Source Water Protection Best Management Practices and Other Measures for Protecting Drinking Water...
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Transcript of Source Water Protection Best Management Practices and Other Measures for Protecting Drinking Water...
Source Water ProtectionBest Management Practices and Other Measures for Protecting Drinking Water
Supplies
Introductions and Background• Introductions
• California SWAP results
• Source Water Protection Strategy for California
SWAP AssessmentsProgress as of 7/30/2003
# PWS
# GW Sources
# SW Sources
Community 2,974 8,911 774
Non-Transient
1,447 1,861 96
Transient 3,029 3,435 247
Total 7,450 14,207 1,117
Assessments Performed by: 42% DHS
38% Counties
20% PWS
Total sources: 15,300 (94% complete)
Assessment Findings“Most Prevalent” PCAs*
* Possible Contaminating Activities occurring most frequently in any zone
GW (14,200 Sources)
Roads & Streets 71%
Septic Systems 53%
Water Supply Wells 60%
High Density Housing 42%
Surface Water Bodies 38%
Sewer Collection Systems
38%
Freeways/State Highways
33%
Above Ground Tanks 27%
Fertilizer/Pesticide Appl.
26%
Schools 26%
SW (1,100 Sources)
Surface Water Bodies 82%
Roads & Streets 69%
Septic Systems 60%
Campgrounds/Rec Areas
50%
Water Supply Wells 50%
DW Treatment Plants 47%
Surface Water Recreation
47%
Freeways/State Highways
47%
Above Ground Tanks 38%
Sewer Collection Systems
38%
Assessment Findings“Most Threatening” PCAs*
* Very High and High Risk PCAs occurring in Zone A
GWSeptic Systems 44%
Sewer Collection Systems
35%
Auto Repair Shops 12%
Ag/Irrigation Wells 11%
Gas Stations 10%
Known Contaminant Plumes
9%
Ag Drainage 8%
Leaking Underground Tanks
8%
Machine Shops 7%
Historic Gas Stations 7%
SWSurface Water Recreation 31%
Septic Systems 28%
Managed Forests 14%
Sewer Collection Systems 12%
Ag Drainage 11%
Grazing 8%
Recent Burn Areas 7%
Historic Mining Operations
6%
NPDES Permitted Discharges
6%
WW Treatment & Disposal
5%Zone A = 600’ Min. Radius Zone A = w/in 400’ of SW body or
w/in 2,500’ of intake
Challenges• Not enough staff
• Not enough time or resources
• Springs & GWUDI sources difficult
• Other agency data not accessible
Rewards• Innovative Software
“TurboSWAP”
• GIS Mapping Tool
• Improved SDWIS Inventory
• Participation by PWS
Continuing Concerns
• Finishing assessments
• Updating assessments
• New sources
• Inconsistency/Inaccuracy
• Collecting source water protection data
Next Steps• Share results with other
agencies
• Coordinate Data w/ other agencies
• Encourage PWS to apply for SRF SWP loans and Prop 50 grants
• Encourage PWS to undertake SWP
• Work with CRWA
Objectives
• “Train-the-Messenger”• Define source water and explain its
importance• Describe the benefits of source water
protection • Describe potential threats to source water• Discuss SDWA’s major source water
protection programs• Define source water protection measures
Objectives
• Discuss types of prevention measures
• Describe measures for specific sources
• Discuss what individuals and organizations can do to foster source water protection
California Drinking Water Sources
7,500 public water systems 3,000 community 1,500 nontransient noncommunity 3,000 transient noncommunity
16,000 water sources15,000 ground water sources 1,000 surface water sources
Approximately half the drinking water in the state comes from groundwater and half from surface water
Ground Water Significance - Most CWSs Use Ground Water
92
8
0
20
40
60
80
100
% of CWS Sources
Ground Water SourcesSurface Water Sources
What Is Source Water Protection?
Taking proactive measures to prevent the pollution of lakes, rivers, streams and ground water that serve as sources of drinking water.
Wellhead Protection is another frequently used term that applies to Source Water Protection for ground water sources.
Why do Source Water Protection?
• Because the most cost effective method to ensure the safety of the drinking water supply is to protect the source from contamination.
• Because it is part of a “multi-barrier” approach to providing safe drinking water; Treatment alone cannot always be successful in removing contaminants.
• To improve public perception of the safety of drinking water.
• Because safe drinking water is essential to the public health and economic well-being of communities.
