Do hazardous wastes contaminate drinking water?
Yes, they may. As rainwater seeps down through a hazardous waste dump, it carries the chemicals with it to the groundwater. Some chemicals stick to the dirt particles and don’t reach the groundwater very quickly. Other chemicals, like cleaning fluid or gasoline, move down through the ground very quickly. Leaking underground gasoline tanks at gas stations and the improper disposal of chemicals (for example, dumping old radiator fluid, metal degreasers, paint thinners, or paintbrush cleaners in the backyard) also contaminate groundwater.
