Is Edwards Aquifer water safe to drink?
Is Edwards Aquifer water safe to drink?
All surface water sources require treatment, as do many other groundwater sources, but Edwards water is drinkable straight from the ground.
What is the biggest aquifer in Texas?
The Ogallala Aquifer
Summary. The Ogallala Aquifer is the largest aquifer in the United States and is a major aquifer of Texas underlying much of the High Plains region.
Where does the Edwards Aquifer get its water from?
Approximately 1,250 square miles of Edwards Limestone is exposed at the ground surface and composes the Recharge Zone where water enters the Aquifer. Surface water from springs and streams originating on the Contributing Zone reaches the Recharge Zone where much of the flow sinks into the Edwards Limestone.
What is unique about the Edwards Aquifer?
The Edwards Aquifer is a unique groundwater system and one of the most prolific artesian aquifers in the world. It is one of the greatest natural resources on Earth, serving the diverse agricultural, industrial, recreational, and domestic needs of almost two million users in south central Texas.
How deep is the Edwards Aquifer?
between 300-700 feet
Introduction to the Edwards Aquifer. The Edwards Aquifer is an underground layer of porous, honeycombed, water-bearing rock that is between 300-700 feet thick.
What problems does the Edwards Aquifer have?
Despite the immeasureable value of this natural resource, human activity – urbanization – now threatens to taint the water of the Edwards Aquifer with a slew of pollutants – from fertilizers and pesticides to toxic metals and sewage spills.
Who controls the Edwards Aquifer?
Stakeholders
| Stakeholders | Involvement in aquifer resources management |
|---|---|
| Farmers and ranchers | Depend on water for crops and animal husbandry |
| Edwards Aquifer Authority | Responsible for permitting process for water withdrawal from the Edwards aquifer system |
Is the Edwards Aquifer polluted?
Are there any artesian wells in Texas?
The artesian-well area is largely confined to the Coastal Plain east of the Balcones Escarpment, although there have been other isolated artesian areas, most notable of which were located at El Paso, Fort Stockton, and Balmorhea.
What is threatening Edwards Aquifer?
There are two main threats to the Edwards Aquifer: pollution and extraction. Urbanization concentrates pollution by collecting pollutants on impervious, or impenetrable, surfaces.
Who gets water from the Edwards Aquifer?
The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most valuable water resources in the central Texas area. This aquifer provides water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses. A number of cities rely on the aquifer as their only source of drinking water.
Does Austin get water from Edwards Aquifer?
Much of west Austin sits above the environmentally-sensitive Edwards Aquifer which supplies drinking water to more than 60,000 people, feeds countless springs, including Barton Springs, and supplies water to the Colorado River.
