Source Water

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Source Water
Assessment and Protection of Water Supplies
February 2002
Graphics from Bill Diamond EPA Drinking Water
Protection Division
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Protect what?

• Watersheds of public water supply intakes (within
  a reasonable area)
• Recharge areas of public water supply wells

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Source Water Assessment Protection
Program (168,000 PWSs Must Have Complete
Assessments By 2003)
2,156 (98)
4,211 (96)
2,103 (98)
1,347 (95)
550 (96)
2,023 (97)
8,352 (98)
1,628 (85)
2,645 (96)
10,630 (97)
11,724 (99)
718 (96)
2,080 (98)
479 (94)
12,350 (98)
736 (97)
10,389 (97)
3,705 (98)
1,932 (94)
4,279 (95)
5,939 (95)
1,329 (97)
4,837 (96)
675 (95)
551 (97)
5,801 (93)
1,414 (94)
3,815 (98)
953 (91)
3,776 (96)
2,101 (95)
1,079 (93)
2,701 (94)
8,146 (91)
712 (67)
7,511 (97)
1,173 (79)
1,527 (90)
1,732 (93)
1,199 (89)
1,274 (95)
1,687 (94)
2,572 (92)
1,645 (98)
1,485 (88)
702 (63)
Puerto Rico 490 (74)
1,820 (87)
6,865 (89)
141 (74)
6,607 (94)
1996 SDWA
Source Water Assessments
Source Water Protection
2003
1. Delineate Source Water area
5. Establish local SW protection risk
management measures
2. Contamination source inventory
6. Develop Contingency Plans
3. Susceptibility Determinations
4. Public distribution discussion of findings
Consumer Confidence Reports
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Source Water Protection Areas
Ground Water
Surface Water
Wellhead Protection Recharge Area
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Three zones for a river intake
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Intake in a Large Reservoir
Zone 1
Zone 2
Zone 3
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Whats the risk?

• Susceptibility
• the potential for a public water system to draw
  water that is contaminated.
• A Susceptibility Analysis provides
• technical rationale for management strategies
• information to the consuming public
• (included in the Consumer Confidence report)

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Inventory evaluate potential contaminants
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Data sets considered in inventory

• Abandoned oil wells
• Airports
• Roads rails near streams
• Waste treatment, storage or disposal facilities

• Waste generators or transporters
• Superfund sites
• Landfills, orphan and active
• KPDES permits
• and . . .

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Inventory more data sets

• Natural gas lines
• parks
• Underground storage tanks
• Facilities handling toxics

• Underground injection wells
• Land cover
• Active abandoned mines
• Sewer lines

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Analysis Factors

• Location in which protection area
• Contaminant value relative toxicity
• Groundwater sensitivity (for well only)
• Likelihood of release (for surface intake only)

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Assessments will result in

• Public notice, awareness and education.
• Better, scientific understanding of the potential
  threats to the water supply.
• Public involvement, if incorporated during
  inventory.
• A tool to help make decisions about protecting
  drinking water.

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What will protect water sources?

• Good housekeeping practices can minimize
  contaminant release.
• Streamside vegetation (riparian buffers) can
  prevent some contaminants from reaching streams.
• Control land by purchasing or securing easements
  can prevent siting of contaminants in key
  locations (Zone I, for example).

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How will protection happen?

• Strict enforcement of existing regulations for
  managing potential contaminants.
• Voluntary management practices on private lands.
• Incentives to landowners and business
• Local ordinances to protection supply areas.
• County- or region-wide wastewater planning
• Planning and zoning

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Laying the groundwork for protection

• Area Development Districts are facilitating local
  review of
• Protection areas for accuracy and size
• Inventory data for accuracy and additional
  (e.g. septic system areas, agricultural
  practices, other potential nonpoint sources.)
• Narrative conclusions

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When?

• The federal government requires assessments by
  May, 2003.
• Water Mgt Planning requires assessments and
  protection recommendations within 5 years of the
  first Water Supply Plan approval.
• Earliest due date will be at least 3 months after
  release of draft information from DOW.
• Conclusions to appear in Consumer Confidence
  Reports within year