Protect your Groundwater Day

Protect Your Groundwater Day
September 3, 2019

The National Ground Water Association has named September 3rd as National Protect Your Groundwater Day. See information below to learn more about the importance of groundwater and what you can do to protect it.

Everyone can and should do something to protect groundwater

Why? We all have a stake in maintaining its quality and quantity:

For starters, 95% of all available freshwater comes from underground aquifers. Being a good steward of groundwater just makes sense.
Not only that, most surface water bodies are connected to groundwater, meaning it influences the quantity and quality of water in our rivers and lakes.
Many public drinking water systems draw all or part of their supply from groundwater. In Oregon, that's 90% of the population! Protecting this resource protects the public's water supply and keeps treatment costs down.
In Oregon, one billion gallons of groundwater are withdrawn every day.
If your family, farm, or business gets its water from a private well, groundwater protection is doubly important. You are the manager of your own water system. Protecting groundwater will reduce risks to your water supply.

Groundwater protection

There are two fundamental categories of groundwater protection:

Keeping it safe from contamination and
Using it wisely by not wasting it.

1. Every person can help address the top human causes of groundwater contamination:

Improper storage or disposal of hazardous substances can allow them to percolate into the groundwater. To dispose of pollutants properly:
- Do not pour chemicals down the drain or on the ground; instead, take them to a hazardous waste collection.
- Take used motor oil to a recycling center.
- Most medications and personal care items should not be flushed down the toilet. Instead, take advantage of a local drug take-back program or use proper disposal methods.
Use fertilizers, animal manures, herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides properly.
Properly build and maintain septic systems. See the following websites for more information:
- Oregon Septic Smart for Homeowners and Homebuyers (Oregon Department of Environmental Quality)
- Well Water Program - Septic Systems (Oregon State University Extension Service)
- Septic Systems (Wellowner.org)
Water wells can act as a direct conduit from the surface to the groundwater below. Be sure to properly site and construct new wells and properly abandon wells that are no longer in use.

2. To be a responsible water steward, here are a few simple things you can do every day:

Check for leaky faucets and have them fixed.
Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator.
Shut off the water while brushing your teeth.
Take shorter showers.
Run full loads of dishes and laundry.
Water lawn and plants only as needed.
Install rain barrels for irrigation purposes.

More information

National Groundwater Association - Protect Your Groundwater Day
Oregon Drinking Water Services - Groundwater and Source Water Protection
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality - Drinking Water Protection
Oregon Domestic Well Safety Program

Protect your Groundwater Day