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Where does drinking water come from?

We each use about 90 gallons of water a day, most of that for flushing toilets! (Wisconsinites use 63 gallons a day.)

We are blessed with abundant, potable drinking water in this country. And here in the Midwest we are especially fortunate to have quality drinking water. But many people around the world are not. Millions of people around the globe manage with only 3 gallons a day. The United Nations says people need a daily minimum of 13.2 gallons of water.

A steady supply of clean water for drinking, household and business use is essential. But do you know where your water comes from?

Household water comes from:

  • Ground-water sources such as a well that taps an underground reservoir called an aquifer, or springs
  • Surface-water sources like rivers, lakes or reservoirs

• 90 percent of Americans receive drinking water from a public water supply, such as a city, town or county water department.

• About 10 percent of Americans provide water for themselves, most from a well, but some from a cistern, pond or stream.

• Approximately 37 percent of water provided by public water systems comes from ground water sources. Most large cities get their water from surface-water sources.

Watershed: Where The Rain Falls

Consider the Source - Trees Top

 

 

 

 

The Nicolet National Forest viewed from the Mountain, Wis., lookout tower.

Photo by Padjen's Professional Photography, Lakewood, Wis.


Whether your water comes from a ground-water or surface-water source, it often travels a long distance to get to you. A watershed is the land area that surrounds or covers a water source. Rain and snow fall onto the land in a watershed and flow into rivers, lakes or reservoirs. Or, if there is open and undeveloped land, the water seeps through the soil and lower rock layers to replenish underground reservoirs called aquifers.

  • Wisconsin receives 32 inches of rainfall annually on average, but only 6 inches to 10 inches of it soaks in and becomes ground water.

Human activities many miles away from you can affect the availability and quality of your water, whether it comes from surface sources or the network of rivers and aquifers underground.

Annual Water Quality Report

If you receive water from a public (municipal) water supply, your water supplier publishes an annual water quality report and mails it to every home and business. It may come with your water bill. This report will tell you where your water comes from and what contaminants, if any, are in your water.

People with private wells should have their water tested annually by a certified laboratory to identify any contaminants, such as bacteria, metals or chemicals.

Bottled water companies must also test their water frequently to comply with numerous regulations. If the bottled-water label does not identify the source of the water, you may call the company and ask, and request a copy of its annual water-source analysis.

Nicolet Natural Artesian Water's most current water-source analysis.

Know Your Water, Conserve It

Water is our most precious natural resource; we cannot live without it. While the Midwest is a water-rich region of the United States, a dependable and drinkable supply of water is becoming an increasing challenge for many municipalities, and homeowners with private wells. We are overusing ground water, and contaminating our sources.

Learn about the water cycle and how to conserve water to preserve this resource for generations.

Learn More About Drinking Water

Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute

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