WATER QUALITY IN GEORGIA

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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

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

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

9. IS WATER SAFE? • 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

10. AGRICULTURAL USE OF GROUNDWATER • Agriculture is largest consumer of government waste through irrigation • Irrigation consumes 68% of groundwater nationwide • 1990 - 33% of the groundwater in Georgia was used for irrigation • Georgia ranks medium to low in respect to groundwater withdrawal

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

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

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

14. GEORGIA’S AQUIFER SYSTEM • Floridan aquifer system • Claiborne aquifer system • Clayton aquifer system • Cretaccous aquifer system

15. 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 • 40-900 ft. deep & 1000 to 5000 gpm • Recharge zones in much of South Georgia

16. 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

17. COMMON SENSE FORGROUNDWATER 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

18. 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