Source Water ProtectionBest Management Practices and Other Measures for Protecting Drinking Water

Supplies

Introductions and Background• Introductions

• California SWAP results

• Source Water Protection Strategy for California

SWAP AssessmentsProgress as of 7/30/2003

# PWS

# GW Sources

# SW Sources

Community 2,974 8,911 774

Non-Transient

1,447 1,861 96

Transient 3,029 3,435 247

Total 7,450 14,207 1,117

Assessments Performed by: 42% DHS

38% Counties

20% PWS

Total sources: 15,300 (94% complete)

Assessment Findings“Most Prevalent” PCAs*

* Possible Contaminating Activities occurring most frequently in any zone

GW (14,200 Sources)

Roads & Streets 71%

Septic Systems 53%

Water Supply Wells 60%

High Density Housing 42%

Surface Water Bodies 38%

Sewer Collection Systems

38%

Freeways/State Highways

33%

Above Ground Tanks 27%

Fertilizer/Pesticide Appl.

26%

Schools 26%

SW (1,100 Sources)

Surface Water Bodies 82%

Roads & Streets 69%

Septic Systems 60%

Campgrounds/Rec Areas

50%

Water Supply Wells 50%

DW Treatment Plants 47%

Surface Water Recreation

47%

Freeways/State Highways

47%

Above Ground Tanks 38%

Sewer Collection Systems

38%

Assessment Findings“Most Threatening” PCAs*

* Very High and High Risk PCAs occurring in Zone A

GWSeptic Systems 44%

Sewer Collection Systems

35%

Auto Repair Shops 12%

Ag/Irrigation Wells 11%

Gas Stations 10%

Known Contaminant Plumes

9%

Ag Drainage 8%

Leaking Underground Tanks

8%

Machine Shops 7%

Historic Gas Stations 7%

SWSurface Water Recreation 31%

Septic Systems 28%

Managed Forests 14%

Sewer Collection Systems 12%

Ag Drainage 11%

Grazing 8%

Recent Burn Areas 7%

Historic Mining Operations

6%

NPDES Permitted Discharges

6%

WW Treatment & Disposal

5%Zone A = 600’ Min. Radius Zone A = w/in 400’ of SW body or

w/in 2,500’ of intake

Challenges• Not enough staff

• Not enough time or resources

• Springs & GWUDI sources difficult

• Other agency data not accessible

Rewards• Innovative Software

“TurboSWAP”

• GIS Mapping Tool

• Improved SDWIS Inventory

• Participation by PWS

Continuing Concerns

• Finishing assessments

• Updating assessments

• New sources

• Inconsistency/Inaccuracy

• Collecting source water protection data

Next Steps• Share results with other

agencies

• Coordinate Data w/ other agencies

• Encourage PWS to apply for SRF SWP loans and Prop 50 grants

• Encourage PWS to undertake SWP

• Work with CRWA

Drinking Water Academy

                                                                                    

Objectives

• “Train-the-Messenger”• Define source water and explain its

importance• Describe the benefits of source water

protection • Describe potential threats to source water• Discuss SDWA’s major source water

protection programs• Define source water protection measures

Objectives

• Discuss types of prevention measures

• Describe measures for specific sources

• Discuss what individuals and organizations can do to foster source water protection

California Drinking Water Sources

7,500 public water systems 3,000 community 1,500 nontransient noncommunity 3,000 transient noncommunity

16,000 water sources15,000 ground water sources 1,000 surface water sources

Approximately half the drinking water in the state comes from groundwater and half from surface water

Ground Water Significance - Most CWSs Use Ground Water

92

8

0

20

40

60

80

100

% of CWS Sources

Ground Water SourcesSurface Water Sources

Introduction to Source Water Protection

What Is Source Water Protection?

Taking proactive measures to prevent the pollution of lakes, rivers, streams and ground water that serve as sources of drinking water.

Wellhead Protection is another frequently used term that applies to Source Water Protection for ground water sources.

Why do Source Water Protection?

• Because the most cost effective method to ensure the safety of the drinking water supply is to protect the source from contamination.

