ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Groundwater Pollution Risk Assessment Based on
Vulnerability to Pollution and Potential Impact
of Land Use Forms
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AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection,
Krakow, Poland
Submission date: 2018-09-29
Final revision date: 2019-02-04
Acceptance date: 2019-02-12
Online publication date: 2019-08-09
Publication date: 2019-10-23
Corresponding author
Robert Duda
Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059, Krakow, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(1):87-99
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ABSTRACT
Our research aimed to evaluate groundwater pollution risk in the study area in southeastern
Poland, that is, in an area where the hydrogeological conditions and land use forms are similar to those
of European plains. The authors’ own qualitative classifications of the potential impact of major forms
of land use on groundwater quality and groundwater pollution risk are proposed. The degree of this
risk was assessed as the sum of ratings of intrinsic vulnerability of groundwater to pollution assessed
with the original DRASTIC method and ratings of the potential impact of land use. The obtained map
of groundwater pollution risk showed that 0.3% of the study area was characterized as being at very
high risk, 50% as high, 45% as moderate, and 4.7% as low. In a graphical manner, spatial relationships
between selected factors affecting the groundwater pollution risk and the assessed degree of risk
are presented. The assessment of groundwater pollution risk employing intrinsic vulnerability of
groundwater to pollution and potential impact of land use forms, together with the proposed classification
of groundwater pollution risk, made it possible to determine areas of high risk of groundwater pollution
in the study area in an effective manner.