Groundwater FAQs

There are a number of resources on the web, see:

Our UC Davis Groundwater Web Page is your gateway to other groundwater related sites on the web - with lots of information behind it.

Our Dairy Environmental Quality Web Page is a collection of internet resources on that topic

Here are some sites that provide quick answers to some FAQs, especially on rural groundwater issues:

Video: What is Groundwater? (15 minutes - go to 09:00 min for the start of the presentation; from the California State Assembly Oversight Hearing on Groundwater Management);
Drinking Water / How to Check Your Water Quality (from: Martha Stewart's Living)
Nitrate and the "Blue Baby Syndrome" (WSU Agrichemical and Environmental News)
WSU Pesticide Information Center On-Line
EPA's Groundwater Primer on the Web
Richard Winston's Groundwater Modeling Page
The Hydrogeologist's Homepage
Soil Water Monitoring and Measurement Booklet
Irrigation Practices for Groundwater and Surface Water Protection Booklet
Pathogens and Animal Agriculture

Bottled Water vs. Tap Water (from a public water supply system):

Sustainable living: reasons not to drink bottled water
NRDC study on bottled water
Table showing differences in standards for bottled vs. tap water
EPA primer on bottled water
FDA article on bottled water
EWG water quality study of bottled water including emerging contaminants
A short guide to under-the-sink water filter
Note: The above comparisons do not apply to tap water in a home with a private domestic well. Water quality in private domestic wells is not subject to the stringent regulations of tap water in public water supply systems.

White/cloudy water: 

Why is my water white or cloudy? - A good set of photos and a cold climate story.
Why is my water white or cloudy? - More information from a hot climate.