with groundwater contamination in other parts of the world. Groundwater contamination in Perth presents health risks such as kidney damage if, for instance, the water was exposed to heavy lead and chromium exposure. Arsenic, when it finds its way to groundwater under chemical form, can cause skin, bladder and lung cancer. Contaminated water will also easily cause diarrhea and nausea as well as vomiting. The biggest concern with groundwater contamination in Perth as well as other cities is that kids, since they have weaker immune systems than adults, are more prone to sickness.

Groundwater Contamination in Perth – How to Prevent it

Groundwater contamination in Perth and other cities can actually be prevented from happening. As a part of the community, you can start by practicing proper waste disposal at home. Involve your family by buying products that you can actually recycle instead of just throwing them in the trash after use. If you are using pesticides in your garden, use the less toxic alternatives. This is important since pesticides can actually be absorbed by the soil and it may deposit it into the groundwater below. Have your septic tanks inspected. Poorly installed septic tanks are one of the causes of groundwater contamination. Also make sure to never throw any chemicals into the tank. Businesses that are into agriculture should also practice employing crop and soil management. This include proper planting, enhancing organic matters and having a good irrigation and drainage system. They should also make sure to apply pesticides exactly as instructed by the manufacturer to minimize the chances of having the pesticides get into the soil.

How Groundwater Consultant Help the Community

What Does Groundwater Consultants Do?

Groundwater consultants are experts responsible for providing subsurface soil contamination and groundwater consulting services. In order to be a groundwater consultant, you have to be certified by the government. You can start by securing a groundwater professional application. After you have secured this, the government will be scheduling an examination. You have to pass a written examination before you can be a groundwater consultant.

The Important Work of Groundwater Consultants

Groundwater consultants are responsible for a couple of things. The work they do include making sure that the groundwater the community uses is clean. Groundwater can easily get contaminated by pollution as well as other hazardous compounds. Arsenic, which is a cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon can sometimes get into the water system. When this happens without being detected, it’s very possible for people within a community to get sick. With cancer-causing compounds, the illness will not manifest until years later and it might already be too late to treat it. Groundwater consultants are also responsible for monitoring the soil when it’s related to the quality of water. Since these consultants deal with groundwater, the soil around the water source can make a difference on the overall water quality. If the soil has a problem, then it’s possible that water will get affected too.

How Groundwater Consultants Deal with Saltwater Intrusion

Fresh water that exists near a coast will exist in balance with saltwater. Since saltwater is heavier than fresh water, the margin between saltwater and fresh water will lie underneath the latter. The boundaries between these two types of water moves through the year, with the saltwater moving further out to the sea during winter where the rainfall increases the pressure and volume of freshwater. Sometimes, saltwater can intrude into the freshwater zone and reduce the quality of the freshwater. This is called saltwater intrusion. This happens when freshwater abstraction from the coastal aquifier is not in equilibrium with the flow and ebb of both bodies of water. It’s important that groundwater consultants be alert in monitoring such incidences. Otherwise, saltwater can further infiltrate the freshwater system and then it would be more difficult to fix the problem. Aside from being too difficult, it could also be expensive for the government to fix it. A good groundwater consultant will be able to detect saltwater intrusion quickly.