• Because it is part of a “multi-barrier” approach to providing safe drinking water; Treatment alone cannot always be successful in removing contaminants.

• To improve public perception of the safety of drinking water.

• Because safe drinking water is essential to the public health and economic well-being of communities.

Comparing Costs and Benefits

• Responding to contamination can be as much as 200 times as costly as prevention

SWP Is Worth It

••••

How Do Contaminants Enter Source Water?

What Health Effects Can Contaminated Source Water Cause?• Acute health effects

– Immediate or short term effects

– Especially critical to at-risk populations

• Chronic health effects– Long term effects (cancer,

liver, blood, etc.) from repeated exposure over a life time

What Contaminants Cause Acute Health Effects?

• Viruses (e.g., Norwalk virus)• Bacteria (e.g., Shigella,

E.Coli)

Parasite - Giardia lamblia

• Parasites, protozoa or cysts• Nitrate

Parasite - Cryptosporidium

Warning Sign About Dangers of Nitrate

What Contaminants Cause Chronic Health Effects?

• Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)

• Inorganic chemicals (IOCs)

• Synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs)

Source Water AssessmentProgram

What is a Source Water Assessment?

Public distribution of findings

Delineation

Vulnerability Analysis

An evaluation, using a specified set of procedures, to determine the human activities that are possible sources of contamination to which a drinking water source is most vulnerable.

Inventory of Possible Contaminating Activities

Source Water Assessments as the Basis of Protection

• Assessments provide the baseline information to begin protection

• Assessments may be used to prioritize protection activities

Minimum Elements of a California Assessment1. Location of the source2. Delineation of source area and/or protection

zones3. Evaluation of Physical Barrier Effectiveness4. Inventory of Possible Contaminating

Activities5. Analysis of Vulnerability6. Summary of Assessment7. Assessment Map8. Notification of the Public

SDWA’s Major Source Water Protection Programs

Historical Basis - Early State Approach

• Multiple barrier approach used by States since early 1900s included source selection and protection

• Sanitary surveys to check system from source to tap

SDWA Source Water Protection Programs

• 1974 SDWA

– Sole Source Aquifer program

– Underground Injection Control program

• 1986 SDWA Amendments

– Wellhead Protection program

• 1996 SDWA Amendments– Source Water Protection loan program

– Source Water Assessment program

What Is the Sole Source Aquifer Program?

• A sole source aquifer:– Supplies at least 50% of

drinking water– Is the only feasible

drinking water source that exists

• Any person may petition EPA

• 70 designated sole source aquifers

Significance of the Sole Source Aquifer Program

• EPA reviews Federally-funded projects

• Information from SSA designation can help delineate SWPAs

• SSAs can raise community awareness

• SWAPs can help evaluate candidate SSAs

WATER TABLE

Brine - Salt Water (>10,000 TDS)

DR

Y

AQ

UIF

ER US

DW

BR

INE

Underground Source of Drinking Water <10,000 TDS

What is the UIC Program and Why is it Significant?

Sou

rce:

GW

PC

Class II EOR Well

Oil Reservoir

USDWs

Mineralized Ore Body Exempt Aquifer

Base of the Lowermost USDW

Water Table

Class III Uranium Solution Mining

Class V Agricul-tural Well

Class I Industrial Well

What Is Wellhead Protection?

• Protection of ground water sources

• Authorized by SDWA Section 1428 of the 1986 Amendments

• EPA-approved, State-designed wellhead protection plans can receive Federal funding to protect ground water sources

• Requirements for Federal compliance

Shari Ring:

Image from EPA WWW

Shari Ring:

