National Groundwater Awareness Week arrives March 7–13, 2027, a reminder that the water in many taps starts deep underground.
Early March, Each Year
Every year in early March, Sunday through Saturday. It ran March 8 to 14 in 2026, and the 2027 week is set for March 7 to 13.
NGWA, the National Ground Water Association, started it in 1999. It runs the week together with the Groundwater Foundation, its education arm, and no law or agency sets the dates.
Founded in 1985, the foundation is now operated by NGWA from Westerville, Ohio. It runs school programs such as an “Awesome Aquifer” classroom kit.
A Week for Something Unseen
Local groups, in NGWA’s description, use the week to raise water issues in their own communities.
Its 20th anniversary came in 2019. That year’s theme was a single word, “Think,” urging people to consider how they protect the water beneath them.
“Although groundwater is out of sight, it certainly should not be out of mind,” NGWA’s Aaron Martin said then. Simply put, he added, it “makes life possible.”
By 2022, NGWA and the Groundwater Foundation were pushing yearly well testing and maintenance. That year’s week ran March 6 to 12.
Brian Snelten, NGWA’s president at the time, wanted it local. Protection, he said, should be “practiced locally and in your own backyard.”
Why Groundwater Matters
Millions of people drink it. About 44% of Americans rely on groundwater, which Martin put at roughly 132 million people.
Groundwater dwarfs surface water, though few people ever see it. There’s 20 to 30 times more of it than in all U.S. lakes, streams and rivers combined.
Use is enormous. Americans draw 82.3 billion gallons of groundwater a day, NGWA’s current figures show.
Private wells are a big part of the story. NGWA counts 14 million or more private wells in the country.
No utility tests those wells. That’s why NGWA urges owners to “test, tend and treat” their water systems every year.
Public systems rely on it too. More than 40% of public water comes from groundwater sources.
Daily use has climbed. NGWA cited 79.6 billion gallons a day in 2019, and its current page lists 82.3 billion.
India, another heavy user, draws 66.3 billion gallons a day, by NGWA’s figures.
Earth has plenty of water but little to drink. Only about 1% is readily available, and 99% of that is underground, the Groundwater Foundation says.
Access is a global worry too. One in four people worldwide lack clean water, NGWA notes.
How to Protect Your Water
Start with your own well, if you have one. NGWA recommends checking its condition and water quality every year, and WellOwner.org lists certified contractors.
- Keep paint, fuel and other hazardous materials well away from your wellhead and its cap.
- Take hazardous household waste to a community collection site, not the drain.
- Plant native species that need little water or fertilizer.
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, and fix leaky faucets and toilets.
- Water your yard during the coolest part of the day, and only when plants need it.
- Keep showers to about five minutes, and run only full loads in the dishwasher.
- Clean with simple products like vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda when they’ll do the job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is National Groundwater Awareness Week an official holiday?
No. A trade and science association runs it, not the government.
How many households have their own well?
More than 13.2 million, serving about 34 million people, by an earlier NGWA count.
What’s WellOwner.org?
An NGWA website with maintenance tips, built with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership.
Sources
- National Ground Water Association – National Groundwater Awareness Week
- National Ground Water Association – 20th anniversary release (2019)
- Water & Wastes Digest – 22nd National Groundwater Awareness Week (2022)
- Delaware Geological Survey – National Groundwater Awareness Week 2026
- The Groundwater Foundation