AWQUA: Aquifer Water Quality Assessment for Kansas

Cities, towns, businesses, farms, and homeowners across Kansas rely on groundwater, making it a vital natural and economic resource. Although we are continuing to develop a science-based understanding of water availability throughout the region, we lack long-term, systematic groundwater quality data. We do know, however, that contamination of groundwater in multiple locations threatens human health and livelihoods. Localized issues of groundwater quality have emerged across the state in the past several decades from both natural and anthropogenic sources, leaving communities and domestic well owners vulnerable. Examples include nitrate contamination in the Great Bend Prairie aquifer and uranium contamination in the Upper Arkansas River corridor. As a matter of public health and environmental protection, it is imperative to understand both the quantity and quality of groundwater now and into the future.   

To address this pressing need, KGS is building a comprehensive groundwater quality monitoring and research program that will serve the state of Kansas and advance our understanding of groundwater sustainability. 

Domestic, lawn and garden, stock, and irrigation wells can be tested for FREE under this program.  Wells can be sampled every two years with entry into a long-term monitoring program or just a single time. 

The combined effects of the AWQUA program help Kansans identify ways to protect and manage water resources, including actions to safeguard our aquifers from future decline in quality.  Data will be helpful for domestic well owners who may not be aware of groundwater quality concerns in their local areas. 

As part of this program, the KGS will sample groundwater wells across the state to measure groundwater chemistry. If you are interested in participating and potentially having your domestic or irrigation well tested, visit Interested in Sampling Your Well?

You can also view the results of the groundwater samples on our online map which is updated as we receive and test each new sample.