Preventing Groundwater Pollution When Possible

Drainage Ponds

The author of this report has been asked to assess and react to a given scenario. The scenario in question relates to a drainage pool at a manufacturing facility. In this hypothetical scenario, there is a pond that is used as a catch point if there are any spills. Any superficial spills are carried to this pond. As needed, the pond is drained into a nearby stream so as to keep the pond at the proper level. It should be noted that these discharges and the pollution therein is managed and regulated by the state. Unfortunately, there is a very large chemical spill at the plant and there is a threat that the spill will reach the pond and then eventually the groundwater. The author is charged with assessing the damage due to the spillage, offer what remedial measures can be used to address the problem and how to eliminate or at least mitigate threats to the environment.

Analysis

One very important piece of information that has to be taken into account in this situation is how much more liquid (of any type) the pond can hold versus how much was actually spilled. If the spilled amount will fit in the pond, then the possibility of damage to the external ecosystem and the groundwater is slim to none since all that really has to be done is that discharges to the pond will have to be stopped. This could very well require the plant to be shut down until the chemicals that cannot be expelled into the river are removed safely. However, that price is a lot lower than what it could be. If there is at least a possibility that the pond will not be able to hold the spill, there could be other measures that might be called for. For example, if the discharge from the pond can be capture by trucks or storage devices of some sort, that might be an option. Not enough information is given about whether that is possible but it would be a great idea for the setup to allow for that to be an option in the event that using the discharge pipe normally would present a problem. The spill could drain to the point as normal and the discharge can be trucked out of the area. Time might not allow for this solution but it is something that could be pulled off if the infrastructure of the plant was preplanned to allow for this contingency.

Another solution that might be possible, again depending on the lay of the land and the plant, is capturing the discharge as it moves down the stream but before it gets into the rest of the water supply. Local groundwater might be polluted but that is better than the water moving downstream and making everything filthy. The recent mine blowout that the EPA was involved in would be a perfect example of this happening (EPA, 2016). In short, the plant or the immediately surrounding area should have a contingency for this sort of thing. Whether there be the proper facilities in the plant or whether the discharge stream is lined and allows for harvesting of expelled material that is beyond safe levels would be a good way to go. This would be the antithesis of situations like Flint, Michigan where lead-lined pipes are still in active use (Dolan, 2016). Truly, discharge of any amount of polluted water should not be allowed for on a regular basis unless the discharged volumes are not toxic. Existing plants that are not made for this need to be upgrade and new plants should be built with this in mind.