Source Water Protection

Source water protection is a common-sense approach to guarding public health by protecting drinking water supplies. Ensuring safe and adequate drinking water supplies requires maintaining the quality and availability of present and future water supply sources. In the long run it is less expensive and more protective of public health to prevent contamination than to treat water to meet health standards. Similarly, it is less expensive to protect and maintain existing sources than it is to develop new ones. New contaminants of concern continue to emerge, potentially requiring more costly treatment of source waters if they have not been adequately protected. Effective protection relies on the combined efforts of the federal and state agencies, water suppliers, municipalities, businesses, institutions and communities whose activities have the potential to affect the source.

Public Water Suppliers (PWS) in Kentucky utilize groundwater, spring and surface water resources to produce safe, reliable drinking water.  A Public Water Supplier provides water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances to at least 15 service connections or serves an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year.  A public water system may be publicly or privately owned. Water Supply Protection programs have been developed to ensure that these sources are protected.  The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) provides the guidance and framework for these programs.  Kentucky’s programs are administered through the Wellhead Protection Program and Source Water Assessment and Protection Program, respectively.  These programs require water suppliers to delineate the areas contributing to their water sources, determine their susceptibility to contamination, develop strategies to manage potential contaminants and plan for future use. Effective communication and community involvement are essential for source water planning to be successful.

The Division has developed a Story Map to showcase Source Water Protection programs in Kentucky. The Division has complied and published a Source Water Protection Viewer as a service to the public and public water systems.