WATER QUALITY IN GEORGIA Original Power Point Created by Ron Smoak Modified by the GA Agriculture Education Curriculum July 2002

OBJECTIVES To help young farmers develop an awareness of the importance of protecting groundwater from contamination. To provide young farmers with basic information on Georgia’s groundwater supply. To educate Y.F.’s in best management practices in preventing pollution to ground water.

IMPORTANCE OF WATER Water is critical to each of our lives: –It is important for our health –It is important for our economy –It is important for our way of life

HOW IMPORTANT IS WATER? People can live only 5 to 10 days without water Two quarts of water per day are needed to: Digest food Lubricate joints Clean eyes Remove body wastes Cool the body

OTHER WATER FACTS It takes 3 gal. of water to produce 1 gal. of milk It takes 25 gal. of water to grow an ear of corn 47% of Georgia’s water comes from surface water 53% from groundwater 97% of rural users use groundwater

SOURCES OF WATER Surface Water  Comes from lakes, rivers, reservoirs  Used by 47% of U.S. population  Mostly used in cities and suburbs Ground Water Used in rural areas Rain, sleet, snow, & hail absorbed into ground Used by 53% of the population

WATER USE AT HOME Toilets = 28% Baths = 9% Showers = 21% Washing machines = 22% Dishwasher = 3% Faucets = 12% Toilet Leakage = 5%

Used by 97% of rural Americans Generally not treated Natural filtration system WELL WATER

Federal Safe Drinking Water Act Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) – Over a 70 year period, a person would have to drink thousands of gallons of tap water every day to exceed the MCL I S WATER SAFE?

AGRICULTURAL USE OF GROUNDWATER Agriculture is largest consumer of government waste through irrigation Irrigation consumes 68% of groundwater nationwide % of the groundwater in Georgia was used for irrigation Georgia ranks medium to low in respect to groundwater withdrawal

PROPERTIES OF GROUNDWATER Groundwater moves into the ground from rainfall It is absorbed into Recharge Zones: –Swamps –Sinkholes –Lakes, ponds, and rivers

GROUNDWATER MOVEMENT Water moves constantly underground toward a point of discharge: –River or stream –Lake –Well –Ocean

AQUIFERS Aquifers are not flowing underground rivers. Aquifers are porous rock materials through which groundwater flows freely: –Sand –Gravel –Sandstone –Limestone solution channels

GEORGIA’S AQUIFER SYSTEM Floridan aquifer system Claiborne aquifer system Clayton aquifer system Cretaccous aquifer system

FLORIDAN AQUIFER SYSTEM One of most productive groundwater reservoirs in U.S. Supplies approximately 50% of groundwater used in the state Major water source in most of South Georgia Primarily limestone and sand ft. deep & 1000 to 5000 gpm Recharge zones in much of South Georgia

PROTECTING SURFACE & GROUNDWATER Cropping & tillage practices to minimize soil erosion Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Apply chemicals according to label Irrigate to prevent run-off & leaching Well-head protection Nutrient management for crop land

COMMON SENSE FOR GROUNDWATER PROTECTION “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” It is difficult, if not impossible, to clean up groundwater Prevention is the best method

What You Can Do to Keep your Water Safe Follow instructions with hazardous materials Proper disposal of cleaning products, house paints, thinners, house and lawn pesticides, motor oil, medical wastes, and other contaminants Ensure that no lawn and garden products are washed into streams or storm drains Participate in community hazardous waste disposal days Educate friends and neighbors on proper disposal of household and lawn & garden hazardous wastes