NESC – RCAP Smart Water Program August 4, 2008 Review of West Virginia’s Source Water Assessment and Protection Program A State Perspective 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 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? 2006 WV SWAP Survey

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 A- Public 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 –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 – GW- SW (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 Website: