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Sole
Source Aquifers
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Sole
Source Aquifer designations are one tool to protect drinking water
supplies in areas with few or no alternative sources to the ground
water resource, and where if contamination occurred, using an alternative
source would be extremely expensive.
The designation protects an area's ground water resource by requiring
U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review of any proposed projects
within the designated area that are receiving federal financial assistance.
All proposed projects receiving federal funds are subject to review
to ensure they do not endanger the water source.
- Ground
Water:
The location of aquifers and surface bodies of water may be subject
to impact from development or redevelopment. Contacts include
the local water department or authority, the U.S. Geodetic survey
maps, and the local or state department of natural resources.
Does
the project affect a sole source aquifer?
Threshold: The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 requires protection
of drinking water systems that are the sole or principal drinking
water source for an area and which, if contaminated, would create
a significant hazard to public health. Development, which can affect
aquifers designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
must be reviewed for impact on such designated aquifer sources. Only
for new construction and conversion activities does the sole source
aquifer (SSA) authority apply. SSA information is available from the
local planning agency, but is also listed on the homepage of the EPA
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water at (http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/ssanp.html).
Documentation: Grantees are to select A_ or B_ for the condition
that best describes their property and document the source of the
information.
A.
For the grantee who proposes new construction or conversion activities
that are located on or may affect any sole source aquifer designated
by the EPA, the grantee identifies the aquifer and provides HUD
with an explanation of the effect on the aquifer from a qualified
data source, and/or a copy of any comments on the proposed property
that the grantee has received from the EPA Regional Office as well
as from any State or local agency with jurisdiction for protecting
the drinking water system.
B.
The grantee provides HUD with a finding stating that the grantee's
proposed property is not located on nor does it affect a sole source
aquifer designated by EPA.
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