ABSTRACTThe principal studies concerned with the ground‐water pollution potential from sanitary landfills and dump grounds have been conducted in California, South Dakota, Illinois and England. These studies have all demonstrated that leachates are highly pollutional in characteristics, but once they pass into the surrounding soil regime, the attenuation mechanisms of dilution, adsorption and microbial degradation tend to reduce the impact of this loading on the underground‐water supply.A survey of practice in twenty‐one States in the United States regarding ground‐water pollution from landfill operation showed that not much new research was underway; there was much variation in the code and laws dealing with ground‐water pollution; and suggested distances from landfill to water wells varied from 50 to 1000 feet.Finally, based on the literature findings plus the result of the State survey, a set of recommendations are offered to minimize ground‐water pollution problems stemming from landfill