NESC – RCAP Smart Water Program

August 4, 2008

Review of West Virginia’s Source Review of West Virginia’s Source Water Assessment and ProtectionWater Assessment and Protection

Program Program A State PerspectiveA State Perspective

By: William J. Toomey - CPGBy: William J. Toomey - CPGProgram Manager - SWAP/CT/GISProgram Manager - SWAP/CT/GIS

WV Department of Health and Human WV Department of Health and Human Resources – BPH/OEHSResources – BPH/OEHS

• Primary agency designated to carry out the provisions of the federal “Safe Drinking Water Act” that passed in 1974.

• SDWA Regulates Public Water Supplies quality of the water.

• Amendments: 1986 Wellhead Protection program and 1996 Source Water Assessment program.

• States Flexibility and Resources.

• Voluntary

• WV Rural Setting

West Virginia State Capitol

Active Public Water Systems within Active Public Water Systems within West VirginiaWest Virginia

• Population of West Virginia ~ 1.8 million with ~ 1.4 million served by Public Water Supplies.

• Community Systems – 329 – 184 Groundwater– 128 Surface Water (~76%

of population)– 17 GWUDI

• Non-Community System – 641– 619 Groundwater– 14 Surface Water– 8 GWUDI

WV Susceptibility Assessment WV Susceptibility Assessment Reports (The Beginning Not the Reports (The Beginning Not the END)END)

• Starting place for water systems and communities to identify areas for additional evaluation and management activities.

• Provides awareness of the potential threats that exists within the SWAP area.

• A map and listing of the potential contaminant source inventory.

• Susceptibility RankingSusceptibility Reports Completed for All Water Systems

Question ?????Question ?????

• What's next - How do we move to the Implementation phase?

– SWAP Survey– Initial and Substantial

Implementation

When I was told about the

implementation phase!

Question to WV Water Systems - barriers to Question to WV Water Systems - barriers to implementing source water protection plans?implementing source water protection plans?

42%

32%

17%

8%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45% Lack ofavailablefunding

Lack ofpersonnelresources

Lack oftechnicalassistance

Lack of info onsource waterprotection

2006 WV SWAP Survey

Other BarriersOther Barriers• Not required by regulation

- voluntary• Most systems and/or

local authorities overwhelmed with “their job”

• No time left to dedicate to protection

• Will work on protection as time permits

• Security concerns

2006 WV SWAP Survey

WV SWAP – Next Steps WV SWAP – Next Steps

• Integration into SDWA programs - sanitary surveys, waivers, new well approvals

• Integrating GIS information– Accessible data

• Data from existing programs • Secure Website

– Intake and well data – sensitive data

• Development of Partnerships– Integrate and reduce institutional barriers

• Development of Memorandum of Understandings

• Water Quality Standards– WV Category A-Public Water Supplies

• WV Groundwater Protection Act• Potomac and Ohio River Partnerships

– Continue to work with the SWAP Committee • Identifying Key Players

WV SWAP – Next Steps WV SWAP – Next Steps

• Source Water Grant Program

• Developing the Source Water Protection Technical Help Program (SWPTHP)

• Educational and Outreach Programs– SWAP Website

http://www.wvdhhr.org/oehs/eed/swap/– Community Reports Online– Flow Models– Conferences– Newsletter– Awards– SWAP Guidance Manual (HC and WEB)

You have to repeat the message over and over again before people hear it and believe it

West Virginia SWAP – West Virginia SWAP – Recommended Steps at the Local Recommended Steps at the Local

Level Level • Local Planning

Committee

• Review Initial Susceptibility Report

– Update or expand as necessary

• Identify Local Source Water Concerns

• Source Water Protection Measures

WV American Water Company working

on a watershed project

SWAP Group in Berkeley County WV

Ranking of the Potential Ranking of the Potential Contaminant SourcesContaminant Sources

• Most threatening PCS survey inventory – GW-SW (Highest) (GW) - Septic (on-site

sewage disposal) systems

(SW) - Mining Extraction

• 2006 Survey Results (public water systems)- – GW-SW ( Highest) (GW) - Septic Systems (SW) - Flooding

West Virginia SWAP – Protection West Virginia SWAP – Protection MeasuresMeasures

– Education and Outreach

– Conduct Emergency/Contingency Planning

– Source Management Strategies

West Virginia SWAP – Protection West Virginia SWAP – Protection MeasuresMeasures

• Identify possible new source water protection measures

• Non-regulatory– Good House Keeping Practices – Security, Keep Site

Clear, Eliminate Abandoned Wells, discuss SWAP with the PCS’s, emergency response plans

• Regulatory – Land Use Controls – Zoning– Regulations and Permits– Identify resources and new regulations (if any) necessary

to implement the measures

WV SWAP - How Do We Measure WV SWAP - How Do We Measure Progress !!Progress !!

– Surveys– Initial and Substantial

Implementation– Ambient monitoring

data

Delineation – Wellhead Protection Delineation – Wellhead Protection AreaArea

Delineation – Zone of Critical Concern AreaDelineation – Zone of Critical Concern Area

Delineation – Watershed AreaDelineation – Watershed Area

Potential Contaminant Sources

REMEMBER…..

ALWAYS DRINK UPSTREAM OF THE HERD

Slide from Michigan Private Water Well PPT presentation

QUESTIONS AND CONTACT QUESTIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATIONINFORMATION

William J. Toomey - CPG

Program Manager - SWAP/CT/GIS

DHHR/BPH/OEHS/EED

Capitol and Washington Streets

1 Davis Square, Suite 200

Charleston, WV 25310

Website: www.wvdhhr.org/oehs/eed/

Email: wtoomey@wvdhhr.org