Established pump‐and‐treat ground‐water remediation is criticized for being too expensive and time‐consuming, especially when cleanup standards are set at very low levels, e.g., < 10 parts per billion (ppb) for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Although other ground‐water remediation technologies are currently being examined and show intriguing promise, pump and treat remains the only dependable technology for cleanup of deep (i.e., > 50 ft below ground surface) widespread ground‐water contamination. The perceived shortcomings of pump and treat result from (1) the tendency of most contaminants to sorb to formation materials, thus retarding contaminant removal; (2) geologic complexity, which requires detailed characterization for the design of optimal extraction systems within available resources; and (3) the failure to apply dynamic well field management techniques.
The alternative, “smart pump and treat” consists of (1) detailed characterization of the geology, hydrology, and chemistry; (2) use of computer‐aided data interpretation, data display, and decision support systems; (3) removal of source terms, if possible; (4) initial design for plume containment and source remediation; (5) phased installation of the well field; (6) detailed monitoring of the remediation; (7) active ongoing reevaluation of the operating well field, including redesign as appropriate (dynamic management); (8) reinjection of treated ground water to speed the flushing of contaminants; and (9) setting of appropriate cleanup levels. Use of some or all of these techniques can dramatically reduce the time required to achieve cleanup goals and thus the cost of ground‐water remediation.
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