The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection on Friday put a spotlight on the importance of drinking water supply aquifers with the release of a new video titled “What is an Aquifer?”

Aquifers are one of our most precious natural resources, providing clean, safe, reliable sources of water for drinking, bathing and other household uses, DEEP said in a news release.

Groundwater from our aquifers is used in large quantities for industry, agriculture, manufacturing, fire protection and energy production.

Groundwater provides base flow to our streams, rivers, and lakes.

Approximately two-thirds of Connecticut’s residents rely on groundwater for their drinking water supply, whether it be from private wells or public water supply wells, DEEP said.

“DEEP’s new video 'What is an Aquifer?' unlocks the mystery of our fragile, hidden water resources, showing the viewer how an aquifer is recharged and holds water, how it can be contaminated, and how the aquifers can be cleaned of contamination,” DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee said.

As an educational partner invested in the protection of the environment for the benefit of the residents of Connecticut, DEEP has made this video about Connecticut’s groundwater available to teachers, students, administrators, municipal officials, local board and commission members, environmental groups and the general public.

The video is available at www.ct.gov/deep/videos and www.youtube.com/CTDEEPvideos.

For more information, please visit www.ct.gov/deep/aquiferprotection.