Analysis of the remediation of a contaminated aquifer by a multi-well system

Abstract

Various numerical techniques have been developed and used to design waste repositories such as landfills, in order to reduce the impact of contamination. However, even with good design, potential contamination such as groundwater contamination may still arise in the future due to unforseen circumstances or negligence. Thus there is a need to seek efficient, cost-effective and carefully designed remediation strategies for the cleanup of contaminated groundwater. This paper presents a study of the remediation of a contaminated aquifer of uniform thickness by multi-well systems, which include both discharge wells and recharge wells. These investigations show that an appropriately designed pump and treat system (PAT) can have a significant effect on the decontamination of a polluted aquifer and can preclude the further spreading of a contaminant plume. However, if the system is not designed appropriately, it may cause a further serious spreading of the contamination. This possibility is illustrated by the examples presented in the paper, which highlight the need for care in the design of remediation strategies.