Opportunities to Improve Drinking Water
Our best tool for providing clean, safe drinking water is to protect the source.
Work with landowners, public health, agency partners, and municipalities to implement plans and ensure all well owners have access to clean water.
Source Water Protection and Wellhead Protection
Though similar and often complementary, a source water protection plan includes a wider area that considers land and potential contaminant pathways to the water source.
A wellhead protection plan is intended for public drinking water wells to ensure the contributing area to the well is protected.
See resources below to learn more and get involved.
Support Wellhead Protection Plans Through Ordinances
Often, a municipal well may reside outside of the city limits. This can make it more challenging to protect the wellhead area. By establishing an ordinance, counties can expand protections and promote safe drinking water.
Example Wellhead Protection Ordinances
Supporting land management changes for drinking water protection
Nitrate Leaching Calculator
The soon to be released calculator to help producers understand leaching potential.
EQIP Source Water Protection
Practices that protect drinking water sources can receive up to 90% cost-share
Watershed planning
Include groundwater protection in 9 Key Element Planning.
Options for providing clean, safe drinking water
Land management changes are the best, long-term solution to providing clean, safe drinking water. Sometimes, there are easy solutions on the land that can be remediated. Other times, it's not easy or fast to provide relief to private well owners.
Well Compensation Program
Expanded benefits are still available for wells with nitrate exceeding 10mg/l.
Water Treatment
This fact sheet provides the basic overview, but does not highlight specific model limitations. If resorting to treatment, it's imperative to understand limitations and maintenance requirements.
Community Filling Stations
Few counties are exploring opportunities to provide water filling stations to support private well owners in accessing safe drinking water in times of need.