Groundwater: A precious resource that must be recognized and protected
Groundwater is a vital source of water beneath the surface, used for domestic purposes, agriculture, and industry in many parts of the world. But do you know what laws and standards apply to groundwater? How to monitor its quality and what remediation measures to take if contamination occurs?
This article will take you to know about groundwater from the basics, legal control to pollution recovery, and also recommend how to properly check the quality of groundwater. What are they? Let's take a look.
What is groundwater?
underground water It is the water that is under the soil surface in the layers of rock and soil that can permeate (which is called the “permeable layer” or aquifer) Groundwater is formed from rainwater that seeps into the soil and rocks and accumulates in various layers within the ground. Groundwater can indicate the quality of the soil and groundwater, such as indicating contamination of pollutants in groundwater. Groundwater is also used for agriculture and industry in many areas, especially in areas where there are no surface water sources such as rivers or lakes.
earth Soil is a natural resource that occurs naturally, consisting of various particles such as sand, clay, sandy soil, organic matter, and minerals. Soil is necessary for plant growth because plants take nutrients and water from the soil to use in their growth. In addition, soil is also a habitat for various living things such as small animals, fungi, and microorganisms that play an important role in the ecosystem.
What are the laws related to soil and groundwater?
- Water Act (2012) This law aims to manage water resources in Thailand, covering water use and water conservation, both surface water and groundwater.
- Water Quality Management Act (1996) This law sets measures to prevent and control water contamination, both surface water and groundwater, including maintaining water quality suitable for daily use and agriculture, as well as setting water quality standards and managing pollution caused by the dumping of toxic substances or waste into water sources.
- Pollution Prevention and Mitigation Act (1992) This Act deals with the control and reduction of pollution in both water and soil environments. It will examine and manage contamination from chemicals or waste that may leak into groundwater or soil, set measures and guidelines to prevent pollution from dumping waste and toxic substances, and examine and control activities that may affect soil and groundwater.
- Natural Resources and Environmental Management Act (1992)This Act aims to ensure sustainable use of natural resources and the preservation of biodiversity, including regulating the use of soil and water, promoting the management of soil and groundwater resources in a manner that does not destroy the ecosystem, and identifying areas that need conservation and restoration.
- Soil Conservation and Restoration Act (2019) This law aims to conserve and restore soil conditions in Thailand, with measures to prevent soil erosion and reduce soil degradation from agricultural activities, promote sustainable and soil-neutral agriculture, provide education and support the use of methods that help restore degraded soils.
- Groundwater Resources Act (1977) This law regulates the control of groundwater use and management of groundwater resources, permits for drilling groundwater wells and using groundwater resources, and controls the use of groundwater to prevent overuse and contamination of groundwater.
- Ministerial Regulations on the Control of Waste Discharge into Water Sources This regulation aims to control the discharge of wastes and chemicals into water sources and soil, which will prevent groundwater pollution from activities such as industry or agriculture.
- Local laws on groundwater and soil management Certain local laws in different areas may have additional regulations related to local soil and groundwater use, such as regulating the construction, drilling of wells, or soil management in agricultural areas.
How is soil and groundwater analysis done?
Soil and groundwater analysis is an important process in assessing the quality of soil and groundwater resources or developing areas for sustainable use. This analysis includes both quantitative and qualitative aspects to check whether the soil or water source used has suitable properties and is not harmful to the environment and human health.
1. Soil analysis
Soil analysis is an analysis to study various properties of soil, such as soil quality analysis that can be used to grow plants, analyze acidity-alkalinity (pH), find the amount of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, soil density and water permeability, drainage capacity, including toxins or pollutants that may be in the soil, such as the amount of heavy metals that are harmful to living things (lead, cadmium, or other toxins).
2. Groundwater analysis
Groundwater analysis is important in checking the quality of groundwater. It can indicate the contamination of toxic substances or hazardous substances in groundwater, including analysis for the utilization of groundwater resources, such as using water for agriculture or using in various industries. The examination will refer to the standard criteria and is examined according to the following parameters:
- Chemical parameter measurement: Such as pH, water hardness, mineral content, such as calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and chloride.
- Testing for toxic substances or pollutants: such as heavy metals (lead, cadmium), chemical residues, or organic contamination.
- Organic matter testing: Such as BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) and COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) which are used to assess organic contamination in water.
- Testing for organic substances in water: Such as organic substances resulting from the use of chemicals or chemical residues from industries.
What are the standards for soil and groundwater measurement?
The standard criteria for soil and groundwater measurement must refer to the standards set by the responsible agencies in each country, such as the Pollution Control Department or the World Health Organization (WHO) for testing the quality of drinking water. However, in Thailand, it is based on the Pollution Control Department.
- pH of water: For drinking water, the pH should be between 5 and 8.5.
- Water hardness value: Hardness value should not exceed 500 mg/L (or the appropriate value according to the standards of each country).
- Heavy metal content: For example, lead (Pb) does not exceed 0.01 mg/liter for drinking water.
How can soil and groundwater be rehabilitated in the event of contamination?
Soil and groundwater remediation in the event of pollution is an important process in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem and human health. When soil and groundwater pollution occurs, the resulting impacts may result in problems in agriculture and the livelihood of the people in that area. There are many methods of soil and groundwater remediation that can be used, depending on the nature of the pollution, the severity and the appropriate remediation technology.
1. Soil restoration
There are several ways to remediate soil pollution, depending on the type of pollution that has occurred, as follows:
1.1 Use of plants for phytoremediation
The use of plants for soil remediation is one of the most popular technologies because it is a relatively inexpensive and environmentally friendly method. Some plants can absorb pollutants from the soil, especially heavy metals such as zinc, lead, or cadmium. The plants used must have the ability to absorb and store these toxins in various parts of the plant, such as the roots, stems, or leaves. In addition, plants help improve the structure of the soil and increase the amount of organic matter in the soil, which helps the soil to recover faster.
1.2 Use of microorganisms in treatment (Bioremediation)
Another method that can be used for soil remediation is the use of microorganisms that have the ability to break down toxins in the soil, such as oil, agricultural chemicals, or other organic matter. These microorganisms are able to break down toxins and convert them into substances that are not toxic to the environment. This technique is effective in many cases where the pollutants are organic and cannot be removed by physical methods.
1.3 Physical Remediation
In some cases where the pollutant is severe or in the form of non-degradable substances, such as heavy metals or water-insoluble chemicals, physical methods, such as excavating the contaminated soil and treating it on-site, or using dredging techniques, may be necessary to remove the toxic substances.
2. Groundwater restoration
Remediation of contaminated groundwater is more complex than soil remediation, as groundwater is often slow moving and is a complex system. Groundwater remediation requires a variety of approaches that can be adapted to suit the nature of the pollution.
2.1 Groundwater treatment by filtration
Groundwater filtration is a method often used when groundwater is contaminated with certain chemicals, such as oil or organic substances. This method often involves filtering toxins through a filtering material that has the ability to capture or separate toxins from water, such as using carbon or biological filter media for adsorption.
2.2 Groundwater treatment using oxygen (In-situ Oxidation)
Oxygen-based groundwater treatment is a method that can be used to remove toxic chemicals, such as carbon- or nitrogen-containing chemicals, by injecting oxygen into groundwater to trigger an oxidation process that converts toxic chemicals into non-toxic forms.
2.3 Use of microorganisms in groundwater treatment (Bioremediation)
Similar to soil remediation, the use of microorganisms in groundwater treatment is another popular technique when groundwater is contaminated with organic matter or biodegradable chemicals. The selected microorganisms help break down toxins in the water and convert them into substances that are not toxic to the environment.
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