Citizen Involvement in Source Water Protection
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Do Your Part to Protect Drinking WaterSource water is a shared resource, and you can play a part in protecting it. If you have only a limited amount of time to give, check out EPA's fact sheets on
Get a Copy of the Source Water Assessment for Your Public Water SystemThe 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act require that states ensure that a source water assessment is completed for every public water system. A source water assessment is a study and report, unique to each water system, that provides basic information about the water used as drinking water. A source water assessment shows where drinking water comes from and identifies potential sources of contamination that could pose a threat to drinking water quality. The assessments are available to the public, and you can usually obtain a copy from your state or public water system. [Top of Page]Manage Your Property to Protect Drinking WaterMany individual homeowners are responsible for their own private wells, septic systems, lawns and gardens. Good stewardship can help public health and the environment.
Participate in Source Water Planning at the Community LevelYou can work within your community, watershed or neighborhood to protect your drinking water. Water is a shared resource, and many partners are involved in implementing ground water protection through wellhead protection and surface water protection programs that use watershed management strategies. Both programs involve assessing the problems in the protection area, prioritizing management measures to address those problems and then implementing the management measures. Use your assessment to identify and prioritize needed actions The first step, assessing the problems in the protection area, has been completed for all public water systems. The assessment includes a delineation, a contaminant inventory and a susceptibility determination. If your assessment needs more local or detailed information, you can elaborate on an existing assessment report before you begin your management activities. Work with your water utility Water utilities are gatekeepers of public information, safety monitoring and emergency response. They have a critical role to play in promoting source water protection, including
Focus federal, state and local partners on protecting drinking water sources Many programs and organizations have some responsibility for water quality and land use planning. These can range from a town's conservation commission or local county extension agent to state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and federal agencies like the Forest Service. Some programs work specifically with small communities and water systems. A good question to ask when putting together a protection team is,"What other activities are going on in my watershed or wellhead protection area?" Protecting sources of drinking water can also help various federal programs, states and communities meet other environmental and social goals, such as green space conservation, stormwater planning, management of nonpoint source pollution (such as runoff from agricultural lands) and brownfields redevelopment. For example, if your community is considering a stormwater ordinance, are the locations of the town's drinking water wells being considered? Can community open space needs be met by acquiring land just upstream of the drinking water intake?
Prevent, reduce or eliminate contamination threats in your water supply protection area Communities can use a array of different source water protection methods to prevent contamination of their drinking water supplies.
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