NGWA’s annual National Groundwater Awareness Week, held March 7-13, was the No. 1 visited web page on the Association’s website that week with nearly 2000 pageviews.
An annual observance established in 1999 to highlight the responsible development, management, and use of groundwater, the event is also a platform to encourage yearly water well testing and well maintenance, and the promotion of policies impacting groundwater quality and supply.
This year, NGWA and its partners focused its advocacy on highlighting the need for heightened awareness of local, regional, and national policies that protect and increase access to groundwater.
NGWA’s Groundwater Awareness Week web page provided the public with information such as:
- How to contact state and federal representatives to urge them to protect groundwater
- Information on each state’s groundwater usage
- Stats facts about groundwater
- Downloadable social media graphics/official Groundwater Awareness Week logos to share
- Tips for private well system checkup, testing, and maintenance on NGWA’s website for homeowners with wells, WellOwner.org
- Awesome Aquifer Kit promotion as well as links to The Groundwater Foundation’s educational resources.
Montana Water Well Drillers Association President-Elect Jaci Giop of O’Keefe Drilling Co. in Butte, Montana, pictured at the top right instructing students, delivered Awesome Aquifer Kits from The Groundwater Foundation to a sixth-grade science class on March 12 at Butte Central Elementary.
Gary Hix, CWD/PI, shown at left, made a presentation to the students of the Association of Building Industries (AOBI) Charter High School in Fort Mohave, Arizona, where Hix resides. He spoke about the importance of groundwater as a finite natural resource in Arizona and the potential career opportunities available for the next generation.
Hix spoke to 75 students from all three grade levels in attendance, plus teacher-instructors and staff members. After his presentation, Hix took questions from the audience and presented the school with a dozen copies of past issues of NGWA’s Water Well Journal®, 55 printed copies of Arizona Cooperative Extension Bulletin AZ1485, second edition, and digital copies of other publications related to groundwater.
Groundwater Awareness Week was a success on social media as well with 35,000 impressions on Twitter and nearly 450 new followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.