Solar pump removes 65,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater in two years in CA

The new setup can pump groundwater seven days a week, without relying on electricity from the grid or a generator. That has allowed the cleanup operation to run more consistently while increasing the volume of water that can be removed from the affected area. A small shift in how groundwater is collected is making a measurable difference at California's Santa Susana Field Laboratory. According to a report by the U.S. Department of Energy, the solar-powered pumping system installed in 2024 has already removed more than 65,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater from one cleanup area, accounting for nearly 70% of all the water pumped from the site since cleanup efforts began in 2017. The system has allowed the U.S. Department of Energy to move from a labor-intensive pumping process to a more frequent, automated operation, increasing the amount of impacted groundwater that can be captured and sent for treatment.A faster approach to groundwater removalAccording to the online report, the pump operates at the Former Sodium Disposal Facility, or FSDF, in Area IV of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory and the Department of Energy is responsible for remediation of the area, where liquid metal...