where does the water we drink come from?

The water we drink primarily comes from two natural sources: surface water and groundwater. Surface water includes lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs, and wetlands, while groundwater is found underground in aquifers—natural reservoirs in soil, sand, and rock layers. Both sources are replenished mainly by precipitation such as rain and snow. Municipal drinking water is often sourced from either surface water or groundwater. Surface water is common for large city water supplies, drawn from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Groundwater is typically accessed from wells and springs, especially in rural areas. Once sourced, the water undergoes treatment including filtration and disinfection before it reaches taps for safe drinking. Additionally, water on Earth originated from processes in space such as asteroid impacts and degassing of the Earth's crust, but the immediate source of the water we consume daily is precipitation feeding into these accessible water bodies and underground sources.