Month: July 2021

As homeowners look for alternatives to city water, private wells are becoming a popular option. Well water is a topic of discussion that has been recurring in recent years and it has become the hot subject of different studies to determine its benefits. Well water may vary in quality and water volume but unlike local water systems, it is direct ground water, which does not go through chemical filtering before consumption. The natural state of the well water, great taste, environmental friendliness, and purity are benefits of well water. Following are some secret health benefits that you get from drinking well water.

1. Helps in weight loss

Drinking water is a great way to lose weight. When you drink enough water each day, it can help you to shed pounds or to maintain your weight. When you drink well water, you avoid the harmful chemicals present in regular water and the fact that the water tastes great means that you can drink plenty of it. Drinking water helps you to feel full, preventing you from overeating. In many cases, the body interprets the feeling of dehydration as hunger and drinking water can be the solution you need.

2. Aids in maintaining a healthy heart

You can reduce your risk of having a heart attack by drinking water. According to research, people who drink adequate amounts of water each day are less likely to suffer from heart attacks. Apart from helping with metabolism, hydration and other factors, it helps to flush out toxins, which cause illness from the body. Drinking water is definitely worth it when it comes to protecting your heart. Well water has a cleaner taste making it more drinkable and you will not find it difficult to stay hydrated.

3. Enhances brain function

Drinking water affects the brain and it can help you to think clearly. Research has shown that this zero-calorie essential drink can actually help to make you smarter. The body is made up of 70 percent water, it needs water in order to function at optimum level, and this includes the brain. When you are properly hydrated, you are more focused. Most people will find that the moment they start to feel dehydrated their short-term memory is affected.

4. Promotes healthy-looking skin

If you want your skin to look great, drink plenty of water. Water helps to hydrate the skin giving it the beautiful and youthful glow. The water also helps to get rid of toxins that affect the skin texture and you will not have to deal with different skin conditions.

5. Reduces muscle and joint inflammation

If you suffer from joint and muscle inflammation, drinking water can help you to find relief. The water helps to reduce pain by producing much needed lubrication. It also helps to ensure that your body absorbs essential nutrients from the food that you consume.

Many homes across the country have water wells and they enjoy the ground water that is not subject to the chlorination process. Using well water also has financial benefits and getting the system up and running is relatively inexpensive and easy to implement. Well testing is important to ensure that your water is safe and free from contamination.

Groundwater, water that occurs below the surface of Earth, where it occupies all or part of the void spaces in soils or geologic strata. It is also called subsurface water to distinguish it from surface water, which is found in large bodies like the oceans or lakes or which flows overland in streams. Both surface and subsurface water are related through the hydrologic cycle (the continuous circulation of water in the Earth-atmosphere system).

Most groundwater comes from precipitation. Precipitation infiltrates below the ground surface into the soil zone. When the soil zone becomes saturated, water percolates downward. A zone of saturation occurs where all the interstices are filled with water. There is also a zone of aeration where the interstices are occupied partially by water and partially by air. Groundwater continues to descend until, at some depth, it merges into a zone of dense rock. Water is contained in the pores of such rocks, but the pores are not connected and water will not migrate. The process of precipitation replenishing the groundwater supply is known as recharge. In general, recharge occurs only during the rainy season in tropical climates or during winter in temperate climates. Typically, 10 to 20 percent of the precipitation that falls to the Earth enters water-bearing strata, which are known as aquifers.

Groundwater is constantly in motion. Compared to surface water, it moves very slowly, the actual rate dependent on the transmissivity and storage capacity of the aquifer. Natural outflows of groundwater take place through springs and riverbeds when the groundwater pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure in the vicinity of the ground surface. Internal circulation is not easily determined, but near the water table, the average cycling time of water maybe a year or less, while in deep aquifers it may be as long as thousands of years.

Groundwater plays a vital role in the development of arid and semiarid zones, sometimes supporting vast agricultural and industrial enterprises that could not otherwise exist. It is particularly fortunate that aquifers antedating the formation of deserts remain unaffected by increases in aridity with the passage of time. Withdrawal, however, will deplete even the largest of groundwater basins so that development based on the existence of aquifers can be only temporary at best.

