Groundwater

I am groundwater and I'm worth protecting.

Waterloo Region relies on groundwater for drinking water. Unlike surface water in rivers and lakes, groundwater is hidden. Where you are standing right now, there could be groundwater underneath you. It might take some digging to get to it, but it's there.

Groundwater is in an aquifer; layers of sand, rock or gravel. Groundwater is the rain or melted snow that soaks into the ground filling the void spaces between sand grains, rock or gravel, moving ever so slowly - about a few metres every year.

But did you know what we put on the ground can be harmful to groundwater?

Here are a few ways you can help protect groundwater.

1. In the winter, shovel the snow first and limit the use of de-icing salt
2. Report chemical spills
3. Set your water softener to the correct water hardness to reduce salt use
4. Reduce your water use by taking shorter showers, fixing leaky fixtures and using a rain barrel for outdoor watering
5. Return unused and expired medications to participating pharmacies
6. Only allow rain down the storm drain
7. Clean with "green" alternatives and natural options whenever possible
8. When using household chemicals, only buy what you need, use it up and dispose of leftovers safely and properly

For more ideas, visit the Region of Waterloo's water protection page.