Abstract: There is disclosed a method for containing water having a high concentration of water-soluble industrial waste which, when in contact with bentonite, disintegrates the bentonite thereby allowing seepage of water through soil containing said water which comprises intimately admixing with said soil a soil sealant composition consisting essentially of bentonite, a water-soluble dispersing agent, and a water-soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, water-soluble salts of polyacrylic acid, hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, copolymers of the foregoing, and a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic anhydride, the amount of water-soluble polymer being from 0.1% to 3.0%, by weight, and the amount of water-soluble dispersent being from 0.1% to 3.