Groundwater Contamination – What have we learnt over 30 years?
Invited Plenary
Dr Greg Davis
Senior Principal Research Scientist
CSIRO Land and Water
Perth
Biography
Dr Davis completed his PhD in applied mathematics at the University of Wollongong and the then Australian Atomic Energy Commission (now ANSTO) in New South Wales. He joined CSIRO’s new Division of Groundwater Research in 1983 and now is Group Leader at CSIRO Land and Water. With colleagues he has researched the impact of land use on groundwater quality, and in particular the persistence and natural biodegradation of petroleum releases in subsurface environments. He has worked with industry and regulators to develop understanding, useful tools and management options for contaminated groundwater. In 2002-2003 he was seconded to assess the contamination of Kuwait’s groundwater resulting from the Gulf War, and later presented these findings to the United Nations in Geneva. He is Adjunct Professor in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Western Australia and is Chief Editor of the Journal of Contaminant Hydrology. He chaired the Organising Committee for the 6th IAHS Groundwater Quality conference held in Fremantle Western Australia in December 2007 – the first time it had been held outside of Europe and North America.
Synopsis – ‘Groundwater Contamination – What have we learnt over 30 years?’
Society has been investigating the occurrence, risks and management of groundwater contamination at least since the mid 1800’s. Currently, global population pressures and climate change are demanding more of our groundwater supplies, with some groundwater systems at crisis point, e.g., the mass arsenic poisoning occurring in Bangladesh. Gaining deeper insights into groundwater contamination processes is ever more pressing. Over the last 30 years we have developed greater understanding of the role of microbiology, redox processes, aqueous-mineral phase interactions and fluid flow in aquifer systems. Aquifer heterogeneities and multiphase partitioning of pollutants such as oils and solvents complicate the picture further, especially regarding the longevity and management of such pollutants. This talk will outline discoveries and advancement in knowledge over the recent past – the last 30 years in particular – and propose some future directions in groundwater contamination research.