CLOSPA Highly Vulnerable Aquifer

Click to view Metadata A Highly Vulnerable Aquifer (HVA) is an aquifer that can be easily changed or affected by contamination from both human activities and natural processes. When a municipality draws drinking water from a well, it gets that water from underground. This groundwater is found in aquifers which collect water much like a sponge does. When water can pass through soil, such as sand or gravel, we call that surface permeable. An aquifer is more vulnerable to contamination if the soil layer is thin. Aquifers are areas of soil or rock under the ground where cracks and spaces allow water to pool. They are considered highly vulnerable based on factors such as how deep it is underground, what sort of soil or rock is covering it, and the characteristics of the soil or rock surrounding it.