EPA’s Role in Source Water Protection

Roy Simon, Associate Branch Chief, Prevention, Drinking Water Protection

Division, Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water April 29, 2008

Overview• Background on drinking water sources

& contaminants• Overview of EPA programs to protect

drinking water• Update on recent EPA source water

protection activities

Scope Multiple Barrier Approach to Public Health Protection

Standards &

Treatment

User -- Information

Prevention through Source

Water Protection

Distribution Systems

Source Water Protection has been a vital Source Water Protection has been a vital part of the multiple barrier approach to part of the multiple barrier approach to providing safe drinking water since the providing safe drinking water since the

1996 SDWA Amendments1996 SDWA Amendments

All the Nation’s Watersheds Scope

All the Nation’s Ground WatersScope

Why Do We Need This Scope

• Public Health Protection while achieving other Water Quality and Quantity Goals Now and in the Future

• Population growth and water demand increases, droughts and disasters

• Treatment plant problems – Drinking Water and Waste Water - Sustainability

• Polluted drinking water source = more expense to treat.

Sources of Water

unsaturated soil

unsaturatedsoil

SWPA Delineations for Ground Water-Based Systems

Most of the US Population Receives Drinking Water from

Surface WatersPopulation Served by Drinking Water Source Distribution of Community Water Systems

by Source Water

34%

66%

Ground Water Surface Water

…but most small systems use ground water

(200 million)

(101 million)

Population Served

0102030405060708090

%

25 -100 101-500501 -33003301-10000

10,001-100,000

>100k

Source: SDWIS Fed 2006

Most People Receive Drinking Water from Large Community Water Systems

Population served by system size

77%

23%

Systems >10,000)Systems<10,000

(233 Million)

(68 Million)

<10055%101-500

27%

3300-10k3%

>10k3%

501-330012%

Size Distribution of Community Water Systems

……yet most community water systems are small (84 %)yet most community water systems are small (84 %)

> 3,300 > 3,300 peoplepeople served servedSource: SDWIS Fed: 2006

Most Community Water Systems Use Ground Water

78

22

0

20

40

60

80

100

% OF CWS

Ground WaterSurface Water Systems

••••

Sources of Contamination

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 Are the Sources of Contaminants With Acute Health Effects?• Animal feeding operations

• Agriculture

• Septic systems and cesspools

What Contaminants Cause Chronic Health Effects?• Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)

• Inorganic chemicals (IOCs)

• Synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs)

What are the Sources of Contaminants with Chronic Health Effects?

• Industrial and commercial activities

• Agriculture

• Landfills and surface impoundments

• Urban uses

Most Prevalent Potential Sources of Contamination

• Septic systems• Agriculture• Leaking underground storage tanks

Example: Septic Systemsand Nitrogen and Viral Loading

Av. N= 35- 40

mg/l

On-Site Septic Hydraulic Failure

National EPA Role • Support National Source Water Collaborative• Build State and Local Capacity for Source

Water Protection• Support National Demonstrations of Source

Water Protection at State and Local Levels• Support and Deliver Training and Outreach to

States and Localities Through National and Regional meetings and through cooperative agreements

What is a Source Water Assessment?

Public distribution of findings

Delineation

Contamination source inventory

Susceptibility analysis

Local Source Water Protection program• Highly Engaged Partners• Characterize Source Water Areas

(Surface of Ground Waters)• Actively Implement Source Water

Protection Plans• Evaluate Program Implementation and

Adapt

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 now in 50 states

Sole Source Aquifer Program • Any person or

organization may petition EPA to designate an aquifer as a sole source

• 80 designated sole source aquifers as of March 2008

UIC Program• The Underground Injection Control program’s

mission is to protect underground sources of drinking water from contamination by regulating the construction and operation of injection wells.

• These wells include Large Capacity Septic Systems (approx. 50,000 documented and 400,000 estimated nationwide)

ProjectsFocus on reducing the most serious threats to source waters:

– Agriculture – Future Farmers of America and working with Forest Service on “Forests to Faucets” and MOU

– Underground storage tanks --New Law and Regulations from 2005 Energy Bill

http://www.epa.gov/swerust1/fedlaws/nrg05_01.htm– Continuing On-Site Systems Projects

http://cfpub.epa.gov/owm/septic/index.cfm– Ground Water Rule Implementation – Pathogens

http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2006/November/Day-08/w8763.htm

– National Regulation on Carbon Sequestration (DOE Partnerships and Potential New Commercial wells)

– LT2 Watershed Control Plans by Water Suppliers for Pathogen control http://www.epa.gov/safewater/disinfection/lt2/basicinformation.html

– OSWER Ground Water Projects Document (Forthcoming)

Projects

• http://www.landuseandwater.org/ - Source Water Project with Trust for Public Lands and Smart Growth Leadership Institute

• Potential Sustainable Infrastructure Awards/Recognition Efforts for Communities and/or Utilities

Projects – Cost-Effectiveness Studies

• 2004 AWWA Study for Wellhead Protection

showing 8 to 1 benefits of prevention • 2007 Trust for Public Land Study showing increases in forested land reduces costs of treatment• Non-point Source Community Studies (on EPA’s website) shows environmental impacts of prevention http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/Success319/

Source Water Protection should reduce infrastructure costs of drinking water

treatment, at least over time.

For More Information• www.epa.gov/safewater/sourcewater• www.epa.gov/owm/septic• www.epa.gov/owow/nps• http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/funding.html• www.protectdrinkingwater.org