Most of the time, U.S. groundwater is safe to use . However, groundwater sources can become contaminated with germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites, and chemicals, such as those used in fertilizers and pesticides. Contaminated groundwater can make people sick.
Is aquifer water clean?
This creates underground layers of permeable soil that are saturated with water. Saturated ground has all its holes or pores filled with water. These layers are called aquifers, and they can be small or massive. ... Unlike surface water collected in rivers and lakes, groundwater is often clean and ready to drink .
Can groundwater be used for drinking?
Groundwater supplies drinking water for 51% of the total U.S. population and 99% of the rural population. Groundwater helps grow our food. 64% of groundwater is used for irrigation to grow crops. Groundwater is an important component in many industrial processes.
Where does the water in an aquifer come from?
Water in aquifers is brought to the surface naturally through a spring or can be discharged into lakes and streams . Groundwater can also be extracted through a well drilled into the aquifer. A well is a pipe in the ground that fills with groundwater. This water can be brought to the surface by a pump.
What are some damaging effects of using the water in any aquifer?
- Lower lake levels or—in extreme cases—intermittent or totally dry perennial streams. ...
- Land subsidence and sinkhole formation in areas of heavy withdrawal. ...
- Salt water intrusion.
What happens if you drink groundwater?
Drinking contaminated groundwater can have serious health effects. Diseases such as hepatitis and dysentery may be caused by contamination from septic tank waste. Poisoning may be caused by toxins that have leached into well water supplies. Wildlife can also be harmed by contaminated groundwater.
What are the disadvantages of groundwater?
- drying up of wells.
- reduction of water in streams and lakes.
- deterioration of water quality.
- increased pumping costs.
- land subsidence.
Do aquifers dry up?
If the aquifer is shallow enough and permeable enough to allow water to move through it at a rapid-enough rate, then people can drill wells into it and withdraw water. ... Excessive pumping can lower the water table so much that the wells no longer supply water—they can “go dry .”
What are the three types of aquifers?
Aquifers are categorized as confined or unconfined, but there are many types of aquifers that are classified by where they are located in the earth and the material of which they are comprised. There are three types of aquifers: unconsolidated deposit aquifers, bedrock aquifers and quaternary aquifers .
What happens if an aquifer dries up?
In most years, aquifers recharge as rainfall and streamflow seep into unpaved ground. But during drought the water table—the depth at which water is found below the surface— drops as water is pumped from the ground faster than it can recharge. ... And as aquifers are depleted, the land also begins to subside, or sink.
Why is groundwater bad?
Some of the negative effects of ground-water depletion include increased pumping costs, deterioration of water quality, reduction of water in streams and lakes , or land subsidence. Such effects, while variable, happen to some degree with any ground-water use.
What is the cleanest water?
- DENMARK. Denmark has better tap water than bottled water. ...
- ICELAND. Iceland has stringent quality control, ensuring that they have a consistently high quality of water. ...
- GREENLAND. ...
- FINLAND. ...
- COLOMBIA. ...
- SINGAPORE. ...
- NEW ZEALAND. ...
- SWEDEN.
How deep does groundwater go?
Groundwater may be near the Earth’s surface or as deep as 30,000 feet , according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
How can water get contaminated?
There are many sources of water contamination, including naturally occurring chemicals and minerals (for example, arsenic, radon, uranium), local land use practices (fertilizers, pesticides, concentrated feeding operations), manufacturing processes, and sewer overflows or wastewater releases.
