September 8th is Protect Your Groundwater Day
The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) encourages every person to protect public health and the health of the environment by protecting groundwater and celebrating “Protect Your Groundwater Day” on September 8. In the US, approximately 39 percent of the population regularly depends on groundwater. This includes 38.5 million people who rely on private wells and 87.1 million people who rely on groundwater-supplied community water systems. Protect Your Groundwater Day is an occasion for every citizen to ACT: Acknowledge the issue, Consider how it applies to you, then Take action. Following are some action steps individuals can take:
- Modify your water use to conserve water and install a water-saving device.
- Store, use, and dispose of hazardous household substances in a safe manner.
- Maintain and inspect your well and septic system, and move possible contamination sources a safe distance away from the wellhead.
- Get a professional to properly decommission any abandoned wells
State drinking water programs should consider sharing information about Protect Your Groundwater Day with their water utilities and residents, as a means to create greater awareness about protecting this valuable resource. For more information, visit the NGWA website at: WellOwner.org. To learn more about groundwater’s importance to human health and the environment, watch NGWA’s Groundwater Is Cool video.
