The Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) invites you to celebrate National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 8-14th,to increase awareness and protection of this vital resource. Life as we know it would be impossible without groundwater. Approximately 45% of Ohioans and 98% of Geauga County residents rely on it as their drinking water source. Groundwater is, in fact, the world’s most extracted natural resource!
The first steps toward protecting groundwater is to monitor and maintain your own well to safeguard your home’s drinking water supply. Testing your water will give you a baseline of its quality and provide the ability to detect any changes in the future. Always be sure to test your water if you notice a change in its color, taste, or smell. Regularly inspect your well and provide any necessary maintenance. Also, if a water test reveals any naturally occurring contamination, investigate water treatment options. Let this week be an annual reminder to test your water, tend to your well system, andtreat the water if necessary.
Throughout the year, there are also ways to ensure pollutants do not enter surface and groundwater from our property. Limit the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, being careful to follow instructions and application rates. Dispose of hazardous wastes properly by not dumping them on the ground, pouring them down the drain, or flushing them down the toilet. And if you own a septic tank, have it pumped every two to three years to maintain the system and prevent a breakdown that could pollute groundwater. Let National Groundwater Awareness Week serve as a helpful reminder to maintain our wells and protect our water. For more information visit co.geauga.oh.us/Departments/Planning-Commission/Water-Links or geaugaswcd.com. By working and thinking together, we can keep our groundwater resources pristine and plentiful!
More Groundwater Facts:
· The United States uses 349 billion gallons of freshwater every day.
· Only 1 percent of the water on Earth is usable, 99 percent of which is groundwater.
· Groundwater is 20 to 30 times larger than all U.S. lakes, streams, and rivers combined.
· 44 percent of the U.S. population depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply.
· More than 13.2 million households have their own well, representing 34 million people.
· 53.5 billion gallons of groundwater are used for agricultural irrigation each day. In 1990 that number was 2.2 billion.