Comparing Costs and Benefits
• Responding to contamination can be as much as 200 times as costly as prevention
What Health Effects Can Contaminated Source Water Cause?• Acute health effects
– Immediate or short term effects
– Especially critical to at-risk populations
• Chronic health effects– Long term effects (cancer,
liver, blood, etc.) from repeated exposure over a life time
What Contaminants Cause Acute Health Effects?
• Viruses (e.g., Norwalk virus)• Bacteria (e.g., Shigella,
E.Coli)
Parasite - Giardia lamblia
• Parasites, protozoa or cysts• Nitrate
Parasite - Cryptosporidium
Warning Sign About Dangers of Nitrate
What Contaminants Cause Chronic Health Effects?
• Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)
• Inorganic chemicals (IOCs)
• Synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs)
What is a Source Water Assessment?
Public distribution of findings
Delineation
Vulnerability Analysis
An evaluation, using a specified set of procedures, to determine the human activities that are possible sources of contamination to which a drinking water source is most vulnerable.
Inventory of Possible Contaminating Activities
Source Water Assessments as the Basis of Protection
• Assessments provide the baseline information to begin protection
• Assessments may be used to prioritize protection activities
Minimum Elements of a California Assessment1. Location of the source2. Delineation of source area and/or protection
zones3. Evaluation of Physical Barrier Effectiveness4. Inventory of Possible Contaminating
Activities5. Analysis of Vulnerability6. Summary of Assessment7. Assessment Map8. Notification of the Public
Historical Basis - Early State Approach
• Multiple barrier approach used by States since early 1900s included source selection and protection
• Sanitary surveys to check system from source to tap
SDWA Source Water Protection Programs
• 1974 SDWA
– Sole Source Aquifer program
– Underground Injection Control program
• 1986 SDWA Amendments
– Wellhead Protection program
• 1996 SDWA Amendments– Source Water Protection loan program
– Source Water Assessment program
What Is the Sole Source Aquifer Program?
• A sole source aquifer:– Supplies at least 50% of
drinking water– Is the only feasible
drinking water source that exists
• Any person may petition EPA
• 70 designated sole source aquifers
Significance of the Sole Source Aquifer Program
• EPA reviews Federally-funded projects
• Information from SSA designation can help delineate SWPAs
• SSAs can raise community awareness
• SWAPs can help evaluate candidate SSAs
WATER TABLE
Brine - Salt Water (>10,000 TDS)
DR
Y
AQ
UIF
ER US
DW
BR
INE
Underground Source of Drinking Water <10,000 TDS
What is the UIC Program and Why is it Significant?
Sou
rce:
GW
PC
Class II EOR Well
Oil Reservoir
USDWs
Mineralized Ore Body Exempt Aquifer
Base of the Lowermost USDW
Water Table
Class III Uranium Solution Mining
Class V Agricul-tural Well
Class I Industrial Well
What Is Wellhead Protection?
• Protection of ground water sources
• Authorized by SDWA Section 1428 of the 1986 Amendments
• EPA-approved, State-designed wellhead protection plans can receive Federal funding to protect ground water sources
• Requirements for Federal compliance
Shari Ring:
Image from EPA WWW
Shari Ring:
Image from EPA WWW
Source Water Protection Initiatives• Source Water Contamination
Prevention Strategy
• National Rural Water Association
• Environmental Finance Center Network
Source Water Protection under the Clean Water Act
SDWA
Ground Water
Ground WaterUsed as
Drinking Water
Surface Water
Used as Drinking
Water
Surface Water Used for
Industrial Uses, Recreation,
Wildlife Habitat, and Fishing
CWA
Wastewater Discharges
Water SystemsWastewater
Treatment Plants
Source Water Protection under the Clean Water Act
• “Point” sources or “non-point” sources
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
• Water quality standards
• Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
Other Federal Source Protection Programs
• See http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ protect/feddata.html for a list of Federal data sources related to source water protection
California Programs that Assist Source Water Protection
• AB 3030• Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)• Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPA)• Department of Pesticide Regulation• Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans• California Rural Water Association• and more…
AB 3030 Groundwater Management Plans
• Legislation passed in 1992 allows existing local agencies to develop groundwater management plans
• Allows agencies to collect revenues to implement plans
• ~ 160 agencies have developed plans• Components may include:
– Identification of Wellhead Protection Areas– GW replenishment– Well destruction– Overdraft mitigation– Review of land use
TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load• Required by Federal Clean Water Act;
implemented by Regional Boards• Written plan for impaired water body to
describe how water quality standards will be met
• Must address all pollution sources within a watershed, both point and nonpoint
• Each impaired water body can have multiple TMDLs– TMDL for multiple contaminants– TMDL for individual contaminants– TMDL for multiple water bodies
TMDLTotal Maximum Daily Load
• >600 impaired water bodies in CA (303d list)– Do not meet water quality standards, even after point sources of
pollution have installed the minimum required levels of pollution control technology
• 120 TMDL plans currently underway by Regional Boards• 13 year plan to complete all TMDLs
CUPA - Certified Unified Program Agencies• Unified Program under CalEPA established by legislation
(1993)• Coordinates 6 programs into a single point of contact for
businesses– Hazardous Waste Generators and On-site Hazardous Waste
Treatment– Underground Storage Tanks– Hazardous Material Release Response Plans and Inventories– CA Accidental Release Prevention Program (CalARP)– Above Ground Petroleum Storage Tanks– Uniform Fire Code Hazardous Material Management Plan and
Inventories
• Local Agency (CUPA)– Permits, inspections, enforcement, fee collection– 43 counties, 23 cities, 3 Joint Powers
Dept. of Pesticide RegulationGround Water Protection Program
DPR currently defines “Pesticide Management Zones”– 1mi2 areas where use of pesticides is restricted
Proposed regulations:• “Ground Water Protection Areas” to replace PMZs
– Types of GWPAs:• Leaching• Runoff• Leaching and Runoff
– Restricts use of pesticides– Determined by soil types and depth to GW– “Wellhead Protection Area” = no pesticide use or storage
within 100’ of any well
Storm Water Pollution Prevention Programs• Required under Federal NPDES program• Phase I – Plans being implemented
– Municipalities > 100,000 population, large construction sites, and certain industries
• Phase II – Permits due by 12/2002, implementation within 5 years– Smaller municipalities, smaller construction sites,
and more industries
• CalTrans has an extensive program and public information materials
California Rural Water Association
• CRWA has had a staff person (Sue Murphy) working with many small water systems on source water assessments and protection– [email protected]
• CRWA now has a staff person (Belinda Green) working with regional areas on source water protection
• Establish a local committee• Review the initial source water assessment
and update or expand as necessary• Prepare reports and maps• Develop protection plan• Submit plan for review to local and state
agencies• Implement management measures• Conduct contingency planning
SWP Procedures
Establish a Local CommitteeStarting organization:
• Water system (municipality, water district, utility company, or regional agency)
• Community served by water system
Local Committee• For best chance of success, include other
stakeholders to balance interests, solicit a variety of opinions, and to obtain greater “buy-in”– Consumers and their advocates
• Drinking water customers• Representatives for at-risk populations
– Environmental groups– Business owners/operators of PCAs– Government officials with land use planning
authority– Regulators of PCAs
Review the Assessment• Initial assessment may have been done
by– DHS– LPA county– Water System– Consultant– Regional agency– Other entity (CRWA)
Review the Assessment• Verify accuracy of information
• Identify PCAs of primary concern
• Gather more information– Hydrogeology or surface water hydrology– Locations, density, and compliance of
PCAs of primary concern
Develop a Protection Plan• Identify measures currently in place that
protect water supplies• Identify possible new source water protection
measures• Identify resources and new regulations (if any)
necessary to implement the measures• Develop a time line for implementing measures• Draft a report for review by local committee• Solicit comments and revise plan as necessary
Measures Currently in Place
• Many current activities provide or support protection of water supplies– Control of well sites and intakes– Water quality monitoring– Compliance with and enforcement of existing
regulations– Sewer system programs
• Industrial waste discharges
– Waste management• Used oil collection• Household hazardous waste collection
– Land use planning
What are Source Water Protection Measures?• Practices to prevent contamination of
ground water and surface water that are used or potentially used as sources of drinking water
• Protection measures form the first barrier to drinking water protection
How Can Protection Measures Fit into a SWPP?
