Overview Drinking water is a resource everyone uses although often not realized, so is seldom thought of as a responsibility. Groundwater is a vital resource used for irrigation and human consumption. It constitutes the primary water source for roughly 90% of all people in the United States and is the major source for the Muskegon Lake community. While usually a very safe source of clean potable water, groundwater is at risk of contamination by many human activities. Groundwater is an important source of water to maintain flow and water levels in rivers, wetlands, and lakes. Large open tracts of undeveloped land are the most important areas that ensure water seeps into ground and fills groundwater and eventually the surface water. Groundwater is responsible for 30% of all stream flow in the United States and even a greater percentage in Michigan. Groundwater can move anywhere between 2-500 ft. a year, so contamination is not easily contained.

What’s the problem? 

Groundwater pollution and contamination can occur from a variety of sources. One of the greatest sources of pollution is from nutrient contamination because it is associated with multiple human uses including: homeowner fertilizer use, agricultural fertilizers and improper manure management, septic failure or poor management, placement of septics in improper areas because of soil or drainage, sewer system malfunctions/breaks. Nutrient contamination is hard to track because the wide use of nutrients confuses the source or point of pollution, leading to the name “non-point source pollution.” However, non-point source pollution is also one of the easiest to fix because we know what it comes from so individuals can easily alter impacts. Increased nutrients in the aquatic system readily alter the environment by leading to excessive aquatic plant growth (eutrophication) and increase colonization by aggressive “weed” species. Eutrophication is a natural process, yet human impacts have accelerated the rate of aging and reduced the health of Muskegon Lake. Although it is widely accepted that water quality has improved in Muskegon Lake over recent years, we must continue to protect our groundwater resources.

Other problems that impact groundwater quality include old underground leaking gasoline storage tanks and sites of soil contamination. Muskegon Lake has had several areas contaminated because of underground storage tanks. They are slowly being identified and removed, but some probably remain unlocated. Abandoned wells are also a major problem as they are a direct link to the groundwater. Contaminants entering an old well do not have the opportunity to break down as they travel through the overlying soil. Old wells should always be capped and never have any thing poured down the old pipe.