drinking water
Ground and Source Water Protection
The quality of our region's sources of drinking water--underground aquifers, lakes, streams, rivers, and reservoirs--has long been a priority at NEIWPCC. Certainly, drinking water can be treated before consumption, but the best strategy, from both an economic and environmental standpoint, is to prevent contamination at the source itself. That's always been a difficult task, and in our region, protecting water flowing across interstate boundaries presents a particular challenge due to local and state regulations.
Our Groundwater and Source Water Protection Workgroup, comprised of state and EPA staff, meets three times a year. These meetings provide a unique opportunity for the states to compare strategies and approaches and provide feedback to EPA on their initiatives. This collaboration helps forge a strong and productive working relationship between the states in our region as well as between the states and EPA.
One of the main topics discussed in recent meetings has been our member states' Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) reports. Under federal law, the states must complete reports assessing every public water system in their boundaries, informing communities of the sources of their drinking water and what activities in the watershed could pose a threat to their water supply. These SWAP reports will provide the foundation for implementing improved source water protection measures throughout the region.
For more information, contact Kara Sergeant, the coordinator of our Groundwater and Source Water Protection Workgroup.