The city of Memphis is blessed with some of the purest and most abundant sources of water in the world.
Even as the Mississippi River pushes 340 million gallons of water past the city every 15 minutes, Memphians, unlike in other river cities, indulge in the naturally purified massive reserves of an artesian well reservoir.
Yet many locals do not know that the source of Memphis’ drinking water lies under their feet.
At The University of Memphis, the Ground Water Institute researches the methods behind successful water production in the tri-state area.
The institute collects water from the aquifer, a water-bearing bed of porous rock 500 feet underground, that provides the city’s main source of water.
The aquifer works when gravity pushes rainwater or washed-up river water down and creates pressure inside the aquifer. Artesian wells tapped into the aquifer flow by themselves.
A demand for cleaner drinking water came after the yellow fever epidemic swept through Memphis in the 1880s. Since the discovery of the main aquifer, more than 180 wells have been drilled into it for drinking water.
According to Dr. Brian Waldron, a research associate professor at the Ground Water Institute, the water in Memphis goes through a natural filtering process.
“Sound in the ground filters each molecule of water, providing some of the cleanest drinking water in the world,” said Waldron.
The purification of Memphis’ water is really fascinating, according to Waldron. Only the iron is removed from the water. Fluoride kills bacteria in the pipes for extra human safety.
The institute continues to search for potential recharge areas from tributaries into the Memphis aquifer. Two of the main sources for the aquifer come from the Wolf River and the Nonconnah Creek wetland. The recharged water from the sources provide more drinking water.
Because preserving a source for safe drinking water is so important, several agencies contribute money to the research projects for the institutes. Memphis Light Gas and Water, local municipalities, Memphis/Shelby County Health Department, Coors Brewing Company and other agencies help out.
Along with a wetland study, undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty conduct several other projects. One project focuses on the Mississippi Embayment. Located in central Louisiana, the Mississippi Embayment holds a series of freshwater aquifers. The study focuses on how the modeling of the Mississippi Embayment affects the southeastern United States’ water supply.
Precipitation also contributes to the purity of Memphis water. Rainwater percolates through the ground, thus continually replenishing the reservoir.
The Memphis water system is 1,000 years old and like wine, Memphis water gets finer with age.
