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GROUNDWATER POLLUTION Our land has always suffered from water shortage. That’s why, people use groundwater. But, due to the lack of rainfall, it is used faster than it is naturally replenished. Depletion, occurs when water is pumped out of the ground at a faster rate than it is replenished. over the long-term. This causes serious problems: Firstly, the lowering of the water table. excessive pumping can lower the groundwater table, and cause wells to no longer be able to reach groundwater. Secondly, there are water quality concerns As you know Apulia borders with the Adriatic sea to the east and to the Ionion sea to the south. Excessive pumping in coastal areas can cause saltwater to move inland and upward, resulting in saltwater contamination of the water supply. In other areas groundwater is polluted by human activities. Due to the permeability of the soil of our land pollutants can easily sink into the groundwater supply. One potential source of contamination is fertilizers. Runoff from fertilizers is the most common source of nitrates.

Transcript of lewebpedagogique.com · Web viewGROUNDWATER POLLUTION Our land has always suffered from water...

Page 1: lewebpedagogique.com · Web viewGROUNDWATER POLLUTION Our land has always suffered from water shortage. That’s why, people use groundwater. But, due to the lack of rainfall, it

GROUNDWATER POLLUTION

Our land has always suffered from water shortage.

That’s why, people use groundwater. But, due to the lack of rainfall, it is used faster than it is naturally replenished. Depletion, occurs when water is pumped out of the ground at a faster rate than it is replenished. over the long-term. This causes serious problems:

Firstly, the lowering of the water table. excessive pumping can lower the groundwater table, and cause wells to no longer be able to reach

groundwater. Secondly, there are water quality concerns

As you know Apulia borders with the Adriatic sea to the east and to the Ionion sea to the south.Excessive pumping in coastal areas can cause saltwater to move inland and upward, resulting in saltwater contamination of the water supply.

In other areas groundwater is polluted by human activities.Due to the permeability of the soil of our land pollutants can easily sink into the groundwater supply. One potential source of contamination is fertilizers. Runoff from fertilizers is the most common source of nitrates.But they may also come from improperly disposed of sewage, leaking septic systems, industrial waste, food processing waste, and erosion of natural deposits.

Nitrates are chemical compounds present in much of our drinking water., high levels of nitrates can affect humans and animals negatively especially infants and pregnant women. The most common effects of … are hepatitis, dysentery, cancer The maximum contaminant level for nitrates in drinking water as issued by the who (world health organization) is 25mg/l . ( twentyfive milligrams per liter)

Page 2: lewebpedagogique.com · Web viewGROUNDWATER POLLUTION Our land has always suffered from water shortage. That’s why, people use groundwater. But, due to the lack of rainfall, it

So, what can we do to protect our land and water from contamination?First of all, farmers should avoid over-irrigation as it drives the pollutants deeper into the groundwater.Secondly, they should use less fertilizers. Depending on the type of crop and soil conditions, some plants only use half of the fertilizer a farmer applies – leaving the rest to evaporate or percolate into the groundwater. Last but not least, farmers should adopt more sustainable and organic approaches.

Emanuele, Emanuel, Luca