ABSTRACT
The vast amount of present and potential usage of groundwater as a source of supply of drinking water, both internationally and in the U.S., is largely unknown by the general public. It has been stated that more than 97% of the world’s fluid freshwater is underground (Briggs, 1976). Obviously, this amount of water is not all available as a source of future drinking water; but its magnitude defines underground water as a precious resource to be husbanded for future needs (Bregman and Mackenthun, 1976). EPA has estimated that half of all Americans and more than 97% of rural Americans get their household water supplies from underground sources of water. Groundwater is also used for about half of the nation’s agricultural irrigation and nearly one third of its industrial water needs.
