Ground Water

Underground Injection Control Program

The Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program is authorized by the Safe Drinking Water Act. The UIC Program works with state and local governments to oversee underground injection of waste in order to prevent contamination of drinking water resources.

Ground Water Center

The Ground Water Center was established in November 1996 to provide technical assistance to Region 6 programs, states, tribes, and other federal and local agencies in support of ground water protection activities. The Center works in partnership in addressing technical concerns and in this way may augment limited resources at the state and local level. Coordination is maintained with EPA Region 6 in-house programs and with respective state and tribal ground water/source water protection programs to facilitate the exchange of information and the Center's provision of technical assistance. The Center also provides technical assistance to selected communities in partnership with the state or tribe.

Sole Source Aquifer Program

A Sole Source Aquifer (SSA) is an aquifer designated by EPA as the "sole or principal source" of drinking water for a given service area. The EPA has authority to prevent federal financial assistance for projects which might contaminate a sole source aquifer.