Reliable drinking water is vital for the health and safety of all Americans. The USGS monitors and assesses the quality of the water used as a source for our nation's drinking water needs.
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.
Updated 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.
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 year. 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 monitors and assesses the quality of the water used as a source for our nation's drinking water needs. The USGS does not regulate or directly monitor water treatment operations, nor does it enforce water-quality standards.
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
Examples of research USGS conducts with drinking water and source water.
Public Supply Wells
Water Quality in the Nation’s Streams and Rivers – Current Conditions and Long-Term Trends
Domestic (Private) Supply Wells
Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA)
Groundwater Quality—Current Conditions and Changes Through Time
Factors Affecting Vulnerability of Public-Supply Wells to Contamination
Groundwater viruses in Minnesota drinking water wells
Using models to estimate microcystin concentrations in Ohio recreational and source waters
Harmful Algal Blooms and Drinking Water in Oregon
Biodegradation Of Microcystins In Lake Erie Source Waters And Filters From Drinking-Water Plants
The USGS newsroom distributes media alerts, press releases, and technical memos that highlight new and relevant research.
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.
Below are frequently asked questions associated with the drinking water and source water research.
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, but they are not known to cause health problems...
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 are in it, and at what levels. The U.S...
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 be under a bit of pressure. This causes gases (air)...
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 overgrowths of cyanobacteria (called “blooms”) can make...
- Overview
Reliable drinking water is vital for the health and safety of all Americans. The USGS monitors and assesses the quality of the water used as a source for our nation's drinking water needs.
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.
Updated 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.
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 year. 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 monitors and assesses the quality of the water used as a source for our nation's drinking water needs. The USGS does not regulate or directly monitor water treatment operations, nor does it enforce water-quality standards.
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
- Science
Examples of research USGS conducts with drinking water and source water.
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 resource...Water 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.Domestic (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...Regional 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.Groundwater 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.Factors 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...Groundwater 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.Using 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...Harmful Algal Blooms and Drinking Water in Oregon
Harmful algal blooms are a major environmental problem in all 50 states.Biodegradation 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-not... - Data
- Multimedia
- Publications
- Web Tools
- News
The USGS newsroom distributes media alerts, press releases, and technical memos that highlight new and relevant research.
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.
- FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions associated with the drinking water and source water research.
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, but they are not known to cause health problems...
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 are in it, and at what levels. The U.S...
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 be under a bit of pressure. This causes gases (air)...
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 overgrowths of cyanobacteria (called “blooms”) can make...