• Impose by regulation
• Encourage through non-regulatory means
• Combine approaches as appropriate given site-specific considerations
Best Management Practices
• BMPs are standard operating procedures that can reduce the threats that activities at homes, businesses, agriculture, and industry can pose to water supplies
• BMPs can increase the aesthetic beauty and value of residential and commercial propertiesDetention pond
Selecting Management Measures for the SWP Plan• After considering possible measures, identify
those that:– Address the primary contaminants and/or PCAs of
concern– Can be readily implemented with the resources
available
• Identify short-term and long-term actions• Incorporate into Plan
Selecting Management Measures• Non-Regulatory
– Good housekeeping practices– Public education – Land management– Land purchase and development rights– Man-made systems and devices – Emergency response planning
• Regulatory– Land use controls– Regulations and permits
Non-Regulatory Methods for Source Water Protection
• Without adopting any new ordinances or regulations, communities can be successful in protecting water supplies
Good Housekeeping Practices• At the water supply
– This is the one area the water system should have complete control over
– Prevent unauthorized access to the site– Keep the site clear of contaminants – Eliminate pathways of contamination
• Abandoned wells• Storm drain discharges
Good Housekeeping Practices• At PCAs:
– Equipment operation and maintenance– Product storage, use and handling– Waste storage and disposal
• May be required by local ordinances or health regulations
Public Education• School children
– Teach good environmental habits– Use presentations, experiments, and festivals
• Business owners – Proper material handling and spill response
procedures– Ways to reduce use of contaminants– Use flyers and targeted mailings
• Public– Storm drain messages, posters– Consumer Confidence Reports
Land Management
• Responsible Management:– Environmentally sensitive landscaping – Proper lawn maintenance – Agricultural:
• Conservation tillage• Crop rotation• Contour strip farming• Animal grazing management • Integrated pest management • Some financial incentives from USDA
Land Purchase and Development Rights• Limiting new
development in watersheds and recharge areas – Land purchases– Conservation
easements– Land trusts and
conservancies
Man-made Systems or Devices
• At Business PCAs:– Automatic shut-off and
leak detection devices on USTs
– Secondary containment– Segregated floor drains– Drainage diversion – Waste collection
devices
Man-made Systems or Devices
• Within Protection Areas:– Relocate storm drain discharge points– Prioritize repair or replacement of failing
septic systems and leaking sewer lines in Zone A
– Identification and destruction of improperly abandoned wells
Abandoned or Improperly Destroyed Wells
Photo: Purdue Extension Service
• Locations often unknown
• Common nearby activities may degrade water quality
• Runoff also poses threats
Abandoned Wells
• Plug abandoned wells
• Use licensed well drillers
• Get a permit
Graphic: North Dakota State Univ.
Vegetative Measures
Swales
Photo: Texas Chapter, APWA
•Reduces the speed of runoff
•Promotes filtering or infiltration of storm water
–Constructed wetlands
–Vegetated buffer strips
–Grassed swales
• Identify potential threats to water supply and formulate response scenarios
• At PCAs– Spill response plans– Surface spill reporting forms – Fire-fighting plans– Names and phone numbers of emergency
response contacts (including water system)
Emergency Response Planning
• Identify potential threats to water supply and formulate response scenarios
• At the water system:– Information about the water system– Potential contamination sources and their
locations– Needed equipment and supplies– Names and phone numbers of emergency
response contacts– Short- and long-term water supply options
Emergency Response Planning
Regulatory Methods for Source Water Protection
• When non-regulatory methods don’t work
• When the contamination threat is particularly significant
• When state or regional regulations aren’t strong enough for local issues
Land Use Controls
• To control or move land uses that pose risks to source water– Subdivision growth controls– Zoning– Land use prohibitions
Subdivision Growth Controls• Primary purpose is to control division of
land into lots suitable for building
• Can protect drinking water supplies from– Septic system effluent– Storm water runoff
Zoning• Add an
additional “Wellhead Protection Zone”; doesn’t change underlying zoning
• Generally not successful in addressing existing land uses
• Some communities offer “bonuses” for property owners to convert to lower risk land uses
Land Use Prohibitions
• Effective way to remove threats from sensitive areas
• Source-specific and chemical-specific standards
• Example:– Don’t allow certain PCAs in zones, or allow
only with mitigation measures to prevent and detect release and/or migration of contaminants
