the soil above the aquifer need to be considered along with the amount of the substance available for leaching. Sometimes ground water contamination occurs naturally. Acid rain is form of contaminated precipitation that will seep into the ground water. “Fortunately, most acid rain is neutralized (buffered) by soil and rocks so ground water is protected from the impact of acid rain.” (The American Well Owner) The most serious contamination is usually the result of human activities on the land surface. An aquifer provides a plentiful water supply that often attracts a multitude of people to the overlying land. The Water is used for such activities as drinking, personal hygiene, residential maintenance, and industrial and agricultural purposes. Many of these activities involve the use and disposal of chemicals, which are potential pollutants. When these chemicals are used or disposed of incorrectly unacceptable amounts can get into the ground water and contaminate it. Several valuable aquifers have been polluted by the people living and working above themMost human activities at the land surface cause some change in the quality of water in the aquifer beneath them. The importance of the effect of a particular activity is related to the amounts and types of contaminants released. The severity of an occurrence is also related to the ability of the soil and ground water system to degrade or dilute the contaminants, and the degree to which the contamination will interfere with uses of the water. Contamination is usually more serious in a drinking water supply than in water for other uses. Except where contaminated water is injected directly into an aquifer, essentially all ground water pollutants enter the aquifer through recharge water from the land surface. Some examples of the contaminants are pesticides, certain petroleum products, mercury, nickel, lead, nitrate nitrogen, bacteria and viruses, and petroleum resid...
