1. Groundwater

2. Groundwater
1. Groundwater - is water that has seeped down through the ground into underground aquifers.

3. 2. A zone of material capable of supplying ground water at a useful rate from a well is called an aquifer.
3. Aquifers usually consist of rocks, sand, and gravel with a lot of air spaces in which water can accumulate.

5. 4. The area of land from which the groundwater originates is called its recharge zone or area.
5. Many cities, as well as many rural communities, farms, and ranches depend on aquifers for their water needs.

7. Aquifers Are Running Low
1. Problem is that people are pumping out the water faster than it can be replaced.
2. And it may take millions of years for a large aquifer to form.

8. Solutions for Water Shortages
1. Desalting sea water
2. Towing water
3. Water Conservation

9. Desalting Sea Water
1. Desalinization, removing salt water from the sea.
2. Two methods of desalinization are distillation and reverse osmosis.

10. 3. In distillation, heat is used to evaporate fresh water from salt water.

11. 4. In reverse osmosis, pressure is used to push water through a semipermeable membrane that do not allow salts to pass through.

12. 5. Problem: Very expensive and not efficient enough.

14. Towing Water 1. One idea is to transport icebergs from the poles.
2. Problem: Expensive to do, icebergs melt fast, and hard to get on land.

15. Water Conservation

17. Water Conservation 1. Reducing the amount of water we use.
2. Installing low-flow shower heads and small flush capacity toilets.

18. 3. Watering lawns at night.
4. Turning off faucets when brushing or shaving.