Any water below the earth’s surface is called groundwater; it is one on mankind’s most valuable resources. Although groundwater can be of tremendous benefit to people and help in a myriad of ways, it can also be problematic. Groundwater can become contaminated, resulting in a breakout of disease and it can be responsible for water damage Scottsdale AZ.
The sources of groundwater can be underground springs and rivers; it can come from melting of permafrost as well as water which enters the soil during precipitation. These underground sources of water are used by many different people for many different things. Many individuals have wells dug on their property for their own consumption, municipalities extract water, which in turn is treated and piped to households which do not have a well and businesses such as farms capture the groundwater for crops and animals. Businesses which do not have a farming connotation, such as car washes use a great deal of water but this is sourced from the municipal supply.
Groundwater has always been thought of a renewable resource but as the population expands, people are finding out that this is not necessarily true. When these resources are overused, shortages will occur and wells may have to be dug deeper to find additional sources. In areas which are close to the sea, when the aquifer is depleted it often fills with sea water, destroying it forever.
Pollution is also a major problem with groundwater. Agricultural runoff of fertilizers and other chemicals can easily enter into the groundwater, toxins from industry can make the water unfit for human consumption. Another significant source of groundwater pollution is old landfills. Modern landfills are filled with clay and lined with heavy plastic so that these pollutants cannot enter the soil, hence eliminating that source of contamination.
There are problems other than those mentioned which are associated with consumption. Groundwater can easily cause water damage in Scottsdale AZ, especially in homes that have basements below grade. When the soil gets super-saturated, such as it will when there is a flash flood or even from inadequate and poorly designed surface contours, water can enter the home. This type of water ingress usually means that the foundation walls have cracks or fissures allowing water to seep in.
