Source Water Protection Workshops and Training

Under the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments, source water protection is recognized as integral to protecting drinking water from source to tap, but is not required under federal law. Consequently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and authorized states collaborate to foster source water protection through public education, technical assistance, and voluntary programs—the first barrier in the SDWA’s multi-barrier approach to drinking water protection. Effective contractor support requires multifaceted breadth and depth of expertise.

Under federal and state contracts, ERG SWP experts have supported nearly a hundred workshops across the United States at regional, state, and local levels to address a broad range of issues—including agricultural impacts, stormwater runoff and sewer overflows, urban land use development and deforestation, and legacy and emerging contaminants. This work has involved development and delivery of training, workshops, and educational materials tailored to address unique local source water characteristics. Through these projects, our experts have supported formation of state SWP collaboratives; promoted the use of green infrastructure and land management to protect drinking water sources; and enhanced understanding of key SWP resources, including American Water Works Association SWP standards and national Source Water Collaborative materials (which our experts helped develop).