Contaminated groundwater creates a downstream cascade of societal, ecological and economic effects from the point source where pollutants enter our water supplies in ways that affect generations.
Public Health Crisis
When brown groundwater is used for drinking, cooking or bathing, it can expose your health to immediate danger. Pollutants like nitrates, heavy metals and chemicals are exposures that cause cancer, neurological disorders, reproductive problems, and in children causes developmental issues as well. Since most rural communities get their water from private wells, they face high risks.
Environmental Destruction
Contaminated water from polluted groundwater flow into rivers, lakes and wetlands wreaking havoc on entire ecosystems. It degrades marine environments, exposing toxic chemicals to aquatic organisms which disrupt food chains and biodiversity. Plants wilt and die, turning landscapes brown in a process known as vegetation death due to contamination of water which is also absorbed through the roots. For Groundwater Remediation, visit https://soilfix.co.uk
Economic Devastation
The cost of cleaning up contamination can be in the millions and take decades to finish, putting an enormous financial burden on communities. The already fragile homeowners’ investment since house prices drastically lower down in affected areas. Businesses that rely on clean water may be forced to move but the area they are moving from has job loss, and an economic decline.
Agricultural Impact
Groundwater is so poisoned that farmers cannot use it for irrigation and crops are failing as a result, animals dying. When cholera is introduced into the food supply by polluted water, large sectors of agriculture are shut down due to worries about tainted vegetables and fruit.
Long-Term Consequences
Contaminated groundwater moves slowly and diffuses over great distances. Some are virtually permanent, rendering contaminated aquifers off-limits to future generations. Furthermore, severe contamination is irreversible and represents a lost resource that will never be available.
More importantly, all of this will be costly to address; prevention is far less expensive.
