Evaluating drastic method for assessing Spoil heap groundwater contamination vulnerability

DRASTIC method used to assess groundwater contamination vulnerability based on different factors controlling contaminates transport at ground surface from agriculture and industrial activities to groundwater water table. This work evaluates DRASTIC method for assessing groundwater contamination vulnerability from acid water generation due to pyrite oxidation in spoil heap. The DRASTIC method assumptions and the factors used in this method were discussed to examine its suitability for assessing contamination vulnerability from acidic water in the spoil heap. Factors used in DRASTIC approach, depth to water, rainfall, aquifer media, surface topography, hydraulic gradient and hydraulic conductivities were collected from monitoring boreholes network in the spoil heap located in northern England. Not all drastic factors concepts applicable to spoil heap cases. DRASTIC method may be not suitable for assessing vulnerability to contamination due to acid water generation from spoil heap and it may give highly uncertain results if applied in spoil heap case.