Sarah Houston, Protect Our Aquifer

Sarah Houston, Executive Director of Protect Our Aquifer, and Science Director Scott Schoefernacker will share the latest news on the Memphis Aquifer, the source of public drinking water in the Mid South. The Memphis Sand Aquifer is a geological jewel below West Tennessee. With some of the purest water in the country, deep below Downtown Memphis, the Aquifer has long been ignored and underappreciated. Legacy pollution is seeping deeper, proposed legislation presents new challenges to our water resources, explosive growth is expected from Ford's Blue Oval City, and recent weather crises have revealed the vulnerability of our infrastructure. Managing the Memphis Sand Aquifer has become more important than ever before - and community support is key.  

Come ready to learn, ask questions, and celebrate the Memphis Sand Aquifer for World Water Day 2024!

Sarah Houston serves as the Executive Director of Protect Our Aquifer - the organization’s first full-time staff person. Sarah is originally from Texas and has been pedaling a passion for water in the academic, corporate and nonprofit sectors for 10 years. Before joining POA, she had traveled over 8,000 miles by bicycle educating on YouTube about the water sources along the way. This led her to take a position at the University of Memphis - CAESER - our region’s leading aquifer research center. Houston supports proactive management to ensure the sustainability of our community’s water supply. She is pursuing a Master of Earth Sciences from UofM and spends her free time outdoors, biking, kayaking, and dancing to the great music found in Memphis.

Scott Schoefernacker became the Science Director for Protect Our Aquifer in 2023.  A hydrogeologist and state-licensed professional geologist, Scott spent the last 11 years at the University of Memphis with the Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER) investigating groundwater resources in Shelby County and West Tennessee. Prior to CAESER he worked as a geologist for the Memphis-based environmental consulting firm ENSAFE conducting environmental investigations and site assessments across the United States. He holds a M.S. in geosciences from Western Kentucky University and a PhD in earth sciences from University of Memphis.