An individual in an industrialized urban society may use from one million to five million gallons of water during their lifetime. If the share of industrial, agricultural, and recreational usage is counted, the total amount of water may exceed ten million gallons per capita. Water resources are those sources of water that meet the need of the individual and society, and the value of that resource depends on demand and availability. Our arid climate, coupled with increasing demands on water supply and the over—allocation of surface water resources, forces much of Yavapai County to rely on ground water wells for potable use. This primer has been prepared to provide the homeowner with a basic understanding of where your water comes from in Yavapai County, and for the well-based watersupply system owner to understand some of the vulnerabilities of their water supply