It seems like here in Florida, there’s water everywhere you look. We have beautiful streams, rivers, lakes, and springs nearly everywhere. And if you want to take a shower, wash your hands, or fill up a glass to drink, water instantly comes out of your faucet, making it appear like our water supply is limitless.
Even though water makes up 70% of the Earth’s surface, only 1% of this water is actually usable, and it comes from rivers, lakes, and the ground. Your water either comes from a private source, like a well, or a public source, such as a water treatment facility. No matter where you get your water, it’s the result of the Earth’s water cycle.
During the water cycle, the sun heats bodies of water, resulting in evaporation. As the evaporation process continues, moisture goes into the atmosphere, where it condenses into clouds. These cloud particles attach themselves together, eventually falling back in the form of snow, sleet, or rain. Then, this process repeats itself.
Here are a few things to know about water as it relates to the water cycle:
- Groundwater—Groundwater provides about 20% of the world’s fresh water. This water rises to the surface in the form of a spring and can be accessed by drilling a well into the ground.
- Surface water—Surface water is collected from groundwater deposits and precipitation in the form of rivers, oceans, streams, or wetlands. Most surface water cannot be consumed without treatment.
- Water transportation—Before reaching your faucet, water is treated to preserve your health and safety. The water treatment process involves removing impurities that make it unsafe for humans to consume.
- Public municipal water treatment systems—Public municipal water systems provide cities and towns with water. If the water supply serves more than 25 people, it must follow the standards set forth by the EPA.
- Private wells—To gain access to water, private wells are drilled into aquifers. Then, a pump is used to withdraw the water.
- Delivery systems—The two main types of water delivery systems are bottled water and pipes. If you get your water through a public municipal water system or a private well, a series of pipes will transport it to your home’s plumbing. A main line from the distribution center will transport your water if you rely on a public system.
There’s a lot more to water transportation, purification, and delivery, but these are just the basics. To learn more, feel free to contact us.