Source Water Protection Management Strategies

As a guide, the public water supplier (PWS) may want to examine opportunities for management of the WHPA by reviewing such things as:

• Ownership of land within the WHPA
• Current land use practices within the WHPA
• Expected changes in water usage
• Future land use issues in and around the WHPA
• Expected changes to the physical environment

In order to establish wellhead protection goals and management strategies, it is important that the PWS examine both problems and opportunities when reviewing issues within the WHPA. For example, ownership of lands within and adjacent to the WHPA will dictate to some degree the management strategies developed by the team. The wellhead protection plan should state measurable objectives for management of the area involved.

The following list contains examples of possible WHPA management strategies that may be considered for implementation by the public water supplier:

MONITORING OF NON-CONFORMING POTENTIAL SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION - The initial implementation measure is to develop a suitable method for monitoring any and all non-conforming potential sources of contamination identified within the WHPA, using monitoring data already required by existing regulatory programs, and/or designing informal monitoring programs in cooperation with the landowner or manager.

PUBLIC EDUCATION - Prepare news media announcements designed to inform consumers and the general public of community wellhead protection efforts. Present programs to school and/or civic groups on the importance of groundwater and wellhead protection. Pamphlets may be designed and distributed to consumers and the general public informing them about such things as oil recycling programs, sealing of abandoned wells, best management practices for various land uses, etc.

FENCING OF WHPA - This management technique will insure that the WHPA is protected from future land use practices that could be harmful to the water quality.

ROAD/RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY SIGNS - Placement of traffic-type signs to notify the traveling public that they are entering a WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA, requesting a call to local emergency number for spills or accidents involving hazardous materials.

EMERGENCY/CONTINGENCY PLANNING - Development of an emergency or contingency plan to address disruption of a public water supply, resulting from human-caused accident or neglect and/or natural disasters.

LAND PURCHASE - Land which is purchased in order to develop a well and maintain state required isolation distances.

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMP’s) - The public water supplier may work with owners of non-owned lands to manage current uses and/or to develop alternative land uses having a lesser degree of potential for contamination of the water supply (Published BMP’s are available from various state agencies, local regulatory and government agencies and private organizations).

COLLECTION OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - The PWS must continue to gather information that will benefit the development of a complete wellhead protection program including data items needed to complete the scientific delineation of the Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA).

PERMITTING SYSTEM - An adjacent city, township or county may adopt an ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT CHECKLIST as a part of the normal issuance of building, zoning or development permits. This type of checklist is particularly useful to planning commission and board of adjustment members when reviewing proposed subdivisions of land, rezoning , and/or variance requests.

ZONING – Adjacent units of government (like a city) may consider creating a special wellhead protection zoning district as part of the land use zoning within the community (See MN Dept. of Health for Model Wellhead Protection Ordinance).

RESOLUTION - Formal council or board adoption of a resolution discouraging, or not allowing, activities which may lead to groundwater quality degradation within the WHPA would constitute a minimum implementation strategy. At the time of adoption of the afore mentioned resolution, the system should adopt as many land management options as possible for ease of completing future wellhead management steps.

WHP BUDGET LINE ITEM - If a budget line item for wellhead protection does not currently exist, it must be included as a primary management strategy at this point. Include sufficient dollar amount to cover the costs of scientific delineation of the Wellhead Protection Area and any anticipated implementation expenses.