The subsurface water is incredibly important for the environment. Subsurface water is ground water. It exists in the pore spaces and fractures of rock, collects in areas called water tables, and otherwise hydrates the ground and everything that grows above it. Trees root deep to access it. So too do people when they dig wells. It's important because it provides water to all that is living and growing on earth. When it gets contaminated though, that's when problems start happening. Poisoning the living things brings disease and death shortly thereafter.
Get up and shower: lots of water there. Go into the kitchen and have some cereal for breakfast: the milk contains water and the fridge uses water as a coolant. Fill up my water bottle: 750 ml there. Drink about 4 of those bottles throughout the day. Eat lunch: apple needed water to grow, bread dough needed water, and so did everything inside the sandwich. Use the bathroom throughout the day: water for the toilet and washing my hands. Eat dinner: again - everything needed water. Start the dishwasher: lots of water there too. Once a week, I also do laundry: LOTS of water. I also go swimming a couple times a week: LOTS and LOTS of water. Undoubtedly, there are more times I use water that I don't remember just now.
A survey suggested that here in America, we use about 90 gallons of water a day. Holy moly! Apparently, most of that is flushing toilets. Luckily water-efficient toilets are on the rise. Other areas of the world that aren't blessed with the abundance of water that America has are already making great leaps in water conservation. However, that doesn't mean that America is off the hook. We have a lot to do to protect our water supplies.
One of the ways to protect our water is to know about it. Where does your water come from? Do you get your water from a river, lake, or reservoir? Do you get it from an underground aquifer? Is your water primarily supplied from rain, snow, or does it travel huge distances to reach you? Apparently, most of America doesn't know. Mine comes from the local river which replenishes from rain and melting mountain snow. There are sites online that track where water comes from. Sometimes that information is also available in the annual water quality report that is mailed to each person and business that receives their water from a public source. If not, you can request it.
Every task requires someone that has a different level of expertise, even if the two tasks seem similar. Discovering subsurface water flow and engaging in groundwater mapping are only two parts of a very complicated process. You need to put a lot of trained professionals through the ringer to see if they have the right qualifications. Some people might have experience in construction, but it's not what you might need to have your well drilled correctly. If you're paying someone to do the work for you, it's essential that you invest in a person that will do the job to the best of their abilities. The market is so flush with contractors that it's difficult to make heads or tails of them. Through some preliminary interviews, you should have no problem spotting the most qualified candidates.
These are three ways you may not have realized are contaminating the subsurface water. Measures are being taken to prevent contamination as much as possible, but increased awareness can help that movement forward with individual care and responsibility.
Get up and shower: lots of water there. Go into the kitchen and have some cereal for breakfast: the milk contains water and the fridge uses water as a coolant. Fill up my water bottle: 750 ml there. Drink about 4 of those bottles throughout the day. Eat lunch: apple needed water to grow, bread dough needed water, and so did everything inside the sandwich. Use the bathroom throughout the day: water for the toilet and washing my hands. Eat dinner: again - everything needed water. Start the dishwasher: lots of water there too. Once a week, I also do laundry: LOTS of water. I also go swimming a couple times a week: LOTS and LOTS of water. Undoubtedly, there are more times I use water that I don't remember just now.
A survey suggested that here in America, we use about 90 gallons of water a day. Holy moly! Apparently, most of that is flushing toilets. Luckily water-efficient toilets are on the rise. Other areas of the world that aren't blessed with the abundance of water that America has are already making great leaps in water conservation. However, that doesn't mean that America is off the hook. We have a lot to do to protect our water supplies.
One of the ways to protect our water is to know about it. Where does your water come from? Do you get your water from a river, lake, or reservoir? Do you get it from an underground aquifer? Is your water primarily supplied from rain, snow, or does it travel huge distances to reach you? Apparently, most of America doesn't know. Mine comes from the local river which replenishes from rain and melting mountain snow. There are sites online that track where water comes from. Sometimes that information is also available in the annual water quality report that is mailed to each person and business that receives their water from a public source. If not, you can request it.
Every task requires someone that has a different level of expertise, even if the two tasks seem similar. Discovering subsurface water flow and engaging in groundwater mapping are only two parts of a very complicated process. You need to put a lot of trained professionals through the ringer to see if they have the right qualifications. Some people might have experience in construction, but it's not what you might need to have your well drilled correctly. If you're paying someone to do the work for you, it's essential that you invest in a person that will do the job to the best of their abilities. The market is so flush with contractors that it's difficult to make heads or tails of them. Through some preliminary interviews, you should have no problem spotting the most qualified candidates.
These are three ways you may not have realized are contaminating the subsurface water. Measures are being taken to prevent contamination as much as possible, but increased awareness can help that movement forward with individual care and responsibility.
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