Published in Talking Trash, Fauve Herron, EI, of SCS Engineers, discusses how groundwater sampling data is more than a regulatory requirement; it is one of the most powerful tools for understanding your landfill’s performance and health.
Ms. Herron tells us that the most successful landfill managers consider groundwater data to be part of their landfill performance toolbox. Like compaction records, tonnage receipts, or gas system metrics, groundwater monitoring shows how well your systems are functioning.
Groundwater monitoring is steady, methodical, and easy to overlook amid the more visible parts of landfill operations. That quiet consistency is exactly what makes it valuable. With every sampling event, you add to a long-term record that reveals what is working, what is changing, and where your attention needs to be. Rather than treating your groundwater system as background noise, bring it into focus. Use it as a tool for operational insight, planning, and performance evaluation.
So, the next time you get your groundwater sampling results, do not just file them away. Read between the lines. Your groundwater is trying to tell you something.
About the Author: Fauve Herron, EIT, is a staff professional at SCS Engineers in the Tampa office within the Landfill Engineering Group. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida and is a registered Engineer-In-Training. Fauve has experience in landfill design, permitting, and compliance reporting, with involvement in projects such as the vertical expansion of a C&D landfill, leachate tank design, and groundwater monitoring and reporting for multiple landfill sites, including resource recovery facilities. She has also conducted Phase I and II site assessments for various locations in Florida and contributed to groundwater contamination evaluation and remediation planning. Fauve has co-authored technical articles on landfill site life and groundwater management and serves as a community engagement liaison. She is an active member of the Young Professional Planning Committee at SCS Engineers.
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