| The headlines of the day focus on droughts, very | | | | then also allow the water to seep back out. |
| serious drought. But, as the June 4, 2007 of, | | | | Rainwater only goes into shallow aquifers, not all |
| Newsweek pointed out, water quality and not just | | | | aquifers. Some of the biggest and purest quifers are |
| quanity is an equally serious worldwide problem. We | | | | so deep that rainwater does not affect them at all. |
| Americans are only now beginning to notice headlines | | | | The deep aquifers can be drawn down and are |
| about water quality issues. If North America had one | | | | indeed being drawn down. They cannot, however, be |
| great blessing for centuries it was an abundance of | | | | replenished except over hundreds of years. |
| good water. There was never reason to worry | | | | Those aquifers replenished by rain are also impacted |
| about water quality or quantity. Many of us still | | | | by any other sources of water going into the ground. |
| remember drinking from wells and streams in our | | | | This includes wastewater being dumped into the |
| youth that, if we drank from today, would kill us. | | | | ground both legally and illegally. If rainwater can get |
| Water was to be found practically anywhere. Good | | | | to the quifer then so too can chemical spills, toxins, |
| wells lasted seemingly forever. | | | | fertilizers and disease-causing organism spewed onto |
| Population growth, industrialization and heavy use of | | | | the ground or into streams and rivers that interact |
| fertilizers have changed all that. Wells are running dry | | | | with shallow aquifers. |
| and wellwater is becoming contaminated. | | | | In periods of high waterflow streams and rivers |
| The quality and quantity of available drinking water | | | | replenish aquifers, while in periods of low flow the |
| from wells is being severely compromised. Available | | | | aquifers replenish the rivers and streams. When a |
| water for irrigation drawn from wells is diminishing. | | | | river or stream runs dry it means the aquifer has also |
| The outlook in the United States is for both | | | | become too low. When the river or water drawn |
| increased scarcity of water and more health threats | | | | from an aquifer shows pollution it means both can be |
| from contaminated water. Around the world millions | | | | polluted because they interact. Pollution can get into |
| of people, mostly children, die every year from | | | | aquifers but is nearly impossible to get rid of once |
| drinking bad water. It could happen in North America, | | | | there. As an example, a number of aquifers are being |
| too. That is why all the fuss right now, to make sure | | | | drawn down on the East Coast. The vacuum is filled |
| it does not happen here and to remedy the situation | | | | by saltwater from the ocean, thereby ruining the |
| around the world. | | | | aquifers. |
| Related to these issues are concerns about the use | | | | Not much was known about aquifers beyond the |
| of agricultural fertilizers and pesticides, disposal of | | | | fact of their existence, until serious mapping during |
| industrial wastewater and discharges from | | | | the last few decades. There is still much to be |
| wastewater treatment plants, the impact of septic | | | | learned. What has been learned is availble through the |
| systems on the quality of ground water and a | | | | US Geological Survey Office as well as Internet |
| general concern about what to do with wastewater. | | | | postings under the heading of Aquifers. |
| In order to discuss and debate solutions it is helpful | | | | Enough has been learned, however, to know that |
| to understand more about aquifers. | | | | this source of good water is limited, vulnerable to |
| Aquifers are water-bearing rock or other materials | | | | pollution and overuse. For well owners the implications |
| such as gravel, sand, silt or clay from which water | | | | are immediate: protect the quality of your well from |
| can be extracted. The popular conception of | | | | pollution and the quantity from overuse. Test your |
| underground water is that it exists as lakes, rivers or | | | | well regularly and monitor increased water use in your |
| pools under the earth's surface and that it comes | | | | area along with increased amounts of wastewater |
| from rain. But in fact underground water exists in | | | | disposal. |
| materials, mostly porous rock, that absorb water and | | | | |