What type of facility is known to potentially contaminate underground water supplies?

The type of facility that is known to potentially contaminate underground water supplies is underground storage tanks. These tanks are commonly used to store a variety of liquids, including fuels, chemicals, and waste products. If there is a leak or a failure in the tank or its fittings, hazardous substances can leak into the soil and subsequently reach groundwater. Groundwater contamination from underground storage tanks is a significant environmental concern because groundwater often serves as a primary source of drinking water for many communities.

In contrast, while water treatment plants play a vital role in providing clean drinking water, their main function is the treatment of existing water sources rather than storing potentially harmful liquids underground. Land application sites, wherein treated waste materials are applied to land as a means of disposal or nutrient application, are managed to minimize risks of groundwater contamination through careful monitoring and regulated practices. Municipal waste facilities, although they deal with waste, are typically designed to prevent leachate (contaminated liquid that drains from a landfill) from entering groundwater. In this way, the underground storage tanks are particularly noteworthy for their direct risk to underground water supplies.