4th grade class at Saint Joseph's School in Williamsport, Pa., for their question:

WHERE DOES WELL WATER COME FROM?

Underground water that can be withdrawn from wells is called ground water. This well water comes from rain that has soaked into the ground and has slowly moved down to the ground water reservoir, an area of rock and soil that is saturated with water. The top of this zone is the water table, the level at which water stands in a well that is not being pumped.

The water table may lie just below the surface in damp places. A well dug in such an area is usually lined with bricks, stone or porous concrete to keep the sides from caving in. In drier places, the water table may be hundreds of feet down and it may be necessary to sink pipes and install power driven pumps to draw out the water.