We kicked off the month of March by preparing and celebrating Ground Water Awareness Week. This year was the 10th anniversary of its founding by National Ground Water Association. Did you know approximately 132 million Americans rely on groundwater for drinking water. It is used for irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and several additional purposes, making it one of the most widely used and valuable natural resources we have. The following fast facts are provided by the National Ground Water Association. Please visit their website for more information on the event and well-water testing.
Americans use 79.6 billion gallons of groundwater each day.
Groundwater is 20 to 30 times larger than all U.S. lakes, streams, and rivers combined.
44 percent of the U.S. population depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply.
More than 13.2 million households have their own well, representing 34 million people.
In March, we received news that Carol Folt, formerly of the University of Chapel Hill, has been appointed as the incoming President of the University of Southern California! We were so delighted to hear this as Carol has worked alongside Margaret Karagas, our Chief Investigator, since the very early days of our study. We congratulate and wish our co-investigator Carol all the best as she takes on her new role of President of USC!