Pump-and-treat is not the only solution to aquifer remediation

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Environmental Solutions; (United States)

OSTI ID:7281682

Odermatt, J R ^[1]

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1. County of San Diego's Site Assessment and Mitigation Div., San Diego, CA (United States)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently surveyed remediation technologies used at petroleum-contaminated sites in 22 states. About 96 percent of underground storage tank (UST) corrective action sites used some form of pump-and-treat technology to remediate contaminated groundwater. However, using only pump-and-treat technology is not a cost-effective approach to aquifer remediation. Pump-and-treat may be more appropriate for containing plumes or for use in initial emergency response actions at sites and massive NAPL releases to groundwater. As of 1990, 68 percent of Superfund records of decision selected pump-and-treat as the final remedy for aquifer remediation. However, of 13 sites where the remedial alternative objective was to restore the aquifer to health-based levels, only one pump-and-treat method has succeeded. Except in cases where human health and the environment are threatened, long-term active technologies, such as pump-and-treat, may not be warranted. Groundwater monitoring and possible wellhead treatment may be perceived as time-consuming processes; however, at many sites, this long-term approach may be far less costly and just as effective as other long-term strategies based on exclusive use of pump-and-treat technology.

• OSTI ID: 7281682
• Journal Information: Environmental Solutions; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Solutions; (United States) Vol. 7:6; ISSN XZ280J
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
AQUIFERS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WATER
WATER POLLUTION
WATER RECLAMATION
WATER TREATMENT