GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION

Contaminated Groundwater Remediation Services

In the early phases of a construction project, crews should not only sample the soil but also conduct groundwater remediation if it’s in fact necessary. This is why groundwater sampling is especially vital in the planning phases of a residential community, as residents may use the water for various purposes, such as drinking, bathing, and dish and clothing washing.

What Is Groundwater?

Groundwater is water that exists beneath the Earth’s surface in the pores of the soil, and in the fractures of rock. Aquifers are permeable, water-bearing rock, fractures, or other materials such as gravel, sand, or silt. People can extract groundwater from aquifers, typically using a well. Where water saturates all pores and fractures, experts call this the zone of saturation. Experts call the upper surface of the zone of saturation the water table.

Why Groundwater Sampling Matters

Companies perform groundwater sampling to meet various state regulatory requirements, to monitor site waste disposal, to monitor ambient groundwater quality, and to conduct general research and monitor bacteriological and chemical quality. Each of these purposes can require a different set of protocols for the groundwater sampling. Because groundwater moves through the soil at different rates depending on the soil’s density (water could move through sandy material roughly 50 feet per hour, but through clay it may take 6 weeks to 6 months to move half an inch), contamination can spread to adjacent properties.

Treatment and Disposal Options

The decision is then to treat the groundwater and soil on site, or dispose of it. In some cases, the Earth’s natural bacteria and enzymes will help consume certain contaminants, such as petroleum. In all other cases, we treat the soil with nutrients and enzymes to remediate the groundwater. We must treat water, using various techniques depending on the contamination on site, before we can discharge it. We can do this with hazardous and non-hazardous contaminated groundwater. Sometimes, depending on the requirements of the project, dewatering is necessary. This process is the removal of water from the soil by a variety of liquid separation processes.

Once we deem the soil and groundwater clean, the project can move on to its next phase.