The Importance of Groundwater

The Importance of Groundwater

Most of our drinking water in the United States comes from groundwater. In rural parts of the country, up to 99% of the water used for drinking is sourced from groundwater. Although this number is smaller in cities and more built-up areas, the total amount of drinking water in the United States that comes from groundwater sources is still 51%. This means that just over half of the water we drink comes from groundwater, which in turn means that if this water gets contaminated, we will have fewer clean drinking water sources throughout the country.

Most of the water used in agriculture in the United States comes from groundwater. Around the country, 64% of the water used in agricultural processes comes from groundwater sources. Once again, this means that issues with the groundwater can significantly impact human life, this time by cutting back on healthy and successful crop growth. As more and more farmers rely on groundwater to grow their crops, the importance of keeping this water source clean grows.

Surface water cannot recharge without groundwater. It’s very important to the environment and the whole planet to replenish wetlands, swamps, lakes, and rivers after periods of drought. When groundwater is present, this water can be used as a source of refill and recharge for these important ecosystems. However, when groundwater is contaminated or not present at all, these parts of the environment suffer significantly. This can have major impacts around the world.

Where surface water isn’t present, groundwater often still is. There are many parts of the United States as well as the world that rely heavily on groundwater to provide drinking water as well as water for other uses, simply because there isn’t a lot of surface water present. This is especially true in dry parts of the country, such as the western U.S. In other countries where clean drinking water is a major source of crises, groundwater is a crucial part of providing people with something safe to drink.

Groundwater doesn’t often have to be treated much. When it isn’t already contaminated, groundwater is usually much cleaner than surface water, and it requires far fewer harsh chemical treatments to make it safe enough for human consumption. Many contaminants that come from nature are also removed by nature as the water passes through rocks and sand that serve as filtration.