Image from EPA WWW

Other Source Water Protection Programs and Initiatives

Source Water Protection Initiatives• Source Water Contamination

Prevention Strategy

• National Rural Water Association

• Environmental Finance Center Network        

Source Water Protection under the Clean Water Act

SDWA

Ground Water

Ground WaterUsed as

Drinking Water

Surface Water

Used as Drinking

Water

Surface Water Used for

Industrial Uses, Recreation,

Wildlife Habitat, and Fishing

CWA

Wastewater Discharges

Water SystemsWastewater

Treatment Plants

Source Water Protection under the Clean Water Act

Protection

Watershed

Source Water Protection under the Clean Water Act

• “Point” sources or “non-point” sources

• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

• Water quality standards

• Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

Other Federal Source Protection Programs

Other Federal Source Protection Programs

• See http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ protect/feddata.html for a list of Federal data sources related to source water protection

California Programs that Assist Source Water Protection

• AB 3030• Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)• Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPA)• Department of Pesticide Regulation• Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans• California Rural Water Association• and more…

AB 3030 Groundwater Management Plans

• Legislation passed in 1992 allows existing local agencies to develop groundwater management plans

• Allows agencies to collect revenues to implement plans

• ~ 160 agencies have developed plans• Components may include:

– Identification of Wellhead Protection Areas– GW replenishment– Well destruction– Overdraft mitigation– Review of land use

Groundwater Management in California

TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load• Required by Federal Clean Water Act;

implemented by Regional Boards• Written plan for impaired water body to

describe how water quality standards will be met

• Must address all pollution sources within a watershed, both point and nonpoint

• Each impaired water body can have multiple TMDLs– TMDL for multiple contaminants– TMDL for individual contaminants– TMDL for multiple water bodies

TMDLTotal Maximum Daily Load

• >600 impaired water bodies in CA (303d list)– Do not meet water quality standards, even after point sources of

pollution have installed the minimum required levels of pollution control technology

• 120 TMDL plans currently underway by Regional Boards• 13 year plan to complete all TMDLs

CUPA - Certified Unified Program Agencies• Unified Program under CalEPA established by legislation

(1993)• Coordinates 6 programs into a single point of contact for

businesses– Hazardous Waste Generators and On-site Hazardous Waste

Treatment– Underground Storage Tanks– Hazardous Material Release Response Plans and Inventories– CA Accidental Release Prevention Program (CalARP)– Above Ground Petroleum Storage Tanks– Uniform Fire Code Hazardous Material Management Plan and

Inventories

• Local Agency (CUPA)– Permits, inspections, enforcement, fee collection– 43 counties, 23 cities, 3 Joint Powers

Dept. of Pesticide RegulationGround Water Protection Program

DPR currently defines “Pesticide Management Zones”– 1mi2 areas where use of pesticides is restricted

Proposed regulations:• “Ground Water Protection Areas” to replace PMZs

– Types of GWPAs:• Leaching• Runoff• Leaching and Runoff

– Restricts use of pesticides– Determined by soil types and depth to GW– “Wellhead Protection Area” = no pesticide use or storage

within 100’ of any well

DPR Ground Water Protection Program

Source: http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/empm/gwp_prog/gwp_prog.htm

Storm Water Pollution Prevention Programs• Required under Federal NPDES program• Phase I – Plans being implemented

– Municipalities > 100,000 population, large construction sites, and certain industries

• Phase II – Permits due by 12/2002, implementation within 5 years– Smaller municipalities, smaller construction sites,

and more industries

• CalTrans has an extensive program and public information materials

California Rural Water Association

• CRWA has had a staff person (Sue Murphy) working with many small water systems on source water assessments and protection– smurphy@cwo.com

• CRWA now has a staff person (Belinda Green) working with regional areas on source water protection

Who Ultimately Protects the Source?

Developing a Source Water Protection Plan

• Establish a local committee• Review the initial source water assessment

and update or expand as necessary• Prepare reports and maps• Develop protection plan• Submit plan for review to local and state

agencies• Implement management measures• Conduct contingency planning

SWP Procedures

Establish a Local CommitteeStarting organization:

• Water system (municipality, water district, utility company, or regional agency)

• Community served by water system

Local Committee• For best chance of success, include other

stakeholders to balance interests, solicit a variety of opinions, and to obtain greater “buy-in”– Consumers and their advocates

