Drinking Water and Source Water Research
Featured: 3-D Models of As and Mn in the Glacial Aquifer System
New 3-D models from the USGS National Water Quality Program predict where high concentrations of arsenic and manganese likely occur in the glacial aquifer system, groundwater supply for 30 million. Redox conditions and pH are controlling factors.
Learn MoreUpdated Information on Groundwater Quality From Public-Supply Wells
Three new USGS fact sheets update information on groundwater quality in the nation's most heavily used aquifers. Fact sheets are now available for the Edwards-Trinity aquifer system, the Stream Valley aquifers, and the Colorado Plateau aquifers.
Learn MoreScience Center Objects
Reliable drinking water is vital for the health and safety of all Americans. The USGS works with drinking water facilities and municipal suppliers to monitor and assess the quality of the water used as a source for our nation's drinking water needs.
BACKGROUND
One of the central missions of the USGS is to monitor the natural resources we rely on every day, and one of the most important natural resources monitored is water. As humans, we need water to live, especially clean water. But where does the water we rely on come from? How long can we use it to meet our drinking water needs?
DRINKING WATER IN THE UNITED STATES
Nearly 270 million people rely on public water supply every year1. That means over 85 percent of the United States population depends on municipal water suppliers to provide clean water to their homes and businesses. The source of that water typically is surface water from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs, or groundwater, which is treated before delivery to consumers. The remaining U.S. population relies on private groundwater wells to meet their household needs. The USGS cooperates with drinking water facilities and municipal suppliers to confirm that the source water they use meets its intended purposes, whether those purposes are domestic, commercial, or industrial. The USGS does not regulate or directly monitor water treatment operations, nor does it enforce water-quality standards. But the USGS works with drinking water facilities and municipal suppliers to assess the quality and quantity of the source water they use, whether it comes from a lake, river, reservoir, or groundwater.
RELATED USGS RESEARCH
- Water quality of public supply wells
- Factors affecting the vulnerability of public supply wells to contamination
- Water quality of domestic (private) wells
- Health-based screening levels (HBSLs) for drinking water
- Arsenic and drinking water
- Estimating toxin concentrations from harmful algal blooms in Ohio recreational and source waters
- Harmful algal blooms and drinking water in Oregon
- Groundwater viruses in Minnesota drinking water wells
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Public Supply Wells
Are you among the more than 100 million people in the U.S. who relies on a public-supply well for your drinking water? Although the quality of finished drinking water from public water systems is regulated by the EPA, long-term protection and management of the raw groundwater tapped by public-supply wells requires an understanding of the occurrence of contaminants in this invisible, vital...
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Date published: March 2, 2019Status: ActiveWater Quality in the Nation’s Streams and Rivers – Current Conditions and Long-Term Trends
The Nation's rivers and streams are a priceless resource, but pollution from urban and agricultural areas pose a threat to our water quality. To understand the value of water quality, and to more effectively manage and protect the Nation's water resources, it's critical that we know the current status of water-quality conditions, and how and why those conditions have been changing over time....
Contacts: Lori SpragueAttribution: Water Resources -
Date published: March 1, 2019Status: ActiveDomestic (Private) Supply Wells
More than 43 million people—about 15 percent of the U.S. population—rely on domestic (private) wells as their source of drinking water. The quality and safety of water from domestic wells are not regulated by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act or, in most cases, by state laws. Instead, individual homeowners are responsible for maintaining their domestic well systems and for monitoring water...
Contacts: Leslie A DeSimoneAttribution: Water Resources, National Water Quality Program -
Date published: February 28, 2019Status: ActiveRegional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA)
The goals of the Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) are to characterize multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to aquatic life (contaminants, nutrients, sediment, and streamflow alteration) and to develop a better understanding of the relation of these stressors to ecological conditions in streams throughout the region.
Attribution: Water Resources -
Date published: February 28, 2019Status: ActiveGroundwater Quality—Current Conditions and Changes Through Time
Is groundwater the source of your drinking water? The USGS is assessing the quality of groundwater used for public supply using newly collected data along with existing water-quality data. Learn more about this invisible, vital resource so many of us depend on.
