Ground Water Awareness Week Set for March 8-14
National Ground Water Awareness Week will be held March 8-14, a time to recognize the importance of ground water and water well stewardship to our nation’s future, the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) said Jan. 2.
NGWA will emphasize a four-point stewardship message of:
- Ground water protection
- Proper water well construction
- Regular well maintenance
- Regular water testing, and treatment, if necessary
“Mark these dates on your calendar, particularly public and private organizations with an interest in stewardship of our water resources. Consider how to promote ground water and water well stewardship during this week,” said NGWA Executive Director Kevin McCray. Organizations can find ideas for promoting ground water awareness in the Awareness Week section of the NGWA Web site, www.wellowner.org.
Not only do about 12 million households nationwide rely on private wells for their water supply, many community water systems rely on groundwater in whole or part to meet water demands. Groundwater makes up about 95 percent of all available fresh water.
Moreover, anyone can be a good steward of groundwater, for instance, through the proper storage, use, and disposal of hazardous household substances. These include common products such as gasoline and oil, paints and paint thinner, fertilizers, weed killers, pesticides, and cleaning products.