The Earth constantly recycles the same water over and over through the “water cycle.” The water we’re drinking has been around for a LONG TIME. In fact, we’re drinking the same water that the dinosaurs gargled with.
Here’s how the water cycle works…
Precipitation. Water comes down to Earth as rain, snow, hail, sleet, or freezing rain. This is called “precipitation.”
Infiltration. Some of the water moves down, or “infiltrates,” into the ground.
Runoff. Some of the water flows across the ground and into lakes, rivers, and streams. This is runoff water.
Storage. Some of the water is stored in lakes, rivers, and oceans, as well as in the ground.
Transpiration. Plants take water out of the ground. Then they release some of this water into the air through “transpiration.”
Evaporation. Water in our oceans, lakes, and rivers evaporates. This means it turns into a gas and goes back up into the atmosphere.
Condensation. Evaporated water forms clouds. Then rain falls, bringing us back to the beginning.
Our planet constantly recycles water. After it falls down as rain, water travels many places. Then water rises back into the air as a gas, forms clouds, and rains down…again.
Photo: USDA NRCS