Small Systems Guide To Safe Drinking Water Act Regulations - U.s. Environmental Protection Agency - 2003 Page 9
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35Source Water Protection: An Ounce of Protection is Worth a Pound of Cure
Drinking water, which may be from ground water,
Good Environmental Sense
surface water, or both, is vulnerable to being
contaminated. If the drinking water source is not
Water is a renewable resource, but there are limits
protected, contamination can cause a
to its quality and quantity. Land development,
community significant expense as well as put
polluted runoff from agricultural, commercial, and
people's health in danger. Cleaning up
industrial sites, and aging wastewater infrastructure
contamination or finding a new source of
are examples of what can threaten the quality of
drinking water is complicated, costly, and
drinking water sources. In many areas of the
sometimes impossible.
country, ground water is being pumped faster than
aquifers are being recharged, and depleted aquifers
Preventing drinking water contamination at the
are causing reduced ground water contributions to
source makes sense:
surface water flow. Surface water withdrawals are
• Good public health sense;
diminishing in-stream flows to the point that
• Good economic sense; and,
habitat, as well as water supply uses, are
• Good environmental sense.
threatened. Planning and taking actions to protect
the drinking water sources can also protect the
water resource for a multitude of uses.
Good Public Health Sense
For more information, visit EPA’s Source Water
When waterborne diseases occur due to
Protection web site:
contaminated drinking water, the burden of
solving the problem falls on the community and
the State. Source water contamination
prevention is the first barrier to the
outbreak of waterborne illnesses.
Keeping contaminants out of the
source water helps keep them out of
the drinking water supply.
Good Economic Sense
In addition, the community and the
State bear the economic burden
when drinking water sources are
contaminated. Not only can wages
be lost and medical costs incurred,
but alternative water supplies may be
required in the short run. Over the
long-term, treatment systems may
have to be expanded, or a new water
source found, to meet new regulatory
requirements or to address new
contaminant threats. Source water
contamination prevention, however,
can keep such costs in check.
Preventing contamination is often
cheaper than remedying its effects.
As the old adage goes, "an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure."
Photo courtesy of Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
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