Rainwater and surface runoff filters into and penetrates the subsoil.
When a layer of impermeable rock prevents rainwater from descending to even greater depths, this results in the formation of a natural reservoir: an aquifer is formed.
Aquifers make up the world’s biggest reserve of fresh water and provide more than 97% of all fresh water available on our planet.
Groundwater is used for drinking water but it is also an important resource for industry and farming.
The impact of human activities (agriculture, industry, animal husbandry) may alter and pollute groundwater, making it no longer suitable for use or altogether unavailable.
This pollution may be caused by the direct emission of a polluting substance, or it may be caused by solids which are dissolved by rain and then filter down into the subsoil.
In order to contrast aquifer pollution, in addition to a pollution monitoring and prevention plan, which must be the priority of any advanced society, it is possible to implement technologies and process systems to recondition water and enable its recovery for use.
ITALPLANT has built various treatment and reclamation systems for groundwater contaminated by Hexavalent Chromium and Heavy Metals, with the application of special selective resins able to capture pollutants present.
With Ultrafiltration and Osmosis membrane processes we have built purification and demineralisation processes for water used for industrial purposes in different applications.
The presence of Nitrates (deriving from the vast use of fertilisers) in groundwater may also be reduced with the use of membrane systems, or special resins or filtering materials.
The same goes for any Arsenic presence.
