REGIONAL SEWERING AND GROUNDWATER QUALITY IN THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY 1

Sewage effluent is commonly disposed of on land in arid regions, and the majority usually recharges the groundwater. Few evaluations have been made of the effect of effluent disposal on groundwater quality in the west. Groundwater hydrologists are rarely involved with treatment plant design and operation or effluent disposal in the San Joaquin Valley, California. The author's purpose is to evaluate the effect of regional sewering programs on groundwater quality in this valley. Research was conducted on past studies of sewage effluent disposal. An extensive water sampling program was undertaken near the Fresno Sewage Treatment Plant. Chloride contents were used to trace recharged effluent. The extent of recharged effluent was delineated and traced for about ten miles. Sampling between the plant and the urban Fresno area indicated a high probability of large‐scale leakage of raw sewage into the groundwater.