How Tap Water Gets To Your Faucet

Do you ever wonder how tap water gets to your faucet? Every time you turn on your faucet, wash clothes, or water your yard, your tap water can be counted on to be there. It’s not an unexplained natural phenomenon or magic; it’s the hard work of municipal workers who ensure that your water is ready when you need it. The process starts with the hydrological cycle. What is that? Read on.

What is the Hydrological Cycle

The hydrological water cycle (or water cycle) is a natural process constantly occurring. Here are the stages of the hydrological cycle- 

• The sun heats water in lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds and causes the water to become a gas through evaporation.
• The evaporated water rises to the upper layer of the atmosphere where we live and becomes clouds.
• When the conditions are ideal, precipitation in the form of rain, hail, or snow will fall to Earth.

When rain falls, it is absorbed into the soil, as is snow or hail. When they melt, the water becomes part of an aquifer and extends to the surface through springs or when the ground is drilled into to access it.

How Do We Get Tap Water?

As we just mentioned, water can be accessed by drilling, which is known as groundwater. Water in lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams is known as surface water; let’s learn more.

Surface Water

Surface water is the most common type of freshwater on the globe. It exists in streams, lakes, ponds, and rivers. The fresh surface water can be harvested by intake structures and pumped to a water treatment plant.

Groundwater

Groundwater is a common way that municipal agencies responsible for tap water get a supply. As we stated, groundwater can be accessed by boring into the ground and taping the aquifer. During the hydrological cycle, water is filtered through rocks and sand. Groundwater is relatively clean but should always be treated to eliminate microbes or contaminants.

How Does Tap Water Arrive at Your Home?

After the freshwater is collected and treated and becomes potable (safe for household use), there are a number of ways a municipality can get tap water to you.

Municipal Water Systems

A government official, sometimes an elected one, has oversight of water transportation. The official will employ a staff that is tasked with the process of water treatment and transportation. The treated water is usually collected in a reservoir and transported to different locations using a series of subterranean pipes that are moved through pumping stations. Eventually, those pipes connect to your home, and tap water flows from your faucet.

A Final Thought About Tap Water

Even though municipal water treatment removes many microbes and contaminants from tap water, they aren’t perfect. If you want to be sure your tap water is safe, then a filtration system is your best bet. 

Ensure Your Tap Water is Safe to Use

Atlantic Coast Water Clinic can help you choose the right filtration system for your home and then install it. Once it’s installed, we can come back on a regular basis to maintain it to make sure your filtration system is always in peak working condition. We’ve been in business since 1976; we have the experience and the knowledge to assist you with water filtration. Get in touch today about your new water filtration system.