WASHINGTON, D.C., September 11, 2012— The American Farm Bureau Federation encourages the public to protect health and the environment by protecting groundwater on Protect Your Groundwater Day (Sept. 11) and every day.

“As drought continues to grip our nation, protecting groundwater through conservation is more important than ever,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. From the southwest to the southeast and the Great Plains to the Midwest, drought has put a strain on many household water wells—sometimes resulting in a reduction or loss of water flow as the water table drops.

Eighty-eight million Americans rely on groundwater supplied by community water systems, while another 42 million people depend on individual household water wells.

For household water well owners, how they manage their well systems and property can make a difference in water quality. People who do not use household wells also can make a difference in groundwater quality by properly managing how they store, use and dispose of hazardous household substances and how well they maintain their septic systems.

Protect Your Groundwater Day is an occasion for every citizen to ACT: Acknowledge the issue, Consider how it applies to you and then Take action.

Action steps from the National Ground Water Association that everyone can take to protect groundwater, public health and the environment, such as modifying water use and conserving water and installing water-saving devices in the home. Well owners can help protect groundwater by moving possible contamination sources a safe distance from the wellhead; keeping up-to-date on septic system inspection and cleaning; having wells inspected annually; and hiring a professional to properly decommission abandoned wells.

Additional tips on protecting groundwater and taking care of water wells are available online at www.wellowner.org.

Source: Press release provided by American Farm Bureau Federation