An adequate supply of water is vital for economic development, industry, energy use, population growth and distribution, agriculture, fish and wildlife, transportation, and waste disposal.
Population growth depends upon certain natural resources of which water is the most important.
The ability of the County's underground reservoirs to accept recharge from precipitation and subsequently release this water to streams and wells, determines the location and quantity of water available for use. Ground water is the basic source of water for residents of Kent County although some limited surface waters are capable of utilization as future suppliers of water. The major water table aquifer is found in the Pleistocene deposits that cover most of the County. The major artesian aquifers are the Rancocas, Piney Point, Cheswold, and Frederica aquifers with minor artesian aquifers found in the Miocene deposits in the southern part of the County above and below the Frederica aquifer. About half of the households in the County rely upon individual on-lot wells for their water supply.