Water Wise

About 80 percent of Nebraska’s population relies on groundwater for household water. The remaining 20 percent obtains water from surface water. Nebraska’s groundwater comes from natural underground layers of sand and gravel that contain water. These formations are called aquifers. Groundwater is a renewable resource, replenished mostly by precipitation. However, groundwater resources are not limitless, and groundwater levels can decline when use exceeds recharge. This has been especially true in areas of heavy use during dry years.