Day 5

Where Does Your Water Come From?

Distribute Appendix 7 to students. Introduce topic to students by explaining that there are three parts to water supply.

Source
Treatment
Distribution

FACT: Did you know that more than two billion people do not have a good water supply and spend much of their day carrying water home for their families to use?

*Unfortunately, the water they carry home might not even be clean!

Most North Americans live in cities and get their water from public utilities.

Utilities get their water from a natural source (river, lake, aquifer).

Utilities treat (clean) water to remove impurities.
Utilities distribute (send) the water to homes and businesses.
Public utilities get water from various places (i.e. surface water or groundwater aquifers).
Groundwater aquifers: Rock, clay, sand and gravel materials underground store water.

Briefly discuss illustration of town A and town B with students. (20 min)

Distribute Appendix 8A and Appendix 8B [pg. 11, The Story of Drinking Water].

Explain how water is treated and have students place the correct number of the step on the line. (25 min)

Discussion

What is the source of the water your family uses?
What is the name of the water utility that supplies your water?
Why is it important to keep water clean of pollution?
How can deep underground aquifers become polluted?
Do you know what happens to water that goes down the drain?

Reprinted from “The Story of Drinking Water,” by permission. Copyright 2001, American Water Works Association.
For additional information and educational materials relevant to safe water, contact AWWA at www.awwa.org or call 800-926-7337

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