The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) and the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) have jointly released a paper developed by ASDWA with the help of a few states entitled, “Groundwater-Based Source Water Protection.” This paper serves as a great educational handout for state drinking water and groundwater programs, as well as water utilities and other water quality stakeholders, to share with potential partners when talking about the importance of, and special considerations for, protecting groundwater sources of drinking water.
The paper includes a short background and four sections:
- The Challenge of Protecting Groundwater Sources
- Federal and State Programs for Groundwater Protection
- Elements of a Groundwater Protection Framework
- State Examples
Anyone interested in protecting groundwater can use this paper to help drive actions and work with partners on any or all the considerations, authorities, approaches, and examples provided in each of the sections. The “Elements of a Groundwater Protection Framework” section includes specific actions for capacity building and engagement, research and data collection, funding, and implementation. The paper also shares unique approaches from five states across the country that can be used as examples for protecting groundwater in other states.
Read and download the paper here. For more tips on working with partners, please visit the Source Water Collaborative website.