Air Force Groundwater Contamination Cleanup: An Evaluation of the Pump- and-Treat Method.
Abstract
This thesis is an attempt to determine the effectiveness of the Air Force's use of pump-and-treat technology to remediate groundwater contamination. The study is divided into four major sections: (1) literature survey of groundwater contamination problems and remediation technology; (2) identification of bases where pump-and-treat technology has been employed; (3) collection of quantitative data from bases for analysis; (4) analysis of data and recommendations. Data was obtained from three Air Force installations, McClellan AFB, Wright-Patterson AFB, and Wurtsmith AFB. During remediation, contaminants in most cases show a significant decrease in concentration though levels are still well above regulatory agency requirements. Furthermore, it was found that the inconsistent timing of data sampling and the lack of standardized data storage procedures prevents reliable determination of remediation effectiveness. Conclusions of this study are that a standardized data collection system be created, under direct supervision of an air staff office, and that a centralized procedure be identified for evaluating the effectiveness of pump- and-treat programs. While the current remediation programs using pump-and-treat initially show large reductions in contaminant concentrations, continued application of this method produces only slight incremental improvements. It appears that decades may be required to meet existing regulatory limits. Theses.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA201505
Entities
People
- Richard P. Ammons
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology