Where Does Water Come From? Fascinating Drinking Water Facts For Kids

Did you know that the Earth’s surface is made up of 71% water and 29% land?

Yet, most cities on Earth are deprived of the necessary drinking water supplies needed to survive. Ever thought about where the water in our taps, various rivers and lakes come from? Then, read on.

Our Earth, in general, holds a lot of surface water. If you were to ask a child where our water comes from, they might tell you that water comes from taps.

If the same question was asked to an adult, they might tell you about the process of the water cycle. If we think about it, both the answers given are correct.

One shocking fact is that even though the earth is comprised of nearly 70% water, only 1% of it is fresh and usable. This 1 % of surface water is taken from lakes, rivers, and the ground.

If you enjoy this article, you might also want to learn about where does wax come from and where does taurine come from.

Where does tap water come from?

When we turn on our taps, water comes flowing out like a river. As kids, you may have wondered where water comes from before it reaches us. One answer to that, is that it comes from a municipal water supply system.

The next question you might be thinking of is how does the water get there? Well, as a universal law, everything comes from nature.

The sources of these water systems are all based around surface water and groundwater, which is used to replenish the rivers, lakes and streams that we take our water from. As a result of this, people may be concerned about whether or not the water that comes from our taps is safe for us to drink.

The water that comes from our taps and the drinking water that we get from our water source, are all treated before being sent to our homes.

Furthermore, if you are living in one of the bigger cities in your country, you will have municipal water supply systems that will treat and send the water to your own water system.

Estimates on the use of water suggest that, on average, a person uses about 80-100 gal (302.83-378.54 l) of water per day. As for the average American family, more than 300 gal (1135.62 l) of water are used per day. 

Where does the water we drink come from?

Drinking water comes from taps and other water sources like clear rills, rivers, water filters, and even groundwater. The water collected from these sources is transported to water treatment plants, where the processes of filtration, ultraviolet light treatment, and chlorination occur.

These treatments are needed in order to prevent outbreaks of water-borne diseases that are found in contaminated water. Thankfully, with each passing year, our scientists and researchers are finding new ways to treat water to make it drinkable.

Brazil is known for having the highest freshwater resources on the planet, providing approximately 12% of the world’s freshwater resources. This is due to the Amazon region, that accounts for 70% of the country's total freshwater.

Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, Finland, Colombia, Singapore, New Zealand and Sweden, are all among the countries that are known to have the best and healthiest tap water in the world. Switzerland, in comparison, is known to have the cleanest water in the world.

Whether water is drinkable or not depends largely on its location. Tap water that is safe to drink should be properly treated or else you could be putting your health at risk.

Distilled water is a purified form of water and is known to be the second least healthy water to drink. The intense purification process while preparing distilled water kills bacteria and other germs in the water.

Where does bottled water come from?

Bottled water comes from municipal water systems and water filtration centers, where it has undergone purification processes that make the water drinkable. In some places, due to water scarcity, bottled water is taken from public pumps, taps and other sources such as springs, wells, and surface waters.

In the UK, they mainly drink tap water, as the water is purified and treated. There is therefore no need for additional drinking water installations in their homes, as they have drinkable tap water.

Overall, Severn Trent in the West Midlands of the UK, is known to produce the best tasting water, but, in general, the UK's tap water is ranked as one of the best and safest to drink.

Where does the water from Niagara falls come from?

The high flowing waters that we see at Niagara Falls come from the Great Lakes, which are also known to be the world's largest freshwater surface system in the world. It provides about 18% of the world’s freshwater supply.

Many streams and rivers contribute to the Great Lakes but there are four main great rivers which are called Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie. Shutting down Niagara Falls is an impossible task as water continuously flows down from the sea.

Much of the water that is created flows through the water cycle. The water cycle is the continuous flow or movement of water, going through specific phases and distances.

The liquid water from oceans and rivers evaporates into water vapor by the heat from the Sun. It then rises on the wind and is made into clouds. Next, it is condensed back into liquid form as rain.

So, next time you feel humidity in the atmosphere, it's a sign of rain coming to fill the ocean, rivers and wells. The precipitation falling on to the ground can then percolate through the soil and become groundwater. This groundwater is then used to create wells as certain locations are chosen due to the groundwater found in those spots.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for where does water come from?

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