Protecting the nation's groundwater from contamination

Since groundwater provides approximately half of the nations drinking water, national concern has been focused on the depletion of groundwater. Today, however, the concern is shifting increasingly to the problem of contamination from toxic wastes. Contamination is more serious than depletion, for contamination can suddenly render a water supply worthless, thus causing unexpected and potentially enormous costs of substitute water supplies for home use, adverse impacts on the health of humans and livestock, and dislocation in regional economic activity. This paper reviews a report ''Protecting the Nation's Groundwater from Contamination'' issued by the US Congress Office of Technology Assessment.