By Bhoopesh

Water is the most essential element of life on Earth. Water is needed not only
for drinking but also for cooking, washing, growing crops and generating
electricity.

About 71% of the earth is covered with water but only less than 3% of it is
fresh water that is available for drinking purpose. Natural sources of water are:
Rain water, Rivers, Streams, lakes, Glaciers and Aquifers.

Water present beneath the earth's surface is called Underground water or just
Groundwater. Precipitation is the major source for all underground water.
When precipitation exceeds the water retention capacity of soil, the excess
water starts seeping downward through cracks and pores in the soil. It gets
accumulated in fractures of rock and pores of hard materials.

Soil and rock layers naturally filter the ground water to a high degree of purity.
Such water may emerge as springs, or may be extracted from wells, hand-
pumps or tube-wells.