Contacts: Bruce LindseyAttribution: Water Resources, National Water Quality Program -
Date published: February 28, 2019Status: CompletedFactors Affecting Vulnerability of Public-Supply Wells to Contamination
More than 100 million people in the United States—about 35 percent of the population—receive their drinking water from public-supply wells. These systems can be vulnerable to contamination from naturally occurring constituents, such as radon, uranium and arsenic, and from commonly used manmade chemicals, such as fertilizers, pesticides, solvents, and gasoline hydrocarbons. Learn about the...
Contacts: Sandra EbertsAttribution: Water Resources, National Water Quality Program -
Date published: January 18, 2019Status: ActiveGroundwater viruses in Minnesota drinking water wells
In Minnesota, 74% of the State’s population relies on groundwater to supply their drinking water. Outbreaks of waterborne viral illness have been associated with groundwater, and surveys show that 30 percent of drinking water wells may be contaminated. LIDE is helping the State determine the occurrence of groundwater-borne viruses and the risk of illness in Minnesota groundwater.
Contacts: Joel P Stokdyk, Mark Borchardt -
Date published: February 27, 2018Status: ActiveUsing models to estimate microcystin concentrations in Ohio recreational and source waters
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) and associated toxins, such as microcystin, are a major global water-quality issue. In Lake Erie and inland lakes in Ohio, elevated microcystin concentrations have caused water-resource managers to issue recreational water-quality advisories, and detections of microcystin in source waters have caused drinking-water plant managers to increase...
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Date published: February 2, 2018Status: ActiveHarmful Algal Blooms and Drinking Water in Oregon
Harmful algal blooms are a major environmental problem in all 50 states.
Contacts: Kurt D CarpenterAttribution: Oregon Water Science Center -
Date published: November 4, 2016Status: ActiveBiodegradation Of Microcystins In Lake Erie Source Waters And Filters From Drinking-Water Plants
Harmful cyanobacterial “algal” blooms (cyanoHABs) and associated toxins, such as microcystin, are a major global water-quality issue. In Lake Erie, researchers and local health officials have identified the presence of cyanobacterial blooms during the summer and early fall seasons. This is especially pronounced in the Lake Erie Western Basin, where the City of Toledo was forced to issue a do-...
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Year Published: 1997The U.S. Geological Survey Drinking Water Initiative
Safe drinking-water supplies are critical to maintaining and preserving public health. Although the Nation's drinking water is generally safe, natural and introduced contaminants in water supplies throughout the country have adversely affected human health. This new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiative will provide information on the...
View CitationThe U.S. Geological Survey Drinking Water Initiative; 1997; FS; 047-97; Geological Survey (U.S.)
Groundwater quality in the Colorado Plateaus aquifers, western United States
Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the Nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. The Colorado Plateaus aquifers constitute one of the important areas...
Degnan, James R.; Musgrove, MaryLynn
Groundwater quality in selected Stream Valley aquifers, western United States
Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the Nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. The Stream Valley aquifers constitute one of the important aquifer...
Kingsbury, James A.
Groundwater quality in the Edwards-Trinity aquifer system
Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the Nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. The Edwards-Trinity aquifer system constitutes one of the important...
Musgrove, MaryLynn
Groundwater-quality and select quality-control data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January 2017 through December 2019
Groundwater-quality environmental data were collected from 983 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Program and are included in this report. The data were collected from six types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which are used to assess the quality...
Kingsbury, James A.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Arnold, Terri; Musgrove, MaryLynn; Erickson, Melinda L.; Degnan, James R.; Tesoriero, Anthony J.; Lindsey, Bruce D.; Belitz, Kenneth
Inclusion of pesticide transformation products is key to estimating pesticide exposures and effects in small U.S. streams
Improved analytical methods can quantify hundreds of pesticide transformation products (TPs), but understanding of TP occurrence and potential toxicity in aquatic ecosystems remains limited. We quantified 108 parent pesticides and 116 TPs in more than 3 700 samples from 442 small streams in mostly urban basins across five major regions of the...
Mahler, Barbara; Nowell, Lisa H.; Sandstrom, Mark W.; Bradley, Paul; Romanok, Kristin; Konrad, Christopher; Van Metre, Peter Nitrogen and phosphorus sources and delivery from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin: An update using 2012 SPARROW models
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs throughout the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) have been linked to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxia and water‐quality problems throughout the MARB. To describe N and P loading throughout the MARB, SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models were previously developed based on...
