The park had nine extant wells tapping the Galena-Platteville Aquifer when the state purchased the property.

The rich, silty soil of the area was found to be suitable for agriculture, but wells tapping groundwater brought up an inadequate supply of water for such a hot, arid region.

Since this method of field development is not possible in a large city with no open land, all the wells tapping into the Beverly Hills field are clustered into four drilling islands-oil production and processing facilities tightly packed into windowless, soundproofed buildings-so as to have a minimal impact on adjacent land uses.

As of 2008, only a few new hydro fractured wells tapping the Marcellus reserves were actually in operation, with at least one reported to be producing more than 3 million cubic feet (85 thousand m3) per day.

Still, until a new contractor is selected to run the laboratory, Mr. Wagoner, 56, will be responsible for a laboratory that has provoked widespread fears about the safety of Long Island's drinking water, much of which is taken from wells tapping into the groundwater.

It carries water from wells tapping fossil water in the Sahara desert to the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi, Sirte and others.

Food came from the lake, from manna, or from deep wells tapping Gaea's milk.

The best water was thought to come from wells tapping these sources.

Of the water required for cities and for irrigation, two-thirds depends on groundwater pumped from wells tapping aquifers.