It resides within the soil and it moves

It resides within the soil and it moves. You don't see it, but it has enormous volume. Really huge. What this is about? Groundwater!

Groundwater is our sheep with five legs. It should be abundant, but we don’t like wet feet. It must of course be clean, but unfortunately that is no longer the case everywhere. We want to be able to use it as drinking water, for arable farming, as process water in industry and as a buffer in times of drought. We want to store energy in it and extract it again.

Groundwater is for everyone and belongs to all of us and we all have an opinion about it. This becomes even clearer in a changing legal playing field.

Who is responsible for the quantity and who for the quality? Why is it sometimes still dirty and who should clean it? But how clean is clean and can this be different in different situations?

Should we look at solutions for contaminated of groundwater for each and every location or is an area-oriented approach a better solution? When we choose an area-oriented approach, is the environment really better off? Or do we mainly let our wallets speak? Does our new environmental law (implemented during the coming years), offer new instruments?

What a world full of questions. What an interesting field of work, because there are solutions! Advising companies and governments. Case-oriented or area-oriented approach. Contributing to new policy in the face of changing frameworks and shifting responsibilities. Being involved on all fronts with remediating sources, monitoring plumes or the presence of vulnerable objects. Thinking along with clients when case-oriented and area-oriented approaches merge. Sometimes literally.

An impossible quandary or the best of both worlds? It makes me very enthusiastic!

Are you curious and would you like to know more about this complex but very interesting subject? My colleagues and I are happy to help you!

Jacob Buist

Jacob Buist
Senio consultant soil & water and energy