Jason Kircher 10/22/11 COMM 201 Speech to Inform Thesis: Americans are blessed to have access to a supply of clean,

drinkable water.

I.

What am I? Game
A. Water is the most basic element of life. B. Americans are blessed to have access to a supply of clean, drinkable water.

II. There is a complex process involved in bringing this precious resource to the consumer.
A. Water in the US comes from two different sources.
1. Groundwater is drilled out of the ground (shallow or deep). a) EPA says more water systems pull out of groundwater.

b) According to the US Geological Survey (2005), 20% is groundwater. 2. Second source in US is surface water. a) Surface water includes oceans, rivers, lakes, i.e. water accessible without drilling. b) More people drink surface water USGS says 80% of largescale water systems is surface water.

B. Both sources must be processed to meet health and safety standards.

1. Coagulation is where chemicals are added to the recently tapped water. a) This creates floc, a sticky substance that attracts dirt particles b) This now heavy floc settles to the bottom of treatment tanks, and taken out of the water supply. 2. Filtration is when water passes through filters to separate water from undesired particles.

Jason Kircher 10/22/11 COMM 201 Speech to Inform Thesis: Americans are blessed to have access to a supply of clean, drinkable water. a) Sand, charcoal, and gravel all used as filters. b) 3. These filters remove clay and small microorganisms

Disinfection is the final step. a) Chlorine is added to ensure the killing of all contaminants

b) Disinfection is the most important advancement in producing clean, and healthy, drinking water

III. Americans take clean and available water for granted, but its the result of a complex and important process.
A. Recap sources and cleaning process B. Next time you go for a drink of water, remember that it is actually way more than just a faucet away.