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NESC – RCAP Smart Water Program August 4, 2008 Review of West Virginia’s Source Water Assessment and Protection Program A State Perspective By: William J. Toomey - CPG Program Manager - SWAP/CT/GIS WV Department of Health and Human Resources – BPH/OEHS • Primary agency designated to carry out the provisions of the federal “Safe Drinking Water Act” that passed in 1974. • SDWA Regulates Public Water Supplies quality of the water. • Amendments: 1986 Wellhead Protection program and 1996 Source Water Assessment program. • States Flexibility and Resources. • Voluntary • WV Rural Setting West Virginia State Capitol Active Public Water Systems within West Virginia • Population of West Virginia ~ 1.8 million with ~ 1.4 million served by Public Water Supplies. • Community Systems – 329 – 184 Groundwater – 128 Surface Water (~76% of population) – 17 GWUDI • Non-Community System – 641 – 619 Groundwater – 14 Surface Water – 8 GWUDI WV Susceptibility Assessment Reports (The Beginning Not the END) • Starting place for water systems and communities to identify areas for additional evaluation and management activities. • Provides awareness of the potential threats that exists within the SWAP area. • A map and listing of the potential contaminant source inventory. • Susceptibility Ranking Susceptibility Reports Completed for All Water Systems Question ????? • What's next - How do we move to the Implementation phase? – SWAP Survey – Initial and Substantial Implementation When I was told about the implementation phase! Question to WV Water Systems - barriers to implementing source water protection plans? 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 42% 32% 17% 8% 2006 WV SWAP Survey Lack of available funding Lack of personnel resources Lack of technical assistance Lack of info on source water protection Other Barriers • Not required by regulation - voluntary • Most systems and/or local authorities overwhelmed with “their job” • No time left to dedicate to protection • Will work on protection as time permits • Security concerns 2006 WV SWAP Survey WV SWAP – Next Steps • Integration into SDWA programs - sanitary surveys, waivers, new well approvals • Integrating GIS information – Accessible data • Data from existing programs • Secure Website – Intake and well data – sensitive data • Development of Partnerships – Integrate and reduce institutional barriers • Development of Memorandum of Understandings • Water Quality Standards– WV Category APublic Water Supplies • WV Groundwater Protection Act • Potomac and Ohio River Partnerships – Continue to work with the SWAP Committee • Identifying Key Players WV SWAP – Next Steps • Source Water Grant Program • Developing the Source Water Protection Technical Help Program (SWPTHP) • Educational and Outreach Programs – SWAP Website http://www.wvdhhr.org/oehs/eed/swap/ – Community Reports Online – Flow Models – Conferences – Newsletter – Awards – SWAP Guidance Manual (HC and WEB) You have to repeat the message over and over again before people hear it and believe it • • West Virginia SWAP – Recommended Steps at the Local Level Local Planning Committee Review Initial Susceptibility Report – Update or expand as necessary • Identify Local Source Water Concerns • Source Water Protection Measures WV American Water Company working on a watershed project SWAP Group in Berkeley County WV Ranking of the Potential Contaminant Sources • Most threatening PCS survey inventory – GWSW (Highest) (GW) - Septic (on-site sewage disposal) systems (SW) - Mining Extraction • 2006 Survey Results (public water systems)– GW-SW ( Highest) (GW) - Septic Systems (SW) - Flooding West Virginia SWAP – Protection Measures – Education and Outreach – Conduct Emergency/Contingency Planning – Source Management Strategies West Virginia SWAP – Protection Measures • Identify possible new source water protection measures • Non-regulatory – Good House Keeping Practices – Security, Keep Site Clear, Eliminate Abandoned Wells, discuss SWAP with the PCS’s, emergency response plans • Regulatory – Land Use Controls – Zoning – Regulations and Permits – Identify resources and new regulations (if any) necessary to implement the measures WV SWAP - How Do We Measure Progress !! – Surveys – Initial and Substantial Implementation – Ambient monitoring data Delineation – Wellhead Protection Area Delineation – Zone of Critical Concern Area Delineation – Watershed Area Potential Contaminant Sources REMEMBER….. ALWAYS DRINK UPSTREAM OF THE HERD Slide from Michigan Private Water Well PPT presentation QUESTIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION William J. Toomey - CPG Program Manager - SWAP/CT/GIS DHHR/BPH/OEHS/EED Capitol and Washington Streets 1 Davis Square, Suite 200 Charleston, WV 25310 Website: www.wvdhhr.org/oehs/eed/ Email: [email protected]