Have you ever wondered what life would be like without access to clean drinking water? Unfortunately, about 1 in 3 people across the globe do not have access to safe drinking water. This equals over two billion people, mostly located in developing countries.  

While billions of people struggle to access clean drinking water, it is worthwhile to be reminded of the effort it takes to provide safe drinking water. This newsletter discusses a history of advancing clean water in the United States, highlights some of the costs associated with supplying safe drinking water and explains the role and benefits of source water protection in ensuring clean drinking water access for all. 

The United States (U.S.) is advanced in drinking water legislation and water infrastructure. The U.S. began federally regulating drinking water as early as 1914, when the U.S. Public Health Service set bacteriological standards for drinking water quality. The Public Health Service revised these standards several times (in 1925, 1946, and 1962), and The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was passed by Congress in 1974. A year later, all 50 states adopted the SDWA in some form, either as regulations or guidelines for all public water systems in their jurisdiction. In 1996, the SDWA was amended to emphasize the importance of pollution prevention to protect the safety of drinking water supplies. The amendment required states to create a Source Water Assessment Program for all public drinking water systems. State drinking water programs were required to complete an inventory of potential contaminants that threatened their public water supply. The purpose of the 1996 SDWA amendment was to provide communities with the information needed to formulate and implement protection measures. 

Another key piece of legislation is the 1972 U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA), which establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and quality standards for surface waters. Together the SDWA and the CWA work together to protect public drinking water. Today, both Acts remain a fundamental piece of drinking water legislation and set industry wastewater standards and national water quality criteria. 

Consistent improvement and investment in source water protection have produced a status quo in America over the last century. For some communities, clean, accessible drinking water is an everyday occurrence and not very noteworthy. However, a lot of hard work and funding is needed to ensure public water supplies stay safe to drink. Continue reading to learn about several source water protection actions.  

There are several viable source water protection actions that can proactively protect drinking water sources, improve the environment and help communities minimize any potential costs. 

First, source water protection can reduce treatment costs. For example, installing green infrastructure, like rain gardens, planter boxes and permeable pavement, can help reduce the number of potential contaminants introduced to source waters by absorbing harmful chemicals from stormwater runoff. As a result of having less contaminants to filter out, communities can save money on treatment costs while promoting a more sustainable approach to water quality management. 

Potential contaminants can also be reduced by increasing riparian zones and installing larger buffers surrounding drinking water sources. Larger buffers and riparian zones naturally decrease sedimentation and can lead to improved water quality. Just like rain gardens, planter boxes, permeable pavement, adding buffers and increasing riparian zones can limit the need for additional treatment chemicals to produce potable water, thus reducing costs.  

To improve public awareness, engagement, and trust in public water supplies, a combination of outreach and education tools can be used. For example, communities could host a “Waterfest” event, with the goal of educating residents about the municipality’s water supply, promoting water conservation, and celebrating the importance of water. Green infrastructure workshops (e.g., a rain barrel demonstration) and guest speakers offering knowledge on water-related topics are example activities to get community members in-tune with the role they could play in source water protection.  

Targeted outreach and education about best practices to community members within the critical source water area is another strategy that can improve water quality and promote public awareness. For example, sending mailers to homeowners within the critical source water area about ways to properly manage their septic tanks will provide them with important information about the positive effects of proper maintenance on water quality.  

Additionally, land purchases or easements of property next to or near the source water can be an effective way to both reduce future contamination of a water supply and preserve natural habitats. By doing this, communities can maintain or increase biodiversity, which expands the likelihood of long-term source water quality and ecosystem health through the many services (e.g., climate regulation) that our flora and fauna provide. Adding signage denoting best practices in these conserved areas is a strong visual message that can reach a large and diverse audience. Simultaneously, it can further the positive impact of land acquisition as a source water protection action by promoting awareness. 

You can get involved in source water protection through the Drinking Water Source Protection Program (DWSP2). DWSP2 is a locally led, state-supported program that empowers municipalities to take action to improve and protect their public water sources and surrounding environment.  

Communities accepted into the program will work with technical assistance providers to develop and initiate implementation of their unique drinking water source protection program, leading to actionable steps each municipality can take to protect their drinking water sources now and into the future. DWSP2 can help communities enact several of the activities mentioned above, including public education and outreach campaigns, aquifer protection overlay districts, land acquisition, and more.  

With the program completely free of charge, communities only need to invest their time and effort into source water protection at the local level. Becoming a DWSP2 participant can allow municipalities to access funding opportunities, maintain public health, and protect a vital resource for generations to come. If interested, consider filling out our short Interest Form.