Robertson, Dale M.; Saad, David A. Three-dimensional distribution of residence time metrics in the glaciated United States using metamodels trained on general numerical models
Residence time distribution (RTD) is a critically important characteristic of groundwater flow systems; however, it cannot be measured directly. RTD can be inferred from tracer data with analytical models (few parameters) or with numerical models (many parameters). The second approach permits more variation in system properties but is used less...
Starn, J. Jeffrey; Kauffman, Leon J.; Carlson, Carl S.; Reddy, James E.; Fienen, Michael N. Lithium in groundwater used for drinking-water supply in the United States
Lithium concentrations in untreated groundwater from 1464 public-supply wells and 1676 domestic-supply wells distributed across 33 principal aquifers in the United States were evaluated for spatial variations and possible explanatory factors. Concentrations nationwide ranged from <1 to 396 μg/L (median of 8.1) for public supply wells and...
Lindsey, Bruce D.; Belitz, Kenneth; Cravotta, Charles A.; Toccalino, Patricia; Dubrovsky, Neil M. The occurrence and distribution of strontium in U.S. groundwater
Groundwater samples from 32 principal aquifers across the United States (U.S.) provide a broad spatial scope of the occurrence and distribution of strontium (Sr) and are used to assess environments and factors that influence Sr concentration. Strontium is a common trace element in soils, rocks, and water and is ubiquitous in groundwater with...
Musgrove, MaryLynn Pesticides and pesticide degradates in groundwater used for public supply across the United States: Occurrence and human-health context
This is the first assessment of groundwater from public-supply wells across the United States to analyze for >100 pesticide degradates and to provide human-health context for degradates without benchmarks. Samples from 1204 wells in aquifers representing 70% of the volume pumped for drinking supply were analyzed for 109 pesticides (active...
Bexfield, Laura M.; Belitz, Kenneth; Lindsey, Bruce D.; Toccalino, Patricia; Nowell, Lisa H. Machine learning predictions of pH in the Glacial Aquifer System, Northern USA
A boosted regression tree model was developed to predict pH conditions in three dimensions throughout the glacial aquifer system of the contiguous United States using pH measurements in samples from 18,386 wells and predictor variables that represent aspects of the hydrogeologic setting. Model results indicate that the carbonate content of soils...
Stackelberg, Paul; Belitz, Kenneth; Brown, Craig J.; Erickson, Melinda L.; Elliott, Sarah M.; Kauffman, Leon J.; Ransom, Katherine Marie; Reddy, James E. Geochemistry and age of groundwater in the Williston Basin, USA: Assessing potential effects of shale-oil production on groundwater quality
Thirty water wells were sampled in 2018 to understand the geochemistry and age of groundwater in the Williston Basin and assess potential effects of shale-oil production from the Three Forks-Bakken petroleum system (TBPS) on groundwater quality. Two geochemical groups are identified using hierarchical cluster analysis. Group 1 represents the...
McMahon, Peter B.; Galloway, Joel M.; Hunt, Andrew; Belitz, Kenneth; Jurgens, Bryant; Johnson, Tyler D.-
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Date published: January 29, 2021
Pesticide and transformation product concentrations and risk quotients in U.S. headwater streams
This dataset includes a subset of previously released pesticide data (Morace and others, 2020) from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) project and the corresponding hazard index results calculated using the R package toxEval, which are relevant to Mahler and others, 2020.
Attribution: South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC) -
Date published: September 9, 2020
Dissolved Pesticides in Weekly Water Samples from the NAWQA Regional Stream Quality Assessments (2013-2017)
Dissolved pesticides were measured in weekly water samples from 482 wadeable streams in five regions of the United States during 2013-2017, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA). One study was conducted each year, starting with the Midwest (2013), followed by the Southeast Piedmont (2014), Pacific Northwest (2015),
Attribution: Oregon Water Science Center -
Date published: May 12, 2020
Data for Fluoride Occurrence in United States Groundwater
Data from 38,105 wells were used to characterize fluoride occurrence in untreated United States groundwater. The data were retrieved from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System (NWIS). Groundwater samples were collected from 1988 to 2017 in the conterminous United States. Data for groundwater included in this dataset are pH, water temperature, and concen
Attribution: Colorado Water Science Center -
Date published: March 16, 2020
Datasets from Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2016, and Previously Unpublished Data from 2013 to 2015
Groundwater-quality data were collected from 648 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and are included in this report. Most of the wells (514) were sampled from January through December 2016 and 60 of them were sampled in 2013 and 74 in 2014. The data were collected from seven types of well networks: prin...
