COUNTY HONORED FOR WATER EFFORTS

When the Mississippi River overflowed its banks and contaminated Martha Vandivort's water wells, she began to worry about her water supply.

Like more than half of Cape Girardeau County, Vandivort drinks well water. "I don't want to drink polluted water," she said.

While flooding can't be controlled, Vandivort said, most contamination of groundwater can. She helped form a committee in Cape Girardeau County to protect groundwater. Recently, the group's efforts paid off. Cape Girardeau County was named a Groundwater Guardian Community by the Groundwater Foundation, a nationwide educational organization.

Bob Kuzelka, who coordinates the Guardian communities program, presented the award to the county commission on Monday.

The Groundwater Foundation is based in Lincoln, Neb., and works to inform people about the value of groundwater and the need to protect it.

"Protecting it is easier than trying to clean it up later," Kuzelka said.

In 1994, the foundation started the program to honor communities for efforts to protect groundwater. This is the first year that communities have been named Guardians. Cape County is among 50 to receive the distinction.

The committee put together a plan to improve people's understanding about groundwater. The plan earned the honor, Kuzelka said.

Groundwater is water that finds its way underground by infiltration from rainfall or seepage from rivers and lakes. "It's a very great potential supply of drinking water," Kuzelka said.

More than half of Cape Girardeau County depends on groundwater for drinking water. Only Cape Girardeau city uses Mississippi River water, and the city is adding additional wells. About 4,000 wells are in use in the county.

Generally, Kuzelka said, groundwater is better quality than surface water. But groundwater is also vulnerable to pollutants in the air and on the ground.

"Protecting groundwater is the environmental bottom line," Kuzelka said. "If you are protecting groundwater, you are protecting everything up above."

Cape Girardeau County groundwater is particularly susceptible to pollutants, Kuzekla said, because the geology includes a thin layer of top soil above limestone. Water, and any pollutants it carries, move quickly through limestone, he said.

Vandivort said, "When you know the things you do, dumping chemicals or sewage, goes right down into the water you are drinking you want to do something."

She is the League of Women Voters state chairman for water. The Cape Girardeau Groundwater Committee includes Vandivort, with the League of Women Voters, and representatives of the Cape Girardeau County Health Department, University of Missouri-Extension, Cape County Water District 1, and the Rural Water Association.

The Cape Girardeau County Health Department will inspect and test water wells for free.