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
Mar 21, 2016
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