Drinking water comes from surface water or ground water. Surface water sources include lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Sometimes surface water sources are close to the community, but other times they are many miles away. Ground water is pumped from vast underground reservoirs (aquifers) via wells. Aquifers vary in size from a few miles wide to the size of entire states.

Drinking water comes from wells or reservoirs, both of which are ultimately supplied by rainfall. The water is then piped from its source to your tap. Wells get their water from groundwater that is water seeping through the ground. Reservoirs are lakes; they are fed by rivers.