The complications caused by groundwater contamination are not limited to the United States, but this contamination has been found to exist worldwide. D.K. Nordstrom presents the occurrences of arsenic in groundwater in a brief synopsis. Arsenic is less abundant than most of the “rare-Earth” elements, has a high affinity for pyrite, is commonly concentrated in sulfide-bearing mineral deposits, and is soluble in groundwater.  Man-made sources of arsenic include mineral extraction, waste processing, poultry and swine additives, and arsenic trioxide stockpiles. Water contaminated with arsenic is very harmful to humans.  An estimated 36 million people are at risk of consuming arsenic-contaminated water, with the common arsenic concentration being 10 micrograms per liter of water. A few factors that can adjust the likelihood of arsenic contamination in drinking water include high concentrations of phosphate, bicarbonate, and silicate. Nordstrom believes that the key to minimizing the risk of contamination is to ensure that the people in charge of making decisions concerning water purity are properly versed in hydrogeology, geochemistry, and microbiology. In this short passage, Nordstrom gives a comprehensive and concise view of a worldwide problem.