Aquifers and Wells/Do We Have Ample Water?

Joseph Dunnigan

Turning on the tap can make it seem as if water is ever flowing in the State of Connecticut. Still, The U.S. Drought Monitor, a map created by the joint efforts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and National Drought Mitigation Center, tells a different story. As of March 25th, 2025, the Monitor showed that 21% of Connecticut was “Abnormally Dry” and that 78.1% of Connecticut was in a “moderate drought.”

NOAA states that droughts come in four categories. Among these categories is a type called hydrological droughts. NOAA states this type of drought, “occurs when low water supply becomes evident, especially in streams, reservoirs, and groundwater levels, usually after many months of meteorological drought.” A drought can also be thought of as a disruption in water’s normal process we call the hydrologic cycle.

The hydrologic cycle is the process by which water changes forms and location throughout the planet. DEEP states that, “the hydrologic cycle begins when water, evaporated from oceans, lakes, rivers and land, or transpired by plants, rises into the atmosphere. This water vapor is pushed across the earth by winds. When the water vapor cools, clouds form. Further cooling, condenses into droplets that fall to earth as precipitation, as rain, snow, sleet or hail.”

When the water returns to the Earth, DEEP says it “takes one of two paths once on the ground.” Either it remains at the surface or seeps into the earth. Once in the ground, water continues through crevices until it reaches a place called the “saturated zone”. This is where the water table resides and much of the groundwater collects, forming a boundary between the saturated and unsaturated zones.

The water table is not static. Much like the surface waters that we see rise and fall, the water table also varies in its levels. This can depend on the seasons and human consumption.

Within the water table are aquifers. Aquifers (are) any geologic formation that allows for the withdrawal of usable amounts of water Utilizing this water requires the establishment of wells.

The Groundwater Foundation, an organization aimed at protecting groundwater, defines a well as “a hole drilled into the ground to access water contained in an aquifer." DEEP states, “Approximately one million of Connecticut’s three million residents depend on groundwater as the source for their drinking water. Half of them draw their groundwater from individual wells, half from community wells. Wells also supply industry and agriculture with some of their water.”

Since water is a finite commodity, wells affect the aquifers’ supply. USGS states that “in some permeable materials groundwater may move several meters in a day; in other places, it moves only a few centimeters in a century.” They add, for impermeable layers this is even slower. When a well is drilled into an aquifer and water is drawn, then the process by which water leaves the aquifer is increased. USGS compares this to money in a bank account. They state, “If you withdraw money at a faster rate than you deposit new money you will eventually start having account-supply problems.” Depletion as well as contamination of groundwater has prompted the protection of many aquifers. This has been the case for aquifers in such places as California and Connecticut.

A Groundwater Leadership Forum report entitled, “Is SGMA working,” stated “91% of groundwater-dependent ecosystems in SGMA basins are not protected from going dry.” The Forum and their partners also found that “Under current groundwater plans, 60% of agriculture wells and 63% of domestic wells are not protected from going dry.” The Groundwater Leadership Forum gave some recommendations for fixing SGMA such as “Expand funding for projects that focus on reducing pumping through land-use changes” and expanding SGMA’s climate change guidance to include more extreme scenarios.

Connecticut has also implemented its own means for protecting groundwater. According to DEEP, “Connecticut’s Aquifer Protection Area Program (APA) protects major public water supply wells in sand and gravel aquifers to ensure a plentiful supply of public drinking water for present and future generations.” DEEP does this by designating APA areas for active well fields in towns where sand and gravel aquifers serve more than 1000 people. Following this designation, DEEP states that regulations will be put in place to protect the areas from contamination.

While states utilize designations, regulations, and data collection to protect the aquifers and wells, people can take steps themselves to also assist in protecting water quality and availability. DEEP used information gathered from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to form their “Tips for Conserving Water.”

These include:

Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.
Do not use water to defrost frozen foods
Use the dishwasher only when it is completely full.
Sweep the driveway rather than using a hose to wash it off
Water the lawn or garden during the coolest part of the day

The EPA’s “How Can You Help Protect Source Water?” has some tips people can do to protect the water quality as well.

This list includes:

Don't pour hazardous waste down the drain, on the ground, or into storm sewers such as motor oil, paint and household cleaners
Limit the use of pesticides or fertilizers – this can enter the ground and water supply
Properly maintain your septic tank and do not flush medicine down the toilet.

DEEP states that “all the water there is, is all the water there is,” making water a finite resource, and “due to human neglect and carelessness, groundwater supplies are vulnerable and threatened.”