University of Wisconsin - Extension

This month melting, dirty snowbanks give way to April showers, flowers and spring cleanup.

"Spring is a good time to think about the importance of clean water," said Christine Mechenich, groundwater educator at the Central Wisconsin Groundwater Center.

National Drinking Water Week is May 6-12. During that week, people are encouraged to think about a life-giving resource often taken for granted. "For many years we've asked people to think about water quality - whether or not water is clean and safe - during Drinking Water Week," Mechenich said. "This year, we want to encourage people to also think about water quantity - is there enough water for all the uses and all the water users?"

About 70 percent of the people living in Wisconsin get their drinking water from groundwater. "Groundwater occurs underground in aquifers - layers of soil or fractured rock," Mechenich explained. "There's enough groundwater in those aquifers under Wisconsin to make a lake 30 feet deep. Still, that groundwater's not uniformly distributed, so there are places in Wisconsin where groundwater is in short supply."

Population growth has also led to water concerns in some places. In the Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, and Madison areas, for example, water pumped from the ground for use in homes has meant less water for streams, springs, and the Madison lakes.

In the summer of 2000, Wisconsin Public Television produced a documentary about the availability of groundwater in Wisconsin called "Water Rich, Water Poor." That show will again be broadcast on Earth Day, April 22, at 6:30 p.m.

"Being a part of protecting Wisconsin's water starts with being informed, so watching the broadcast is a great prelude to Drinking Water Week," Mechenich said. She also is producing some materials for teachers, which can be found on the Groundwater Center's Web site at http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/gndwater to accompany the broadcast.

"Conserving water hasn't always been part of our culture in Wisconsin, but it will need to be for the future," Mechenich said. She offered these tips from the National Drinking Water Week celebration materials:

• Repair leaky pipes and faucets. Hundreds of gallons a day could be dripping away!
• Install low-flow showerheads and take shorter showers.
• Landscape using low-water plants and rock gardens to reduce lawn area.
• Adjust sprinklers so only the lawn is watered, not the sidewalk or street.
• Water your lawn in the early morning, and never on a windy day.
• Put a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator.
• Do full loads in the wash machine and dishwasher.
• Urge local officials to implement water conservation measures and source water protection measures in your community.