The Underground Resources: Why What Goes in the Ground Can End Up in Your Glass

The Underground Resources: Why What Goes in the Ground Can End Up in Your Glass

Imagine a hidden world beneath your feet, where water flows slowly through cracks and porous rock, a journey that can take days or decades. This is the world of groundwater, a vast and often unseen source of our drinking water. Many of us might only think about our water when it comes out of the faucet. But for those with private wells, it's a direct connection to this underground resource, and it's a link that demands our attention.

The truth is, what goes in the ground can go in your glass. Groundwater is a vital resource, supplying drinking water for over 90% of the rural population in the United States who rely on private wells. It's a resource that's susceptible to contamination from activities on the surface, such as the use of chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Prevention: The Proactive Approach

Preventing contamination is the most effective way to ensure a clean and safe water supply. This is a proactive strategy that focuses on protecting the water at its source.

• Mind the wellhead: A key step is to keep hazardous chemicals like pesticides, fertilizers, and household cleaners far away from your well.

• Proper disposal: Never dispose of waste or chemicals in an old, abandoned well, as this can create a direct pathway for pollutants to reach the aquifer.

• Backflow prevention: Install a backflow prevention device on outdoor faucets, especially those used with chemical sprayers, to stop contaminated water from siphoning back into the well.

Water Testing: The Reactive Safety Net

Water testing is a crucial safety measure for well owners, but it is a reactive step—it tells you if a problem exists, not how to prevent it. Since private wells are not regulated by the government, the responsibility of testing falls on the owner.

• Regular checks: The CDC recommends that well owners test their water annually for contaminants like bacteria and nitrates.

• Spotting problems: Testing can identify a wide range of contaminants, including pesticides, and give you information about what might be impacting your water quality.

• The cost of a problem: Once contamination is discovered, expensive solutions like on-site water treatment systems, or even drilling a new well, may be necessary.

Both prevention and testing are important, but they serve different purposes. While testing is an essential tool for monitoring your water's quality, it is no substitute for the proactive measures that protect the invisible water source from the start. Ultimately, the best defense is to be mindful of your property and surroundings, ensuring that the ground you stand on is a shield for the water you drink.