#12: The Source of Your Water

What is the Source of your drinking water?

This is a question I ask often of people of all ages, to connect them to a greater existence.

The Kitchen Faucet!

My Water Bottle!

are answers I often hear. 

Your drinking water can come from many sources, ground water and also rivers.

                     65% Of Our Drinking Water Comes From Rivers And Streams

Here's a little more from the america Rivers Organization on Sources of Water across the U.S.:

If you live in Seattle, your water comes from the Cedar and Tolt rivers, where surrounding forests help protect water quality. If you live in New York, your water comes from the Delaware River basin. The 3.2 million residents of Minnesota’s Twin Cities get their water from the Mississippi River. Most of metro Atlanta’s 4.1 million residents get their water from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers.

Once a community system pulls water from a river (and in some cases a well), the water is treated to federal and state required purity levels before being pumped and piped to our houses as clean drinking water.

According to the American Water Works Association, the best way to learn about your drinking water is to contact your local utility. They can tell you about the source of the water, and how it is treated.

You can also use this interactive map from the EPA to find out about the source of your water, and read EPA’s Water on Tap [PDF] to learn about drinking water safety and more.

While our tap water is generally safe to drink, threats to rivers and drinking water are increasing. We shouldn’t take clean water for granted. 

Get connected and find your Source!