Groundwater Quality Data Management at Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, 1990 Environmental Conference Proceedings

Groundwater quality at solid waste disposal facilities is generally characterized based on results of chemical analyses performed on water samples collected from a limited number of groundwater monitoring wells. As the life of the site increases the volume of data grows and the need for groundwater quality data management becomes evident. To track the performance of a land disposal site or surface impoundment, groundwater quality data records are usually compared to state or federal standards, o r compared to site specific background water quality. Significant differences between groundwater quality at monitoring well locations and background water quality is often interpreted as an indication that groundwater has been impacted. Methods of estimating background water quality and identifying potentially impacted groundwater monitoring wells are outlined. Both parametric and nonparametric statistical procedures are reviewed emphasizing the benefits and limitations of these methods.