It is recommended that a contaminated well be abandoned unless which condition is met?

Abandoning a contaminated well is an important public health measure to protect individuals from exposure to harmful contaminants. The decision to abandon a well can depend on multiple factors, particularly in relation to the ability to mitigate the contamination.

The correct answer involves both conditions A and B, emphasizing that both the removal of pollution sources and the sealing off of contaminated strata are critical for keeping the well operational.

When all sources of pollution can be identified and effectively removed, there is a potential for the well to be restored if the contamination can be eliminated. However, merely removing the sources does not guarantee that residual contaminants won’t remain or that the water will be safe for consumption unless the entire contaminated stratum is appropriately sealed off.

Sealing off the contaminated stratum helps to prevent future contamination of the well water, ensuring that even if contaminants were initially removed, they cannot re-enter the water supply.

Relying solely on the absence of adverse health effects among individuals drinking the water is insufficient. This is because health effects can take time to manifest, and exposure to contaminated water may still pose health risks that are not immediately visible.

Thus, for a contaminated well to remain functional, it is essential that both the pollution sources are managed appropriately and the safety of the