Modern economic activity requires transportation and storage of material used in manufacturing, processing, and construction. Along the way, some of this material can be lost through spillage, leakage, or improper handling. Even the cleanup of spills may pose a threat to ground water when the spills are flushed with water rather than cleaned up with absorbent substances.
The disposal of wastes associated with the above activities contribute another source of ground water contamination. Some businesses, usually without access to sewer systems, rely on shallow underground disposal. They use cesspools or dry holes, or send the wastewater into septic tanks. Any of these forms of disposal can lead to contamination of underground sources of drinking water. Dry holes and cesspools introduce wastes directly into the ground. Septic systems cannot treat industrial wastes. Wastewater disposal practices of certain types of businesses, such as automobile service stations, dry cleaners, electrical component or machine manufacturers, photo processors, and metal platers or fabricators are of particular concern because the waste they generate is likely to contain toxic chemicals. Other industrial sources of contamination include cleaning off holding tanks or spraying equipment on the open ground, disposing of waste in septic systems or dry wells, and storing hazardous materials in uncovered areas or in areas that do not have pads with drains or catchment basins.
Although businesses may run a "clean shop", small amounts of waste fluids can end up on the shop floor and be washed down floor drains. These drains may be connected to shallow injection well systems, which are not designed to handle the industrial chemicals typically used by businesses such as those listed above. Even low concentrations of certain contaminants can accumulate through time.
Underground and above ground storage tanks holding petroleum products, acids, solvents and chemicals can develop leaks from corrosion, defects, improper installation, or mechanical failure of the pipes and fittings.
Mining of fuel and nonfuel minerals can create many opportunities for ground water contamination. The problems stem from the mining process itself, disposal of wastes, and processing of the ores and the wastes it creates.
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