• Drinking water customers• Representatives for at-risk populations

– Environmental groups– Business owners/operators of PCAs– Government officials with land use planning

authority– Regulators of PCAs

Review the Assessment• Initial assessment may have been done

by– DHS– LPA county– Water System– Consultant– Regional agency– Other entity (CRWA)

Review the Assessment• Verify accuracy of information

• Identify PCAs of primary concern

• Gather more information– Hydrogeology or surface water hydrology– Locations, density, and compliance of

PCAs of primary concern

Develop a Protection Plan• Identify measures currently in place that

protect water supplies• Identify possible new source water protection

measures• Identify resources and new regulations (if any)

necessary to implement the measures• Develop a time line for implementing measures• Draft a report for review by local committee• Solicit comments and revise plan as necessary

Measures Currently in Place

• Many current activities provide or support protection of water supplies– Control of well sites and intakes– Water quality monitoring– Compliance with and enforcement of existing

regulations– Sewer system programs

• Industrial waste discharges

– Waste management• Used oil collection• Household hazardous waste collection

– Land use planning

Introduction to Source Water Contamination Protection Measures

What are Source Water Protection Measures?• Practices to prevent contamination of

ground water and surface water that are used or potentially used as sources of drinking water

• Protection measures form the first barrier to drinking water protection

How Can Protection Measures Fit into a SWPP?

• Impose by regulation

• Encourage through non-regulatory means

• Combine approaches as appropriate given site-specific considerations

What are BMPs?

Best Management Practices

• BMPs are standard operating procedures that can reduce the threats that activities at homes, businesses, agriculture, and industry can pose to water supplies

• BMPs can increase the aesthetic beauty and value of residential and commercial propertiesDetention pond

Selecting Management Measures for the SWP Plan• After considering possible measures, identify

those that:– Address the primary contaminants and/or PCAs of

concern– Can be readily implemented with the resources

available

• Identify short-term and long-term actions• Incorporate into Plan

Selecting Management Measures• Non-Regulatory

– Good housekeeping practices– Public education – Land management– Land purchase and development rights– Man-made systems and devices – Emergency response planning

• Regulatory– Land use controls– Regulations and permits

Non-Regulatory Methods for Source Water Protection

• Without adopting any new ordinances or regulations, communities can be successful in protecting water supplies

Good Housekeeping Practices• At the water supply

– This is the one area the water system should have complete control over

– Prevent unauthorized access to the site– Keep the site clear of contaminants – Eliminate pathways of contamination

• Abandoned wells• Storm drain discharges

Good Housekeeping Practices• At PCAs:

– Equipment operation and maintenance– Product storage, use and handling– Waste storage and disposal

• May be required by local ordinances or health regulations

Equipment Operation and Maintenance

Product Storage, Use and Handling

Proper Waste Storage and Disposal

Photos: Texas Chapter, APWA

Public Education

Public Education• School children

– Teach good environmental habits– Use presentations, experiments, and festivals

• Business owners – Proper material handling and spill response

procedures– Ways to reduce use of contaminants– Use flyers and targeted mailings

• Public– Storm drain messages, posters– Consumer Confidence Reports

Land Management

Work with landowners

Contour strip farming

Land Management

• Responsible Management:– Environmentally sensitive landscaping – Proper lawn maintenance – Agricultural:

• Conservation tillage• Crop rotation• Contour strip farming• Animal grazing management • Integrated pest management • Some financial incentives from USDA

Land Purchase and Development Rights• Limiting new

development in watersheds and recharge areas – Land purchases– Conservation

easements– Land trusts and

conservancies

Man-made Systems or Devices

• At Business PCAs:– Automatic shut-off and

leak detection devices on USTs

– Secondary containment– Segregated floor drains– Drainage diversion – Waste collection

devices

Man-made Systems or Devices

• Within Protection Areas:– Relocate storm drain discharge points– Prioritize repair or replacement of failing

septic systems and leaking sewer lines in Zone A

– Identification and destruction of improperly abandoned wells

Abandoned or Improperly Destroyed Wells

Photo: Purdue Extension Service

• Locations often unknown

• Common nearby activities may degrade water quality

• Runoff also poses threats

Abandoned Wells

• Plug abandoned wells

• Use licensed well drillers

• Get a permit

Graphic: North Dakota State Univ.

