Ground Water Contamination

Groundwater is a good source of drinking water, if cleaned correctly, but can easily be contaminated if not observed properly. This essay will be explaining firstly what exactly groundwater is, how it can be contaminated, what happens when it is contaminated and how to prevent it.
Groundwater is water that is found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil sand and rock. Groundwater is stored in and moves slowly through layers of soil, sand and rocks called aquifers (Gale, 2003) (appendix 1). Groundwater can be found almost everywhere and can be extracted through a well drilled into the aquifer (Gale, 2003). Groundwater supplies are replenished, or recharged, by rain and snowmelt. In some areas of the world, people face serious water shortages because groundwater is used faster than it is naturally replenished. In other areas groundwater is polluted by human activities (Gale, 2003).
Groundwater contamination can begin on the surface of the ground, in the ground above or bel...