Water is an essential part of our daily lives and routines.  We can easily take it for granted. From morning showers to washing dishes and watering lawns, clean water is available at the simple turn of a faucet. Yet this convenience is a modern one. Less than 100 years ago, homes lacked indoor plumbing, and accessing water often required long walks to a nearby well or paying for someone to haul water.

So where does our drinking water actually come from?

In Montgomery County, drinking water comes from two primary sources, groundwater and surface water. Groundwater is the most common source and is located beneath the Earth’s surface in natural geologic formations known as aquifers. Surface water comes from lakes and rivers. Before this water reaches our homes, it must be carefully transported and treated so it is safe to drink. Groundwater is pumped from wells drilled deep into the ground. Depending on location, these wells can range from approximately 250 feet to more than 1,400 feet deep. Water pumped from the wells is transported via pipeline to a facility where it is disinfected to ensure it meets drinking water standards. After treatment, the water is stored in large tanks before entering an extensive network of underground pipes. These pipes carry water, sometimes traveling several miles, until it reaches homes and businesses throughout the community.

Surface water pumped from lakes or reservoirs is transported via pipelines to surface water treatment plants, where it is filtered and disinfected. In some systems, treated surface water is blended with groundwater in shared storage tanks. From there, the water enters the same network of underground pipes that deliver water safely to customers.

The next time you turn on the faucet, take a moment to consider how far the water has traveled for your convenience.  Long before water reaches your home, it has traveled through aquifers, treatment facilities, storage tanks, and miles of pipeline, supported by infrastructure and careful stewardship designed to provide safe, reliable drinking water every day.

To learn more about Groundwater and Surface water take a look at the San Jacinto River Authority Story Map Where Does the Water Come From?  (https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a8fdc6e42e134fc3855385e1568d4da0) or tuning into the next episode of Navigating the Current.

Published in Dock Line Magazine.