Vegetative Measures

Swales

Photo: Texas Chapter, APWA

•Reduces the speed of runoff

•Promotes filtering or infiltration of storm water

–Constructed wetlands

–Vegetated buffer strips

–Grassed swales

Emergency Response Planning

What if..?

• Identify potential threats to water supply and formulate response scenarios

• At PCAs– Spill response plans– Surface spill reporting forms – Fire-fighting plans– Names and phone numbers of emergency

response contacts (including water system)

Emergency Response Planning

• Identify potential threats to water supply and formulate response scenarios

• At the water system:– Information about the water system– Potential contamination sources and their

locations– Needed equipment and supplies– Names and phone numbers of emergency

response contacts– Short- and long-term water supply options

Emergency Response Planning

Regulatory Methods for Source Water Protection

• When non-regulatory methods don’t work

• When the contamination threat is particularly significant

• When state or regional regulations aren’t strong enough for local issues

Land Use Controls

• To control or move land uses that pose risks to source water– Subdivision growth controls– Zoning– Land use prohibitions

Subdivision Growth Controls• Primary purpose is to control division of

land into lots suitable for building

• Can protect drinking water supplies from– Septic system effluent– Storm water runoff

Zoning• Add an

additional “Wellhead Protection Zone”; doesn’t change underlying zoning

• Generally not successful in addressing existing land uses

• Some communities offer “bonuses” for property owners to convert to lower risk land uses

Land Use Prohibitions

Land Use Prohibitions

• Effective way to remove threats from sensitive areas

• Source-specific and chemical-specific standards

• Example:– Don’t allow certain PCAs in zones, or allow

only with mitigation measures to prevent and detect release and/or migration of contaminants

Regulations and Permits• Construction and operating standards

• Permit requirements

• Land use prohibitions

• Public health regulations

Many of these regulations are already in place; check to see that the latest and most vigorous are adopted locally, or at least within zones

Construction and Operating Standards

Permit Requirements

• Local authorities can require permits

• Permit fees can help recover program costs

• Permits can be site-specific

• Inspections enforce permit requirements

• California CUPA program is an example

Public Health Regulations• Underground storage tanks

– Construction standards

– Leak testing

• Floor drains

• Septic systems– Number and size in a given area

– Siting, setback distances and construction

– Maintenance standards

Septic system regulations vary widely between counties and RWQCB regions; as a result of AB 885, efforts are underway to develop statewide minimum standards

Source Water Protection Measures for Specific Sources

Storm Water Runoff

Erosion from runoff

Storm Water Runoff

• Nonstructural measures to control runoff – Good housekeeping– Public education– Roadway

maintenance– Erosion and

sedimentation control measures Sewer stenciling

Storm Water Runoff

• Engineered devices to control runoff – Grassed swales– Buffer strips– Filter strips– Wet ponds – Constructed wetlands– Infiltration practices– BMPs for Class V wells

Porous design minimizes impervious area

Storm Water Runoff

Filter stripGrassed swale

Photo: Texas Chapter, APWA Photo: Texas Chapter, APWA

Photo: Texas Chapter, APWA

Wet Ponds and Constructed Wetlands

Storm Water Runoff

Photo: Texas Chapter, APWA

Storm Water Runoff

Infiltration Practices

Storm Water Runoff

• Storm water drainage wells (Class V)

• Protection measures for Class V wells – Siting– Design – Operation

Storm drain

Storm Water Runoff

• Municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s)– Regulated under the

NPDES Program– Over 5,000

nationwide

               

Septic Systems

Ground water

Septic Systems

Septic system drain field

Septic Systems

Above and Underground Storage Tanks

Corroded underground storage tank

Above Ground Storage Tanks

• Corrosion protection

• Secondary containment

• Monitoring• Periodic cleanup• Evaporation

protection• Proper closureSheltered above ground tank farm

Underground Storage Tanks

Backfilling an UST installationin a lined pit

• Proper installation• Corrosion protection• Spill prevention• Overfill protection• Leak detection• Proper closure

