To protect your water, all of these factors should be considered. In the hydrologic cycle, water falls to the earth as rainfall and snow and returns to the atmosphere through transpiration and evaporation. Every home comes with its own unique set of physical site conditions. You cannot change these conditions, but once you are aware of them, you can better understand risks that may result from activities you can change. The information below will help you answer the work sheet questions.
Soil plays an important role in determining where contaminants go and how water moves.
Nearly all soils are permeable, which means water and other fluids can percolate, or seep, through them. Lawn chemicals and leachate from a leaking septic tank, for example, can flow downward into groundwater or across the land into surface water. Many household activities can also produce problems that go beyond property boundaries. For example, contaminants that enter groundwater through a neighbor's abandoned well may flow underground until they reach your well. You can get a good idea about your soil type by rubbing a moistened sample between two fingers.