Attribution: Central Midwest Water Science Center -
Date published: March 4, 2019Groundwater Quality: Decadal Change
Almost one-half of the U.S. population rely on groundwater for their water supply, and demand for groundwater for public supply, irrigation, and agriculture continues to increase. This mapper shows how concentrations of pesticides, nutrients, metals, and organic contaminants in groundwater are changing during decadal periods across the Nation.
Attribution: Water Resources, Upper Midwest Water Science Center -
Date published: January 1, 2018
Datasets from Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2015 and Previously Unpublished Data from 2013-2014
Groundwater-quality data were collected from 502 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and are included in this report. Most of the wells (500) were sampled from January through December 2015 and 2 of them were sampled in 2013. The data were collected from five types of well networks: principal aquifer stu...
Attribution: Water Resources, National Water Quality Program -
Date published: January 1, 2017
Datasets from Groundwater-Quality Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2014 and Select Quality-Control Data from May 2012 through December 2014
Groundwater-quality data were collected from 559 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program from January through December 2014. The data were collected from four types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which assess the quality of groundwater used for public water supply; land-use study network...
Attribution: Water Resources, National Water Quality Program -
Date published: January 1, 2017
Ascii grids of predicted pH in depth zones used by domestic and public drinking water supply depths, Central Valley, California
The ascii grids associated with this data release are predicted distributions of continuous pH at the drinking water depth zones in the groundwater of Central Valley, California. The two prediction grids produced in this work represent predicted pH at the domestic supply and public supply drinking water depths, respectively and are bound by the alluvial boundary that defines the Central Valle...
Attribution: California Water Science Center -
Date published: January 1, 2017
Data for Radium Mobility and the Age of Groundwater in Public-drinking-water Supplies from the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System, North-Central USA
High radium (Ra) concentrations in potable portions of the Cambrian-Ordovician (C-O) aquifer system were investigated using water-quality data and environmental tracers ( 3H, 3Hetrit, SF6 , 14C and 4Herad) of groundwater age from 80 public-supply wells (PSWs). Groundwater ages were estimated by calibration of tracers to lumped parameter models and ranged from modern (1 Myr
Attribution: Water Resources, National Water Quality Program
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Date published: May 7, 2014
How much water do we use?
Map viewer used to visualize water use by region and date for U.S. freshwater withdrawals, 1950-present (created by USGS VIZLAB)
Attribution: Water Resources, Oregon Water Science Center
Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments
This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S. Geological Survey scientists along with their partners monitor water quality and identify sources of pollution and
Organic Carbon and the World around Us
In this episode, we talk about organic carbon. The benefit of studying carbon extends to many issues, including tracing mercury contamination or investigating disinfection by-products in drinking water treatment. It is amazing what can be discovered by monitoring the volume and flux of carbon through the environment. Learn about the biogeochemistry of carbon from USGS
What's in Our Water?
In this episode, we are going to investigate more than just the substance "water." We are going to examine what is in our nations' water, how we at the U.S. Geological Survey monitor it, and what tools we have developed to aid those who want to explore more about our planet's most abundant resource. This is the USGS Oregon Science Podcast.
Man-Made Chemicals Found in Drinking Water at Low Levels
Safe drinking water supplies are critical to maintaining and preserving public health. But how healthy is that resource? A recent USGS study found low levels of man-made chemicals in water entering and leaving drinking water treatment plants. USGS lead scientist Greg Delzer explains the findings of this study.
What is E. coli and what should I do if it is in my drinking water?
Listen to hear the answer.
Can you define safe water?
Safe water means water that will not harm you if you come in contact with it. The most common use of this term applies to drinking water, but it could also apply to water for swimming or other uses. To be safe, the water must...
