The Memphis Aquifer

Sarah Houston of Protect Our Aquifer will provide an update on the source of our drinking water with a program entitled, “The Memphis Sand Aquifer: How can we balance deferred maintenance,explosive growth, and sustainability?”

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, 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 2023.

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.