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METHODS FOR MONITORING PUMP-AND-TREAT PERFORMANCE
Citation:
Cohen, R. M., A. H. Vincent, J. W. Mercer, C. R. Faust, AND C. P. Spaulding. METHODS FOR MONITORING PUMP-AND-TREAT PERFORMANCE. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/R-94/123 (NTIS 95-125456), 1994.
Impact/Purpose:
Information.
Description:
Since the 1980s, numerous pump-and-treat systems have been constructed to: (1) hydraulically contain contaminated ground water, and/or (2) restore ground-water quality to meet a desired standard such as background quality or Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) concentrations for drinking water. Although hydraulic containment is usually achievable, experience suggests that aquifer restoration can often be hindered at many sites due to the dissolution of Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLs), contaminant desorption, inefficient hydraulic flushing of heterogeneous media, and other chemical and physical process limitations. Given the complexity and site-specific nature of ground-water remediation, pump-and-treat system objectives must be clearly identified and system operations carefully monitored to determine effectiveness. Typically, monitoring involves measuring hydraulic heads and contaminant concentrations to evaluate ground-water flow directions, recovery system capture zones, contaminant migration, and contaminant removal. This document was developed on behalf of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to outline methods for evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of pump-and-treat remediation systems.