The Groundwater Foundation Sources of Groundwater Contamination Groundwater contamination occurs when man-made products such as gasoline, oil, road salts and chemicals get into the groundwater and cause it to become unsafe and unfit for human use. Some of the major sources of these products, called contaminants, are storage tanks, septic systems, hazardous waste sites, landfills, and the widespread use of road salts and chemicals. Storage tanks may contain gasoline, oil, chemicals, or other types of liquids, and they can either be above or below ground. There are estimated to be over 10 million storage tanks that are buried in the United States and over time the tanks can corrode and crack and leaks can develop. If the contaminants leak out and get into the groundwater, serious contamination can occur.
Septic systems can be another serious contamination source.
Septic systems are for homes, offices or other buildings that are not connected to a city sewer system. Septic systems are designed to slowly drain away human waste underground at a slow, harmless rate. An improperly designed, located, constructed, or maintained septic system can leak bacteria, viruses, household chemicals, and other contaminants into the groundwater causing serious problems. In the United States today, there are thought to be over 20,000 known abandoned and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites and the numbers grow every year. Hazardous waste sites can lead to groundwater contamination if there are barrels or other containers laying around that are full of hazardous materials.