A vast amount of groundwater is distributed throughout the world, and a large number of groundwater reservoirs are still underdeveloped or uninvestigated. Scientists estimate that some 5.97 quintillion gallons (22.6 million cubic km [5.4 million cubic miles]) of groundwater reside in the upper 2 km (1.2 miles) of Earth’s surface. The most frequently investigated or exploited groundwater reservoirs are of the unconsolidated clastic (mainly sand and gravel) or carbonate hard rock type found in alluvial valleys and coastal plains under temperate or arid conditions.

Though some groundwater dissolves substances from rocks and may contain traces of old seawater, most groundwater is free of pathogenic organisms, and purification for domestic or industrial use is not necessary. Furthermore, groundwater supplies are not seriously affected by short droughts and are available in many areas that do not have dependable surface water supplies. However, aquifers and other groundwater supplies are at risk of chemical pollution from fracking, agricultural chemicals, leaking or unfit landfills and septic tanks, and other point and nonpoint sources of pollution. Such contamination can render groundwater unfit for use and is expensive and difficult to clean up.

Groundwater, water that occurs below the surface of Earth, where it occupies all or part of the void spaces in soils or geologic strata. It is also called subsurface water to distinguish it from surface water, which is found in large bodies like the oceans or lakes or which flows overland in streams. Both surface and subsurface water are related through the hydrologic cycle (the continuous circulation of water in the Earth-atmosphere system).

BRITANNICA QUIZ

Groundwater Quiz

You may know all about what happens to water aboveground, but what do you know about groundwater? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

A brief treatment of groundwater follows. For full treatment, see hydrosphere: Groundwaters.

Most groundwater comes from precipitation. Precipitation infiltrates below the ground surface into the soil zone. When the soil zone becomes saturated, water percolates downward. A zone of saturation occurs where all the interstices are filled with water. There is also a zone of aeration where the interstices are occupied partially by water and partially by air. Groundwater continues to descend until, at some depth, it merges into a zone of dense rock. Water is contained in the pores of such rocks, but the pores are not connected and water will not migrate. The process of precipitation replenishing the groundwater supply is known as recharge. In general, recharge occurs only during the rainy season in tropical climates or during winter in temperate climates. Typically, 10 to 20 percent of the precipitation that falls to the Earth enters water-bearing strata, which are known as aquifers.

Groundwater is constantly in motion. Compared to surface water, it moves very slowly, the actual rate dependent on the transmissivity and storage capacity of the aquifer. Natural outflows of groundwater take place through springs and riverbeds when the groundwater pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure in the vicinity of the ground surface. Internal circulation is not easily determined, but near the water table the average cycling time of water may be a year or less, while in deep aquifers it may be as long as thousands of years.

Groundwater plays a vital role in the development of arid and semiarid zones, sometimes supporting vast agricultural and industrial enterprises that could not otherwise exist. It is particularly fortunate that aquifers antedating the formation of deserts remain unaffected by increases in aridity with the passage of time. Withdrawal, however, will deplete even the largest of groundwater basins so that development based on the existence of aquifers can be only temporary at best.

A vast amount of groundwater is distributed throughout the world, and a large number of groundwater reservoirs are still underdeveloped or uninvestigated. Scientists estimate that some 5.97 quintillion gallons (22.6 million cubic km [5.4 million cubic miles]) of groundwater reside in the upper 2 km (1.2 miles) of Earth’s surface. The most frequently investigated or exploited groundwater reservoirs are of the unconsolidated clastic (mainly sand and gravel) or carbonate hardrock type found in alluvial valleys and coastal plains under temperate or arid conditions.

Though some groundwater dissolves substances from rocks and may contain traces of old seawater, most groundwater is free of pathogenic organisms, and purification for domestic or industrial use is not necessary. Furthermore, groundwater supplies are not seriously affected by short droughts and are available in many areas that do not have dependable surface water supplies. However, aquifers and other groundwater supplies are at risk of chemical pollution from fracking, agricultural chemicals, leaking or unfit landfills and septic tanks, and other point and nonpoint sources of pollution. Such contamination can render groundwater unfit for use and is expensive and difficult to clean up.