{"id":7480,"date":"2025-08-23T14:38:59","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T12:38:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.auditeco.ro\/?p=7480"},"modified":"2025-09-11T14:54:26","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T12:54:26","slug":"poluarea-apelor-subterane-cauze-efecte-si-solutii-de-prevenire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.auditeco.ro\/en\/poluarea-apelor-subterane-cauze-efecte-si-solutii-de-prevenire\/","title":{"rendered":"Groundwater Pollution: Causes, Effects, and Prevention Solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Groundwater is the reserve that feeds wells, local water supply systems, and a large part of irrigation systems. When we talk about groundwater pollution, we are discussing a risk with slow but persistent effects: contaminants that penetrate aquifers and remain there for years or decades, difficult to remove and costly to treat. In Romania, vulnerability is accentuated in rural areas with shallow wells and incomplete sewage systems, but also in old industrial areas or near waste disposal sites. This analysis explains the causes, effects, and prevention solutions, with an emphasis on applicable measures and the role of compliance and verification tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is groundwater pollution?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Groundwater pollution refers to the migration of substances (from nitrates and pesticides to hydrocarbons, metals, or solvents) into aquifers above accepted quality values. In the European Union, groundwater protection is regulated by Directive 2000\/60\/EC and Directive 2006\/118\/EC, transposed in Romania by Government Decision 53\/2009, which establishes standards and measures for preventing and reversing pollution trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From a public health perspective, a widely used reference threshold is for nitrates: 50 mg\/l in water intended for human consumption (in line with EU\/WHO standards). Exceedances are common in unmonitored rural wells, especially where manure or domestic wastewater management is poor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Main causes of groundwater pollution in Romania<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Romania, groundwater pollution is often associated with agricultural practices in which nitrogen fertilization is not correlated with nutrient balance, with leaks from leaky septic systems, seepage from waste storage sites, and the impact of industrial history. National reports and the Nitrates Program show high average annual concentrations in certain groundwater bodies, especially in plains with high agricultural pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n