Water Cycle

Did You Know?
The sun acts as a pump, keeping water going around and around.

Phases
  1. Condensation - Water vapor forms clouds. When the clouds cool, the vapor becomes liquid.
  2. Precipitation - Liquid is heavier than vapor. Gravity pulls the liquid down on the earth as rain.
  3. Runoff - When the rain hits the earth, it runs across the land into lakes, streams, and oceans.
  4. Percolation - Some of the rain soaks into the ground and travels through rocks, gravel, and sand.
  5. Ground Water - Water that percolates down through the ground is stored in aquifers.
  6. Discharge - Some ground water eventually travels back to the earth's surface.
  7. Evaporation - The sun heats surface water, making it into vapor that rises into the sky.

Learn More

To learn more about our water supply, contact the Water Department at (276) 679-1160.