Where Does Your Water Come From?

It's easy to take water for granted.

From opening the sink, filling the cup with tap water to flushing the toilet, we use water every day. But when was the last time you stopped to think about where your water actually came from?

How much water does the earth have?

You may remember the fact in your high school science class that nearly three quarters of the earth is covered with water. But 97% of it is salt water, which means we can't drink it.

Do you know that only 3% of the water on the earth's surface is fresh water - only 0.5% of which is clean drinking water? According to the Bureau of reclamation of the U.S. Department of the interior, the rest of the fresh water exists in ice sheets, glaciers, the atmosphere, soil or under the surface of the earth, or it is just too polluted for us to drink.

How do I know where my water comes from?

Where your water comes from mainly depends on where you live. If you live in a city or a densely populated area, your water may come from a nearby fresh water source, such as a river or lake. Water from the river or lake is pumped to a water treatment center to remove bacteria and chemicals. Then, the underground pipeline will take it to your home. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), about 258 million people in the United States rely on public water supply for their homes.

But if you live in a rural area, you can get water from groundwater, which is pumped into your house through wells.

How can I know more about my water quality?

If you use public water and want to know more about its quality, USGS recommends that you read the annual drinking water quality report of the water supplier. This will explain where your water comes from, what pollutants it may contain, and how many pollutants there are in the water. You can also view information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's groundwater and drinking water office, which records water quality reports from water suppliers.

USGS' national water quality assessment (NAWQA) program also studied the water quality of about 2100 domestic wells in the United States

Does everyone have clean drinking water?

This is generally the case in developed countries such as the United States. This is not the case in other parts of the world. In fact, according to data from the world pipeline Committee, 900 million school-age children around the world are unable to use hand washing facilities - which means they are more likely to contract fatal diseases. Three tenths of the world's population, 2.1 billion people, do not have access to safe water at home.

How can I help?

Although water is easily available here in the United States, it is still important to consider how to protect it - especially with the world's population growing.

Here are just some simple things you can do without any cost, and they may also save you money!

Turn off the tap. You don't need to keep the water running when brushing your teeth - turn off the faucet after wetting your toothbrush. When you wash your hands, you can also turn off the faucet when foam comes out, and then turn it on for rinsing.

Shorten the shower time. Turn off the water when washing and shampooing.

Watch out for leaks in the house and fix them. It's easy to miss a small leak and you may waste a lot of water.