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Just For Kids

Hands-on Education

Kids from Crestwood Elementary tour a water well

  Students from Crestwood Elementary visit one of our water wells

Find out where Madison's water comes from! If you'd like to schedule a field trip, a visit to your school from the Water Wagon, or if you'd like educational materials, call (608) 266-4651. Or send an email to

the Water Cycle

The Water Cycle

Did you know that all the water we have on the planet today is the same water that was here when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth? The water constantly moves from the earth to the sky and back again in a process known as the water cycle.

Find out more at USGS: The Water Cycle

Where does Madison's get its water?

Graphic showing where water comes from








Madison's water doesn't come from our lakes. It comes from a place deep underground called an aquifer. Madison Water Utility has 22 wells all over the city that pump water from the aquifer into giant reservoirs, including those big water towers that you see around town. The water then moves from the reservoirs into big water main pipes that run under the streets, carrying clean water to every home and business in Madison!

Making sure the water is safe

Kids from Crestwood Elementary tour a water well

 Water Quality Manager Joe Grande shows how our water is tested

Madison's water is tested at every single well every single day. We run thousands of tests each year looking for everything from chemicals to harmful bacteria. Samples are collected right at the well and some tests are run on the spot with hand-held computers. Other samples are sent away to state labs for testing. Madison's water is super safe -- it meets or exceeds all federal and state standards!

saving water - What you can do

Only 1% of the Earth's water can be used by people. The rest is frozen or is the salt water in our oceans. As the world's population grows, more and more of us will be using this limited resource, so it's important not to waste it.

Picture of dripping faucet  


The average American family uses 400 gallons of water a day! Here's how you can use less:

- Turn off the water when you're not using it, like when you're brushing your teeth.

- Take showers instead of baths.

- Keep and eye out for dripping faucets both insude and outside your home.

- Use a bucket instead of a hose when helping wash the car.