Groundwater

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What is groundwater?

Groundwater is water beneath the surface of the earth that fills openings, known as pore spaces, in sand, gravel, or fractures of rock. It includes water stored underground in rock crevices and in the pores of geologic materials that make up the earth's crust . Groundwater's top surface is called the water table. Groundwater begins as precipitation (snow or rain) that passes through the soil and accumulates.

What is an aquifer?

An aquifer is an underground layer of rock, sand, or gravel that contains water in sufficient quantities to supply a well. When enough water accumulates underground to supply a well, it is considered an aquifer.

The City of Battle Creek obtains water from the Verona Well Field, located in the Marshall Sandstone Aquifer, a bedrock aquifer. This aquifer is the second largest producer of water in Michigan. Water from the Verona Well Field is treated at the Verona Water Treatment Plant and pumped throughout the Battle Creek area. The City of Battle Creek also maintains the Columbia Well Field, a supplemental well field for emergencies, located near Columbia Avenue. It also is in the Marshall Sandstone Aquifer.

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Last modified: March 02, 2005