The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996 require states to develop and implement Source Water Assessment Programs (SWAP) to analyze existing and potential threats to the quality of the public drinking water throughout the state. The information from these assessments will provide the basis for taking action to protect the sources of our drinking water. There are approximately 200,000 public water systems in the country.

The primary purpose of the assessments is to help municipalities that own or operate public water systems to plan source protection efforts and thus prevent contamination of public water supplies and protect public health. Knowing where contaminants and potential contaminants are and what the risks are will make drinking water protection efforts easier and more effective.

The following are some other potential benefits of the assessments.

• Assessments will delineate source water areas including those cross-political or other jurisdictional boundaries.
• Assessments will allow municipalities to identify and prioritize municipal facilities or operations that are potential contamination sources.
• Assessments could provide water suppliers with information to help identify appropriate water treatment options for control of microbial or other types of contamination.
• Assessments can provide good, locally focused data that tie into comprehensive state water quality management programs that include water quality standards, monitoring, wastewater permitting, water withdrawal permitting, non-point source controls, pollutant load allocation, and watershed planning.
• States with approved and implemented assessment programs will be eligible for certain monitoring or treatment flexibility.
• The information from the assessments will be useful in many other state and federal programs such as non-point source programs, watershed protection efforts, national estuary programs, clean lakes programs, wetlands program, sole source aquifer protection program, and other water programs.

The source water assessments are intended to be a first step leading to implementation of source water protection efforts. Protecting source water has economic, public health, and other benefits including:

• Reducing the risks to public health from contaminants in drinking water
• Reducing costs associated with treating water or finding alternative sources
• Reducing the costs for compliance
• Helping to maintain or regain public confidence
• Preserving water supply for future generations