Source Water Assessment Program

Source Water Protection: What Is It?
Where Did It Come From?
Although it may seem like a new concept, source water protection is not new. In a lot of ways, it is just a name for the common sense efforts water systems have been making for years to ensure that the drinking water they provide is safe. In Wisconsin, source water protection for groundwater systems is synonymous with wellhead protection.

Source water protection efforts now include observing isolation distances, monitoring and/or remediating noncomplying potential sources of contamination, and implementing best management practices in a delineated wellhead protection area. Regardless of the specific efforts being made by a water system—source water protection is really just preventing contaminants from entering the water supply.

There are both state and federal rules that require source water protection to be done for wells. Congress amended the federal Safe Drinking Water Act in 1986 to require Wellhead Protection Programs in each state. In 1992, Wisconsin adopted its own wellhead protection rules to help further protect groundwater-supplied water systems.

Source water protection is not just a regulatory program—it is also a cooperative effort between the water suppliers, water users, WDNR, and other agencies to make sure that safe drinking water is being provided and water quality protected.

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Last Revised: Friday November 21 2003