EPA’s Role in Source Water Protection

1. 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

2. Overview • Background on drinking water sources & contaminants • Overview of EPA programs to protect drinking water • Update on recent EPA source water protection activities

3. ScopeMultiple Barrier Approach to Public Health Protection Prevention through Source Water Protection Standards & Treatment Distribution Systems User -- Information Source Water Protection has been a vital part of the multiple barrier approach to providing safe drinking water since the 1996 SDWA Amendments

4. Scope All the Nation’s Watersheds

5. Scope All the Nation’s Ground Waters

6. 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.

7. Sources of Water unsaturated soil unsaturated soil

8. SWPA Delineations for Ground Water-Based Systems

9. Most of the US Population Receives Drinking Water from Surface Waters Distribution of Community Water Systems by Source Water Population Served by Drinking Water Source (101 million) (200 million) Population Served …but most small systems use ground water Source: SDWIS Fed 2006

10. Most People Receive Drinking Water from Large Community Water Systems Population served by system size Size Distribution of Community Water Systems (68 Million) (233 Million) …yet most community water systems are small (84 %) > 3,300 people served Source: SDWIS Fed: 2006

11. Most Community Water Systems Use Ground Water

12. Sources of Contamination ••••

13. Viruses (e.g., Norwalk virus) Bacteria (e.g., Shigella, E.Coli) Parasites, protozoa or cysts Nitrate What Contaminants Cause Acute Health Effects? Parasite - Cryptosporidium Warning Sign About Dangers of Nitrate Parasite - Giardia Lamblia

14. What Are the Sources of Contaminants With Acute Health Effects? • Animal feeding operations • Agriculture • Septic systems and cesspools

15. What Contaminants Cause Chronic Health Effects? • Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) • Inorganic chemicals (IOCs) • Synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs)

16. What are the Sources of Contaminants with Chronic Health Effects? • Industrial and commercial activities • Agriculture • Landfills and surface impoundments • Urban uses

17. Most Prevalent Potential Sources of Contamination • Septic systems • Agriculture • Leaking underground storage tanks

18. Example: Septic Systems and Nitrogen and Viral Loading Av. N = 35- 40 mg/l

19. On-Site Septic Hydraulic Failure

20. 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

21. Public distribution of findings Susceptibility analysis Contamination source inventory Delineation What is a Source Water Assessment?

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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)

26. Projects Focus 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)

27. 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

28. Projects – Cost-Effectiveness Studies Source Water Protection should reduce infrastructure costs of drinking water treatment, at least over time. • 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/

29. 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