Sunday, March 11, 2018

BLOG: What will YOU do during Groundwater Awareness Week?

by Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

Happy Groundwater Awareness Week! (#GWAW2018)!

Every March, we work with our friends at National Ground Water Association to help promote National Groundwater Awareness Week. It's a win-win for everyone - it's an opportunity to bring a national and local focus to groundwater and help people find ways to learn more about it and protect this vital resource.

So what can YOU do during #GWAW2018?

The possibilities are endless, but here are some great ideas to get you started:

  • Follow The Groundwater Foundation (Facebook, Twitter) and National Groundwater Association (Facebook, Twitter) on social media; like, share, and retweet #GWAW2018 posts, or customize posts with local information.
  • Plan a Test Your Well event for local private well owners. It's a win-win - you get to raise awareness about groundwater, and well owners get their water sample tested and learn more about it. 
  • Set up a presentation for a community club/group to talk about local groundwater resources.
  • Offer to present to a Girl Scout/Boy Scout troop, 4-H club, FFA chapter, science or environmental club, or other youth group to get them excited about groundwater. Hands-on activities are fun, brains-on ways to get kids involved.
  • Conserve water inside and outside your home by taking short showers instead of baths, running full loads of dishes and laundry, checking for and repairing leaky faucets and fixtures, watering outdoors only when necessary, and using native plants in your landscaping that require less water.
  • Track your daily water use to identify where you can use less. Try the free 30by30 app and start tracking today.
  • Always follow label instructions for household chemicals, and look for ways to decrease or eliminate fertilizer and pesticide usage.
  • Dispose of chemicals properly by taking them to recycling centers or household hazardous waste collections.
  • If you have a private well on your property, have the well inspected by a licensed water well contractor and the water tested once a year for coliform bacteria, nitrates, and any other contaminants of local concern.
  • Find out about your community’s drinking water source and mobilize to protect it. The Groundwater Guardian program is a good place to get started. 
  • Teach others about ways to protect and preserve groundwater!
To find out more about groundwater and how you can get involved in protecting it, please visit us at www.groundwater.org.

1 comment:

Click Here! said...

I agree we need to all learn to use less water and less chemicals that contaminate the planet. I do try to educate on better ways, including collecting rain water for my garden, and using the least chemicals or no chemicals where ever i can. If you have suggestions it's always appreciated!