MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) The state of our drinking water is being discussed Monday night, in the very first public forum on new research into the Memphis sands aquifer.
That’s where the water Memphians drink comes from. A five-year $5 million study is underway on the aquifer.
The Memphis sands aquifer sits 350 feet below the ground and is twice the height of Clark Tower in East Memphis. That’s why environmentalists from Protect Our Aquifer say this research is so important.
“We have a lot of water and we want to keep it that way, and we want to protect it,” said Ward Archer, Protect Our Aquifer spokesperson. “We are the largest community in the country that gets its water from the ground.”
“It is a massive undertaking and there are a lot of moving parts,” said Dr. Brian Waldron, U of Memphis professor.
Waldron is with the University of Memphis Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research and is heading up the project. Waldron says 25 graduate students will be helping with the research and collecting data.
There are already 15 known breaches in the aquifer but Waldron suspects there are more.
“This research really goes into depth. Where are these breaches, what is their character, what is their size?” says Waldron.
Waldron says having a full-scale assessment of our aquifer will better protect it for the future.
Supporters say it’s long overdue.
“I’m really, really excited this is happening. This is something we’ve really needed for a long time,” says Archer.
Monday’s public meeting with be the first of two this year. The next meeting has not been set.
