Both groundwater from places like wells and surface water from places like rivers and lakes are crucial when it comes to meeting human needs for potable and recreational water. Groundwater, aquifers and surface water quality have become more of a worry in recent years due to reports of bacteria, nitrogen, chemicals, and other contaminants .

Crop Observation

Water contamination in the aquifers might be caused by agricultural pesticides due to their potential for runoff into surface waterways and penetration into groundwater. Human health and environmental integrity are both vulnerable to the effects of contaminated groundwater and surface water. Since almost 75% of Minnesotans rely on groundwater as their source of drinking water, protecting this resource is critical to the state’s public health .

Soil Observation

Nitrate poisoning of groundwater may be dangerous to the health of communities who depend on that water supply. Nitrate levels in drinking water may be too high in locations with contaminated groundwater. There is a higher chance of additional pollutants, such bacteria or pesticides, being present in water with excessive nitrate levels. Once the threshold is crossed, it may be difficult to get the contamination levels back down to acceptable levels. Because of this, it is crucial to take precautions in places with aquifers that are susceptible to pollution to avoid the groundwater supply from becoming tainted.

Water Monitoring

Uncontrolled agricultural activities are a major source of groundwater contamination. Pesticides, fertilizers, animal feaces, and subterranean storage tanks are just some of the potential sources of contamination on a farm. Using BMPs, farmers may maximize agricultural yields while also preventing groundwater contamination. Many BMPs are inexpensive to adopt and may even end up saving money on operating expenses. Best management practices (BMPs) are most successful when implemented continuously throughout time. Below are some methods that may be used to lessen the likelihood of aquifer pollution.

Predicting Weather Conditions

According to the precautionary principle, delaying cost-effective steps to avoid environmental deterioration when there are concerns of permanent harm should not be done due to a lack of complete scientific confidence. Groundwater contamination may be reduced by a number of means, one of which is raising public knowledge of the problem and the urgency with which it must be addressed. It’s safe to say that everyone relies on groundwater. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every living person on the planet to safeguard it from pollution and ensure that future generations have access to it. Every person can make a difference by following a few simple rules, such as conserving water at home and at the office, using less plastic, and properly disposing of the materials they do use.