Overview

Community water systems obtain water from two sources: surface water and
ground water. People use surface and ground water every day for a variety
of purposes, including drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene, in addition to
recreational, agricultural, and industrial activities. According to the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the majority of public water
systems (91%) are supplied by ground water; however, more persons (68%)
are supplied year-round by community water systems that use surface
water  . This is because large, well-populated metropolitan areas tend to rely
(1)

on surface water supplies, whereas small, rural areas tend to rely on ground
water.

Surface Water
Surface water is water that collects on the ground or in a stream, river, lake,
reservoir, or ocean. Surface water is constantly replenished through
precipitation, and lost through evaporation and seepage into ground water
supplies. According to the EPA, 68% of community water system users
received their water from a surface water source, such as a lake  .(1)

United States Geological Survey (USGS) resources on surface water:

Ground Water
Ground water, which is obtained by drilling wells, is water located below the
ground surface in pores and spaces in the rock, and is used by approximately
78% of community water systems in the United States, supplying drinking
water to 32% of community water system users  . EPA also estimates that
(1)

approximately 15% of the U.S. population relies on private ground water

wells.

Source Water Protection

Even though most community drinking water (especially from surface water
sources) is treated before entering the home, the cost of this treatment and
the risks to public health can be reduced by protecting source water from
contamination. We all live in a watershed, which is an area that drains to a
common waterway such as a stream, lake, wetland, or ocean. EPA and many
other organizations collaborate with communities