NGWA Announces National Groundwater Awareness Week

News provided by

National Ground Water Association

Feb 07, 2018, 10:00 ET


WESTERVILLE, Ohio (PRWEB) February 07, 2018 -- The National Ground Water Association today announced this year’s National Groundwater Awareness Week (#GWAW2018) will take place March 11-17. An annual observance established to highlight the responsible development, management, and use of groundwater, the event is also a platform to encourage yearly water well testing and well maintenance to prevent waterborne illnesses.

Established in 1999, National Groundwater Awareness Week provides an opportunity for people to learn about the importance of the resource and how it impacts lives. “Approximately 132 million Americans rely on groundwater for drinking water, so, simply put, it makes life possible,” said Aaron Martin, public relations and awareness manager of NGWA. “Additionally, groundwater is used for irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and several additional purposes, making it one of the most widely used and valuable natural resources we have.”

From manmade contaminants such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and naturally occurring ones like arsenic affecting its quality to potential depletion of the resource in India, South Africa, Australia, and the American West, groundwater was an important topic in 2017. NGWA expects much of this narrative to continue throughout 2018, emphasizing the need for increased awareness regarding one this critical natural resource. Consider the following:

  • Americans use 79.6 billion gallons of groundwater each day.
  • Groundwater is 20 to 30 times larger than all U.S. lakes, streams, and rivers combined.
  • 44 percent of the U.S. population depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply.
  • More than 13.2 million households have their own well, representing 34 million people.

The 2018 #GWAW2018 theme of “Tend. Test. Treat.” was established to encourage a more holistic approach to sustain an adequate supply of quality groundwater. Testing your water might prompt well inspection and maintenance, and water treatment can mitigate naturally occurring contamination revealed by the test. So, test your water, tend to your well system, then treat the water if necessary.

NGWA encourages every person to be a “groundwater advocate” both during National Groundwater Awareness Week and beyond by protecting and conserving groundwater. Businesses, individuals, educators, students, federal agencies, cities, associations, and everyone in between can share their story through our website or on social media. For downloadable information on the event, including:

  • A social media toolkit
  • Facts about groundwater
  • Event FAQs
  • Logos and graphics
  • Videos

Please visit GroundwaterAwarenessWeek.com or WellOwner.org.

The National Ground Water Association is a not-for-profit professional society and trade association for the global groundwater industry. Our members around the world include leading public and private sector groundwater scientists, engineers, water well system professionals, manufacturers, and suppliers of groundwater-related products and services. The Association’s vision is to be the leading groundwater association advocating for responsible development, management, and use of water.

Aaron Martin, National Ground Water Association, http://www.ngwa.org, +1 7735054325, [email protected]