If you have ever shopped for bottled water you might have stumbled across brands that advertise their water as “artesian water.” You might have also noticed that this water is quite a bit more expensive than the typical bottle of water. If the fancy label and high price had you scratching your head, you are not alone. In this article, we will go over the science behind the term, enjoy some water trivia, and address some other common questions.
Water Trivia
Before diving into the science, let us start with water trivia. In this episode of water trivia, we will test your knowledge of artesian water. Key concepts explored will include aquifers and groundwater. We will explore the origin of the term artesian and how it applies to both wells and well water. The true-false statement will serve to help us answer the question, what is artesian water?
Trivia Statement
True/false, Bottled water often is advertised as “artesian well water.” Artesian water is groundwater that is naturally filtered by an aquifer composed of fine, porous material—this artesian water can be put directly into bottles.
Correct Answer
False
Explanation
According to the USGS website, “This is false. While it is true that artesian water, or even just “plain” well water, can sometimes be used directly for bottled water, this statement is false, because artesian water is not defined as being naturally filtered. A simple definition of artesian water is that it is water in the ground that is under pressure.
Groundwater occurring in aquifers between layers of poorly permeable rock, such as clay or shale, may be confined under pressure. If such a confined aquifer is tapped by a well, water will rise above the top of the aquifer and may even flow from the well onto the land surface, as in a spring. Water confined in this way is said to be under artesian pressure, and the aquifer is called an artesian aquifer. The word artesian comes from the town of Artois in France, the old Roman city of Artesium, where the best-known flowing artesian wells were drilled in the Middle Ages.”
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FAQs
Artesian water is a type of spring water that comes from an aquifer confined under pressure.
According to the USGS, the water itself is not much different from other types of groundwater other than how it gets to the surface.
Artesian wells are created by drilling or tapping into a confined aquifer.
Yes, the two types include an artesian well and a flowing artesian well. The key differentiator is the potentiometric surface.
In a flowing artesian well, when a confined aquifer is tapped through drilling, water will rise to the top with no need for a pump.
Artesian VS Flowing Artesian
“In the early development of some artesian basins, the potentiometric surface was above the land surface giving rise to a flowing artesian well. More commonly, the potentiometric surface is above the top of the artesian aquifer, but below the land surface. This type of well is referred to simply as an artesian well.” NGWA
Water Terminology
“An aquifer is a geologic formation, a group of formations, or a part of a formation that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to yield significant quantities of water to wells and springs.” USGS
“Groundwater is water that exists underground in saturated zones beneath the land surface.” USGS – FAQ – What Is Ground Water?
“The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface above the aquifer, to which water from an artesian aquifer would rise in a pipe. “ NGWA