The water cycle is nature’s perpetual motion machine, constantly recycling water across the planet. It begins with precipitation – rain, snow, or hail – falling from the sky, replenishing rivers, lakes, and the earth itself. Some water quickly evaporates back into the atmosphere, while the rest flows into streams and rivers, or seeps into the ground to become groundwater. Along its journey, water can pick up impurities from various sources like atmospheric dust, minerals from streambeds, and even human-introduced pollutants. To meet our needs, we tap into this dynamic system by diverting surface water, pumping groundwater, or collecting rainwater. Often, these efforts are managed by agencies that treat and distribute water to our homes and communities through a complex network of pipes and infrastructure.