Underground Injection and Sequestration and Underground Sources of Drinking Water (Protecting Valuable Resources)

Monday, September 10, 2012: 4:25 PM-5:25 PM
#7-8 (Egan Convention Center)

Level of Course: Mid

Underground injection and sequestration has proven to be an excellent method for management and final disposition of liquid wastes.  More recently, underground injection and sequestration has emerged as the leading candidate to manage anthropogenic CO2 in response to climate change concerns.  Given the continued stress on groundwater resources due to rising demand and changing climate conditions, it is imperative that all necessary efforts be taken to protect this diminishing resource.  Underground injection and sequestration offers an excellent method for management of liquid wastes (instead of surface water discharge) while also protecting underground sources of drinking water.  There are over 150,000 injection wells currently operating throughout the United States to inject and sequester various types of liquid waste deep underground.  Emerging uses of underground injection and sequestration include disposal of "reject" from groundwater desalinization plants, aquifer storage and recovery operations, and sequestration of anthropogenic CO2.  Protection of undergrounbd sources of drinking water is an integral part of injection well siting, construction, operation, and abandonment.  This presentation will discuss the multi-layered groundwater protection methods in the underground injection and sequestration regulatory program.
Author:
Richard T. Brown, CHMM