Groundwater Simplified

         
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S     Groundwater comes from the rain that falls on you land.

Groundwater is found beneath the surface of the ground in cracks and fractures of bedrock
and between the individual grains of unconsolidated sediments such as sand and gravel.

Groundwater Basics

S     Activities on the surface of the land affect the quality and quantity of both ground and surface water.

S     Groundwater and surface water are interconnected.

S     Surface slope does not always indicate the direction a pollutant might move once it gets into groundwater.

Why is Protecting Groundwater Important?

Nearly half of Maine people use groundwater to drink. Groundwater also contributes to lakes and streams. Besides drinking water clean groundwater is important for irrigation, livestock, industries and wildlife habitat. Protecting groundwater now:

S     Protects public health

S     Is cheaper than cleaning it up later!

What Can I Do?

Keeping groundwater safe helps protect our health and quality of life here in Maine. Joining the Farm-A-Syst program to learn techniques to help protect groundwater is one thing you can do to help protect groundwater.

How is Groundwater Threatened?

Quantity: As rural areas are developed, we are using more groundwater and reducing the areas that recharge the groundwater supply. Developed areas can also increase the risk of contamination.

Quality: Practices such as improper storage or disposal of oil, gas and hazardous material and excess application of pesticides and fertilizers can contaminate groundwater. This in turn can affect our drinking water. Once contaminated, cleaning up groundwater is a costly, difficult, and time consuming process…if it can be done at all. (For more information about Groundwater read fact sheet 13 Reducing the Risk of Groundwater Contamination by understanding Groundwater, Aquifers, and Watersheds. 

S     For some basic information on groundwater and the Maine Farm-A-Syst program click here. The Maine Farm-A-Syst program is in the process of being field tested and once complete the program will be posted on this website.

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