Source Water Protection
Source Water Protection
Protecting sources of drinking water is an effective way to reduce risks to public health, instill customer confidence, and control water treatment costs. Addressing water quality concerns at the source also has many other environmental and societal benefits that are not seen from treatment alone.
Resources
Measuring Success: Source Water Protection Performance Metrics Tool
This tool is intended to help drinking water utilities of all sizes identify and document quantitative and/or qualitative metrics to assess the benefits of source water protection measures and programs over time. This information will help you evaluate the success of measures and the program relative to your program goals, demonstrate the value and results of investments in source water protection, and adjust your program as needed.
Resources:
Source Water Justification Toolkit
This toolkit provides information for systems looking to implement source water protection measures for the first time and systems that want to modify or expand existing source water protection programs. As a supplement to this toolkit, a Microsoft PowerPoint template to present the initial business case for investing in source water protection to key decision-makers such as local officials, board of directors, and investors.
Stream Study Data Available from U.S. Forest Service
The US Forest Service recently published the the book, Biological responses to stream nutrients: A synthesis of science from experimental forest and ranges.
This book is an outstanding example of interagency collaboration that draws together, for the first time, current science from 17 experimental forests nationwide to make it readily available to the water quality regulatory agencies and their partners in land management.
Protecting Source Water — Information for Our Agricultural Partners
Why is source water protection important? Water utilities rely on sustainable sources of water that can be treated to provide reliable, high-quality drinking water. Section 2503 of the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act (AIA) identifies, for the first time, source water protection as an explicit goal of agricultural conservation programs. This report provides talking points and a call to action for protecting water at the source.
Protecting Drinking Water at the Source: Working with the USDA Forest Service
What does source water protection involve, and why is it important? AWWA, with assistance from the USDA Forest Service, has put together this report to provide a concise overview and suggest ways that utilities can partner with the USDA Forest Service to protect an invaluable natural asset.
AWWA whiteboard animation describes 2018 Farm Bill provisions to protect drinking water sources
Source water protection programs take many forms, such as spill prevention and response planning, stakeholder education, coordination with upstream point source dischargers, and addressing upstream nonpoint sources.
Although all methods of source water protection are important, two new AWWA resources are built to assist utilities in working with farm conservation programs, which due to the 2018 Farm Bill will now have a much greater reemphasis on source water protection, spending an astonishing $4 billion over the next 10 years to help protect sources of drinking water!
Read Press Release
Technical Resources
Reports
Manuals
AWWA Standards
Effects of Forest Cover on Treatment Costs
Read the Report
Managing Bromide Discharges from Upstream Sources
Read the Report
Communicating Source Water Protection Efforts in Consumer Confidence Reports Literature Review
Read the Report
Communicating Source Water Protection Efforts in Consumer Confidence Reports Guidance Document
Read the Report
Working with the NRCS for Source Water Protection
Read the Report
M21 Groundwater
This manuals is written to provide a general understanding of groundwater principles
Get the Manual
M50 Water Resources Planning
This comprehensive, how-to manual and guide demonstrates how to produce a long term Integrated Resource Plan for a water utility.
Get the Manual
M63 Aquifer Storage and Recovery
This manual provides a general understanding of the principles of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR).
Get the Manual
M73 Groundwater Management
M73 provides the reader with a general understanding of the principles involved with groundwater and its movement and character.
Get the Manual
ANSI/AWWA G300 Source Water Protection Operations and Management
This standard describes the essential elements for the effective protection of source waters.
Get the Standard
Source Water Protection Operational Guide to AWWA Standard G300
This operational guide helps utility managers implement the requirements established in AWWA G300 Source Water Protection.
Get the Guide
Advertisement
Events With a Focus on Source Water Protection
See All Events
Related Resources
Cyanobacteria/Cyanotoxins
Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are photosynthetic bacteria that can live in many types of water. They are important primary producers (organisms that make energy directly from the sun) in aquatic ecosystems. While critical to water and soil resources, excessive cyanobacteria growth can cause ecological and public health concerns, including producing cyanotoxins.
Learn More
Watershed Management for Drinking Water Protection
Drinking water quality starts at the watershed. This is a practical guide on watershed management for drinking water providers. Protection of the watershed is the water provider’s first barrier in the multiple-barrier approach to preserving water quality from source to tap.
Read More
M50 Water Resources Planning
This comprehensive, how-to manual and guide demonstrates how to produce a long term Integrated Resource Plan for a water utility. It helps water resources planners develop and implement a comprehensive work plan.
Read More
External Resources
Biological responses to stream nutrients: a synthesis of science from experimental forests and ranges
Source Water Collaborative
LakeLine Magazine: Focus on Source Water Protection
USEPA Water Quality Data Exchange
USEPA Surf Your Watershed
USEPA Watershed Academy
USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program
Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water
Association of State Drinking Water Administrators
USEPA Source Water Protection Program
USEPA How Can You Help Protect Source Water?
Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters (DWMAPS)
National Rural Water Association
USDA Tools to Support Source Water Protection
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Directory of Forestry Departments in the Provincial Governments
Provincial Programs – Alberta
Provincial Programs – British Columbia
Provincial Programs – New Brunswick
Provincial Programs – Newfoundland and Labrador
Provincial Programs – Northwest Territories
Provincial Programs – Nova Scotia
Provincial Programs – Quebec
Provincial Programs – Prince Edward Island
Ontario Source Water Protection Program
Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP)
Ontario Source Protection Information Atlas
Ontario Clean Water Act & Regulations
Ontario Source Water Protection Threats Tool and Table of Drinking Water Threats
Ontario Technical Rules
Ontario Guide for Municipal Councils
Ontario Risk Management Measures Catalogue
Conservation Ontario
AWWA Policy Statements
AWWA’s policy statements are brief statements on protecting and improving water supply, water quality, management, and the interests of the public and the environment. They are written by consensus, subject to review and comment by AWWA committees, councils, and members. Because they represent AWWA’s position on these matters, they are approved by the AWWA Executive Committee of the board of directors.
Technical Committee Engagement
AWWA members are recognized globally for their industry expertise and their generosity in sharing that expertise for a better world through better water. AWWA members participate in committee activities, developing conference programs, writing technical manuals, developing standards, creating educational content and contributing to AWWA publications. Committee members primarily interact through conference calls, emails, and face to face meetings at conferences and events.
Source Water Protection Committee
Standards Committee on Source Water Protection
Advertisement