Vehicle Washing Facilities

• Minimize runoff• Enclose wash areas

and locate them on impervious surfaces

• Use alternative cleaning agents

Vehicle Washing Facilities

Car wash with vegetated area

Small Quantity Chemical Use, Storage, and Disposal

Small Quantity Chemical Use, Storage, and Disposal

Water-based paint

Small Quantity Chemical Use, Storage, and Disposal

• Conduct a chemical audit

• Implement a chemical management plan

• Store chemicals properly

• Do not empty in sinks or drains

Small Quantity Chemical Use, Storage, and Disposal

• Have a spill response plan

• Do not mix hazardous and nonhazardous waste

Animal Waste

• Livestock• Pets• Wildlife

Animal Waste

• Feedlot management– Waste lagoons– Litter storage facilities– Clean water diversion– Composting

Hog parlor with lagoon

Animal Waste

• Land application of manure – Nutrient

management– Proper placement– Crop rotation

• Pasture or grazing management– Fencing

Livestock fencing

Animal Waste

Confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs)

Animal Waste

• Managing pet waste– Clean up waste– Bury waste– Keep pets away

from streams and lakes

Animal Waste

• Wildlife waste– Harassment

programs– Reducing

attractiveness of water supply areas

Snow geese

Agricultural Fertilizer Application

• Time nitrogen fertilizer applications for maximum uptake

• To minimize phosphorus runoff, control erosion and apply phosphorus based on soil tests

Fertilizer spreader

Agricultural Fertilizer Application

• Use proper application rates

• Correctly place fertilizer

• Calibrate application equipment

Wheat-corn-fallow rotation

Agricultural Fertilizer Application

• Use environmentally-friendly farming techniques– Crop rotation– Buffer and filter strips– Conservation tillage– Laser-controlled land

leveling– Precision agriculture

No tillage wheat farming

Turf Grass and Garden Fertilizer Application

Turf Grass and Garden Fertilizer Application

Composting can supply nutrients to the soil

Turf Grass and Garden Fertilizer Application

• Calibrate equipment

• Properly apply fertilizer

• Irrigate after application

• Follow label directions

Large-Scale Pesticide Application

Spraying cotton in Mississippi

Large-Scale Pesticide Application• Integrated Pest

Management combines three pest control tactics– Biological– Cultural or

horticultural– Chemical

The leaf beetle Diorhabda elongata; first approved biological control

agent for salt cedar in the US

Large-Scale Pesticide Application

Ultra low volume herbicide application

Small-Scale Pesticide Application

• Select disease-resistant plants

• Use plant management techniques

• Use natural biological controls and manual control activities

Small-Scale Pesticide Application

Small-Scale Pesticide Application

• Lady bugs are a natural biological control for aphids

134

Class Discussion:

Implementing Source

Water Protection Measures

Summary

• Source water protection is best done at the local level

• Non-regulatory actions can be successful

• Current federal, state, and local programs can be a basis or supplement local source water protection programs

AcknowledgementsThe U. S. Environmental Protection Agency would like to acknowledge the contributions of the members of the Source Water Protection Best Management Practices Advisory Group, under the leadership of Steven Ainsworth of the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.

• Robert Goo• Richard Gullick• Denise Hawkins• Joyce Hudson• Elizabeth Hunt• Paul Jehn• Joseph Lee• Marty Link• Ryan McReynolds• Karen Metchis• Douglas Minter• Beatriz Oliveira

• Bruce Olsen• Roberta Parry• Kenneth Pelletier• Art Persons• Shari Ring• Andrea Ryon• Chi Ho Sham• Paul Shriner• Stephanie Vap-Morrow• Leah Walker• Hal White• Pamla Wood

• Rita Bair• James Bourne• Ross Brennan• Hamilton Brown• Richard Cobb• James Crawford• Anthony Dulka• Jack Falk• MaryJo Feuerbach• Nancy Fitz• Claire Gesalman