Contaminants present in many parts of the Glacial aquifer system
Are you one of 30 million Americans whose drinking-water supply relies on groundwater from the glacial aquifer system? A new USGS study assesses the quality of untreated groundwater from this critical water resource, which underlies parts of 25 northern U.S. states.
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Date published: December 7, 2017Groundwater Quality in the East: The Piedmont and Blue Ridge Crystalline-Rock Aquifers
A regional assessment of untreated groundwater in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge crystalline-rock aquifers, which includes parts of 11 states across the contiguous United States, is now available from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Attribution: Water Resources, National Water Quality Program -
Date published: December 7, 2017
Groundwater Quality in the North: The Glacial Aquifer System
A regional assessment of untreated groundwater in the Glacial aquifer system, which includes parts of 25 states across the northern contiguous United States, is now available from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Attribution: Water Resources, National Water Quality Program -
Date published: December 7, 2017
The Quality of the Nation’s Groundwater: Progress on a National Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey makes progress on a complex undertaking to survey the quality of the nation’s largest drinking-water sources.
New reports assess the quality of drinking-water supplies in three Western and Southwestern regional aquifers, adding to 15 previously assessed across the nation.
Current website: https://www.usgs.gov/news/quality-nation-s-groundwater-progress-a-national-survey
Attribution: Water Resources, National Water Quality Program -
Date published: December 7, 2017
Groundwater Quality in the Southwest: The Rio Grande Aquifer System
A regional assessment of untreated groundwater in the Rio Grande aquifer system, which includes parts of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, is now available from the U.S. Geological Survey.
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Date published: December 7, 2017
Groundwater Quality in the Midwest: The Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System
A regional assessment of untreated groundwater in the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system, which includes parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Indiana, is now available from the U.S. Geological Survey.
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Date published: December 6, 2017Scientists Home in on Causes of High Radium Levels in Key Midwestern Aquifer
Oxygen levels, dissolved minerals among factors responsible for high concentrations of radium in untreated water from aquifer that underlies six states
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Date published: October 18, 2017Study Estimates about 2.1 Million People using Wells High in Arsenic
Most Arsenic Presumed to be From Naturally Occurring Sources
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Date published: May 31, 2017Unconventional Oil and Gas Production Not Currently Affecting Drinking Water Quality
Decades or longer may be needed to fully assess the effects of unconventional oil and gas production on the quality of groundwater used for drinking water in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas
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Date published: January 19, 2017
Groundwater Quality in the Southeastern Coastal Plain Aquifer System
A regional assessment of untreated groundwater in the Southeastern Coastal Plain aquifer system is now available from the U.S. Geological Survey.
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Date published: January 19, 2017
Groundwater Quality in Eastern U.S.
A regional assessment of untreated groundwater in the combined Valley and Ridge and Piedmont and Blue Ridge aquifers in the eastern United States is now available from the U.S. Geological Survey.
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Why does my drinking water look cloudy sometimes?
Once in a while you get a glass of water that looks cloudy; maybe milky is a better term. After a few seconds, it miraculously clears up! The cloudiness is due to tiny air bubbles in the water. Like any bubbles, the air rises to the top of the water and goes into the air, clearing up the water. The water in the pipes coming into your house might... -
Where can I find information about my local drinking water supply?
The best way to learn about your local drinking water quality is to read the annual drinking water quality report/consumer confidence report that water suppliers now send out by July 1 of each year. The reports are often sent out with water bills, but they may be sent separately. The reports tell where drinking water comes from, what contaminants... -
What can be causing our drinking water to have a reddish color?
Your water might be affected by iron, which is a commonly-occurring constituent of drinking water. Iron tends to add a rusty, reddish-brown (or sometimes yellow) color to water. If the color is more black than red, your water might contain a combination of iron and manganese. Both of these metals can cause staining of plumbing fixtures or laundry... -
Why are some lakes full of algae and thick plants?
Plants naturally grow in and around lakes, but sometimes lakes and ponds can get an overgrowth of plants, algae, or bacteria. In many cases, humans are responsible. Chemicals that are used on lawns and in agriculture (like nitrogen and potassium) wash into our water systems. Once there, plants and algae have a feast on this “food”. Sometimes...