The work may not be “done” even when remediation is complete. Some projects will want to verify that the site is in good shape, contaminant levels are remaining low, and there isn’t any sign of releasing back into the ground. For Groundwater Remediation, contact //soilfix.co.uk/services/groundwater-remediation/.
What “ongoing monitoring” usually involves
While monitoring plans differ from site to site, a typical one consists of:
Groundwater sampling from monitoring wells (Laboratory Analysis)
Measurement or observation of groundwater level to determine a flow direction and acting at least once every month.
Comparison of field measurements
The results-app through trend reporting to see how you are doing in the long-term not only one-off numbers
Where vapours are a concern (ie. solvents) there may also be soil gas monitoring.
Why it’s needed
This is where monitoring comes in to show that:
Remediation has achieved targets as stated
The plume of contamination is not moving off-site
Natural attenuation is on-going or treatment continues to function
It is not a “bounce back” after active treatment stops
It is also often a redevelopment or regulators and insurers sign off requirement.
How long does it last?
There isn’t one standard answer. For some sites, just a few rounds of sampling over several months are necessary; for other sites monitoring must continue throughout the course of a year or more especially where contamination is widespread, groundwater moves slowly or because the type chosen treatment technology (i.e. bioremediation) works at slow rates.
Monitor until the monitoring becomes consistent downward (or stable) and it is an acceptable loss level still.
If you are scoping budget pressures, request the proposed monitoring frequency and reporting turnaround time, this is what will direct how long any process takes in practice.
