| Copyright (c) 2008 Steven Magill | | | | that water come from? Drinking water can come |
| Water is a self sustaining resource in that it can | | | | from two places-ground water and surface water. |
| create itself through a cycle called "the water | | | | Ground water is usually stored in aquifers that are |
| cycle". Of course, that doesn't answer the bigger | | | | underground areas where the rocks are very |
| question of "where does water come from?" This | | | | porous, like sponges. Water is taken out of the |
| question was posed on the internet and so far | | | | aquifers by wells and pumps that get drilled into |
| the best answer has been that oxygen is the | | | | the ground. Ground water is often thought to be |
| most common element of the earth's crust and | | | | superior to surface water because it is already |
| hydrogen is the most common element of the | | | | mostly clean. The ground's soil acts as a water |
| universe, so it is almost inevitable that the two | | | | cleaner and filter as the water seeps through it |
| molecules would find each other and form bonds. | | | | and down to the aquifers. If the water contains |
| This answer was posed by Pendour on Yahoo | | | | chemicals or waste, most of those will get |
| answers and so far as been chosen the Best | | | | absorbed into the soil. |
| Answer of the bunch. | | | | Surface water is the water that is found in lakes, |
| So, where does water come from? In addition to | | | | streams, wetlands and ponds. These waters |
| Pendour (the earth's oxygen combining with the | | | | often carry a certain amount of salinity (salt |
| universe's water)'s answer, the answer could be | | | | seeping into the water from the oceans). Surface |
| that water comes from water. You obviously | | | | water needs treatment before it can be safe for |
| remember the water cycle you learned in | | | | drinking and everyday use. Surface water is |
| elementary school: the water in the lakes and | | | | passed through water treatment facilities that are |
| oceans is evaporated by the heat of the sun and | | | | built specifically to clean and filter water and then |
| forms a vapour that joins together to form | | | | pumped out to homes and businesses. The |
| clouds. When the temperature is warm enough, | | | | treatment facility acts much in the same way |
| the vapour condenses into drops of water which | | | | that the soil does only in the treatment facility; |
| is what rain is made out of. The rain falls onto the | | | | the water is filtered and "enhanced" by machines. |
| earth-onto land as well as back into oceans, lakes | | | | Answering a question like "where does water |
| and rivers. From the water bodies it evaporates | | | | come from" can be as easy as you'd like to |
| and the cycle starts all over. The water that is | | | | make it. It can be as simple as water comes |
| found on the earth is used by plants and often | | | | from rain all the way up to the explanation of |
| people as the water will eventually find its way to | | | | how oxygen and hydrogen bond together to |
| the water table. | | | | create individual water molecules. |
| What about your drinking water? Where does | | | | |