Regulations and Permits• Construction and operating standards
• Permit requirements
• Land use prohibitions
• Public health regulations
Many of these regulations are already in place; check to see that the latest and most vigorous are adopted locally, or at least within zones
Permit Requirements
• Local authorities can require permits
• Permit fees can help recover program costs
• Permits can be site-specific
• Inspections enforce permit requirements
• California CUPA program is an example
Public Health Regulations• Underground storage tanks
– Construction standards
– Leak testing
• Floor drains
• Septic systems– Number and size in a given area
– Siting, setback distances and construction
– Maintenance standards
Septic system regulations vary widely between counties and RWQCB regions; as a result of AB 885, efforts are underway to develop statewide minimum standards
Storm Water Runoff
• Nonstructural measures to control runoff – Good housekeeping– Public education– Roadway
maintenance– Erosion and
sedimentation control measures Sewer stenciling
Storm Water Runoff
• Engineered devices to control runoff – Grassed swales– Buffer strips– Filter strips– Wet ponds – Constructed wetlands– Infiltration practices– BMPs for Class V wells
Porous design minimizes impervious area
Storm Water Runoff
• Storm water drainage wells (Class V)
• Protection measures for Class V wells – Siting– Design – Operation
Storm drain
Storm Water Runoff
• Municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s)– Regulated under the
NPDES Program– Over 5,000
nationwide
Above Ground Storage Tanks
• Corrosion protection
• Secondary containment
• Monitoring• Periodic cleanup• Evaporation
protection• Proper closureSheltered above ground tank farm
Underground Storage Tanks
Backfilling an UST installationin a lined pit
• Proper installation• Corrosion protection• Spill prevention• Overfill protection• Leak detection• Proper closure
Vehicle Washing Facilities
• Minimize runoff• Enclose wash areas
and locate them on impervious surfaces
• Use alternative cleaning agents
Small Quantity Chemical Use, Storage, and Disposal
• Conduct a chemical audit
• Implement a chemical management plan
• Store chemicals properly
• Do not empty in sinks or drains
Small Quantity Chemical Use, Storage, and Disposal
• Have a spill response plan
• Do not mix hazardous and nonhazardous waste
Animal Waste
• Feedlot management– Waste lagoons– Litter storage facilities– Clean water diversion– Composting
Hog parlor with lagoon
Animal Waste
• Land application of manure – Nutrient
management– Proper placement– Crop rotation
• Pasture or grazing management– Fencing
Livestock fencing
Animal Waste
• Managing pet waste– Clean up waste– Bury waste– Keep pets away
from streams and lakes
Animal Waste
• Wildlife waste– Harassment
programs– Reducing
attractiveness of water supply areas
Snow geese
Agricultural Fertilizer Application
• Time nitrogen fertilizer applications for maximum uptake
• To minimize phosphorus runoff, control erosion and apply phosphorus based on soil tests
Fertilizer spreader
Agricultural Fertilizer Application
• Use proper application rates
• Correctly place fertilizer
• Calibrate application equipment
Wheat-corn-fallow rotation
Agricultural Fertilizer Application
• Use environmentally-friendly farming techniques– Crop rotation– Buffer and filter strips– Conservation tillage– Laser-controlled land
leveling– Precision agriculture
No tillage wheat farming
Turf Grass and Garden Fertilizer Application
• Calibrate equipment
• Properly apply fertilizer
• Irrigate after application
• Follow label directions
Large-Scale Pesticide Application• Integrated Pest
Management combines three pest control tactics– Biological– Cultural or
horticultural– Chemical
The leaf beetle Diorhabda elongata; first approved biological control
agent for salt cedar in the US
Small-Scale Pesticide Application
• Select disease-resistant plants
• Use plant management techniques
• Use natural biological controls and manual control activities
Summary
• Source water protection is best done at the local level
• Non-regulatory actions can be successful
• Current federal, state, and local programs can be a basis or supplement local source water protection programs
AcknowledgementsThe U. S. Environmental Protection Agency would like to acknowledge the contributions of the members of the Source Water Protection Best Management Practices Advisory Group, under the leadership of Steven Ainsworth of the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
• Robert Goo• Richard Gullick• Denise Hawkins• Joyce Hudson• Elizabeth Hunt• Paul Jehn• Joseph Lee• Marty Link• Ryan McReynolds• Karen Metchis• Douglas Minter• Beatriz Oliveira
• Bruce Olsen• Roberta Parry• Kenneth Pelletier• Art Persons• Shari Ring• Andrea Ryon• Chi Ho Sham• Paul Shriner• Stephanie Vap-Morrow• Leah Walker• Hal White• Pamla Wood
• Rita Bair• James Bourne• Ross Brennan• Hamilton Brown• Richard Cobb• James Crawford• Anthony Dulka• Jack Falk• MaryJo Feuerbach• Nancy Fitz• Claire Gesalman