Revised Policy Statement: Quality of Water Supply Sources

Revised Policy Statement: Quality of Water Supply Sources 

April 4, 2024

The following revised AWWA Policy Statement on Quality of Water Supply Sources has been approved by the Technical and Educational Council for member comment. 
Comments on the policy statement will be reviewed by AWWA staff and forwarded to the Executive Committee if the comments are minor, or referred back to the originating body if the comments are substantive. Policies forwarded to the Executive Committee will be reviewed for approval and final action. 

Quality of Water Supply Sources 

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) supports all actions to secure drinking water from high quality sources and protect those to the maximum degree practicable. Resource use and development should avoid or minimize degradation of any drinking water source. AWWA is committed to protecting public health and water supply sources by supporting scientific research and decision making based on sound scientific data and best practices.

AWWA strongly believes that the quality of existing and prospective sources of drinking water supply should be protected, maintained, and improved, where feasible. Protecting source waters from contamination is one of the basic fundamental barriers to ensure high-quality drinking water. Preventing source water contamination is often a more effective and sustainable practice to reach the ultimate goal of producing high-quality drinking water rather than treating water from a compromised source.

AWWA recommends that source water protection plans be site‐specific with prioritized scientific, technical, managerial, financial, and communication strategies to protect water quality. A timetable for implementation should be included. 

Practices specified in this policy statement are consistent with all other pertinent AWWA policy statements.

Adopted by the Board of Directors June 8, 1975, and withdrawn Jan. 25, 1987. Adopted by the Board of Directors June 19, 1988, and revised June 11, 2000, June 15, 2003, January 21, 2007, January 17, 2010, January 2017, and October 2020.

Submit comments by May 4, 2024.