Organic Degradation of the Ground Water in the Proximity of a Refuse Disposal Site

Ground water degradation resulting from refuse deposition in or near the ground water table has in recent years, become increasingly important. Although about 95 percent of the total fresh water reserves are underground sources, they presently provide only approximately 17 percent of the total amount of water used for all purposes in the country (1). There is much interest in developing ground water sources to a greater extent to supply our ever increasing demands. Not enough information is presently available to delineate accurately the effect that refuse disposal in or near the ground water has upon the quality of the water. As the travel of inorganic chemical contamination in the ground water has been emphasized to a greater extent, especially in the studies at South Dakota State University, it was intended that this investigation be directed primarily toward the organic contamination emanating from the disposal area. The specific objective of the study were: a. to obtain data pertaining to the travel of organic materials from a refuse disposal site, b. to determine the lateral extent of the area influenced by organics and the persistence of organic contaminants in the direction of flow, c. to compare the results with an earlier study of organic degradation (2), and d. to evaluate the changes in water quality resulting from the construction of a trench to intercept the ground water flowing from the deposited refuse