Aquifer - Underground layers of rock and sediment (like sand and gravel) that holds groundwater.
Cloud - As air rises and cools, the water vapor in it will condense into tiny water droplets. The drops move closer to each other to form clouds. It takes billions of drops to make a cloud!
Condensation - Water changing from a gas to a liquid (the opposite of evaporation). Water vapor (water in gas form) in the air becomes liquid water droplets. This is how clouds form!
Conduit - A very large pipe that moves water from the source to treatment plants and then to town.
Contamination - When something harmful (called a "contaminant") gets into the water and makes it unsafe to drink.
Consumption - The amount of water used by a person, family, business, or school during a period of time. Water consumption is measured with a water meter.
Dam - A structure built to hold back water on a river.
Disinfection - The act of destroying harmful microorganisms (like germs).
Distribution system - Pipes that carry water to homes, businesses, fire hydrants, and other water users.
Drought - A long period of dry weather that causes a water shortage over time, leading to negative effects on plants, animals, and people.
Evaporation - Water changing from a liquid to a gas (the opposite of condensation). Liquid water in places like lakes and rivers changes to a gas (water vapor) and rises into the air.
Fire hydrant - An upright pipe where firefighters can connect to a water supply, sometimes just called a “hydrant”.
Flow - The movement of water.
Groundwater - Water that fills the spaces between soil, sand, and rocks deep underground.
Groundwater discharge - Water flowing out of aquifers into surface water (like rivers or lakes) or onto the Earth's surface.
Groundwater recharge - Water soaking into the soil deep enough to refill underground aquifers.
Intake - The place where surface water is pulled from its source into a pipe.
Irrigation - When people add water to crops or other plants to help them grow.
Pipes - Tubes that move water from its source to your tap (faucets, showers, water fountains, and more).
Pollution - When a harmful substance is added to water making it dirty or unsafe.
Potable water - Water that is safe to drink.
Precipitation - Any liquid or solid water falling from the sky to the Earth’s surface. This can be rain, hail, sleet, or snow.
Pump - A machine that moves water from one location to another or increases water pressure. The building are pumps in is called a pump station.
Reservoir - A place that stores water, such as a tank, pond, or lake. It can be natural or built by people. Some reservoirs are above ground, and some are buried under the ground.
Runoff - Water that flows over the ground instead of soaking into the soil.
Storage capacity - The total amount of water that a reservoir can hold.
Surface water - Water that is above ground such as in streams, lakes, rivers, ponds, wetlands, and oceans.
Transmission system - Large water pipes that carry water from sources, treatment plants, or pumps to storage areas like tanks and reservoirs.
Transpiration - Plants releasing extra water into the air through their leaves. Plants use this process to cool down and to move water (and nutrients) up from the roots to the rest of the plant.
Treatment plant - A place that brings in water from a source (like a river or stream) and cleans it to make it safe to drink.
Valve - A device (like a gate) that controls the flow of water through a pipe by opening and closing.
Water conservation - Using water wisely by saving it whenever you can.
Water cycle - The name of the natural process of water moving from the sky to the earth and back again. The cycle includes condensation, evaporation, precipitation, and transpiration. It is also called the hydrologic cycle.
Water meter - A device used to keep track of the amount of water passing through a pipe.
Water provider - An organization that delivers safe drinking water to homes and businesses.
Watershed - An area of land where water (like rain or snowmelt) collects in one place like a stream, lake, or river.
Water system - A water system can be natural or built by humans. A natural water system is a river and all its branches. A built water system is a series of pipes, tanks, pumps, and hydrants that are connected together to deliver water.
Water source - A place where people get drinking water like a river, lake, or groundwater well.
Water vapor - Water in gas form.
Well - A deep hole drilled in the ground to get water from underground aquifers.