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Where Does Our Water Come From?

The Hydrological Cycle begins as the sun heats the earth and evaporates water from the surface of the oceans, lakes, rivers and streams. As the moist air is lifted, it cools and water vapor condenses and forms clouds. Moisture is then transported around the globe by winds and air currents until it returns to the surface as precipitation. Once the water reaches the ground, one of two processes may occur: 1) some of the water may evaporate back into the atmosphere, or 2) the water may penetrate the surface and eventually end up in the Floridan Aquifer system. Since the beginning of time this has been the Earth's only source of water. The water we use everyday has been recycled over and over again for millions of years.

Pure water by it's nature is very "aggressive." As it travels throughout the environment it easily absorbs many of the contaminants it passes through. For example: by adding KoolAid mix and sugar to water we are able to immediately change the water's color, taste, and texture. It is easy to understand how, as our environment becomes more and more polluted, the quality of our water is also equally affected. To view the potential health effects of these many contaminants click on this EPA Pollutants/Toxics link.

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