GROUNDWATER POLLUTION

Groundwater Pollution is a comprehensive academic and practical guide that presents a systematic understanding of groundwater systems, their quality, the causes and consequences of pollution, and the modern techniques required for monitoring, assessment, remediation, and sustainable management. The book is carefully structured to take the reader from the fundamentals of groundwater hydrology, aquifer characteristics, recharge–discharge mechanisms, and flow principles to advanced topics related to groundwater contamination, vulnerability, and restoration. It explains the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of groundwater quality along with national and international drinking water standards, enabling readers to assess the suitability of groundwater for various uses.

The text provides detailed coverage of pollution sources arising from agricultural practices, industrial effluents, urban activities, and natural geogenic conditions, supported by relevant Indian case studies. It further examines the environmental, ecological, human health, and socio-economic impacts of groundwater contamination. Emphasis is placed on modern monitoring and assessment approaches such as sampling techniques, water quality analysis, GIS and remote sensing applications, contaminant transport modelling, and vulnerability mapping using models like DRASTIC and GOD.

Preventive and remedial measures including source control, land-use planning, bioremediation, permeable reactive barriers, pump-and-treat methods, and managed aquifer recharge are discussed in detail to provide practical solutions for groundwater protection. The book also addresses groundwater governance, regulatory frameworks, climate change implications, and emerging trends such as AI and IoT in groundwater management. With the inclusion of case studies, numerical problems, review questions, and MCQs, this book serves as a valuable resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers, engineers, planners, and policymakers, offering both conceptual clarity and real-world relevance in the field of groundwater pollution and management.