Source Water Cost vs. Protection Documents, HAB Resources, and State Planning Information Now Available on ASDWA’s Website

Visit ASDWA’s Source Water Protection, Nutrient Pollution, and Sustainability web site pages for some new and helpful information that states should find helpful for managing and protecting source water and public health.  The Source Water Protection web page includes new useful documents under “Important Tools and Resources,” as follows:

• Costs of Water Supply Contamination vs. Protection:  These documents were collected by the State of Washington in response to an October 2012 survey on this topic.

• State of Michigan – Information about various water system costs associated with having to develop alternative water supply sources due to high levels of nitrate and other contaminants.
• Lake Springfield, Illinois – Article in Fall 2011 issue of “Lakeline” that documents the costs of working with agricultural producers to reduce sediment and the costs of water systems to remove atrazine.
• State of Maine – A 1993 Study (that is still relevant) on “The Costs of No Wellhead Protection in Maine:  The Costs of Cure vs. Prevention,” that includes documented water system costs for addressing a variety of contamination problems.
• Factsheet:  Utility Customers Agree to Pay for Watershed Protection – A factsheet with examples of utilities that are using water rate surcharges to fund watershed protection from The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

Visit ASDWA’s Nutrient Pollution web page and scroll down to “State Information” where you will find information from a number of states about nitrate risks and occurrence, and links to state web sites with helpful information and resources on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), as well as state response strategies and water system treatment recommendations.

On the Source Water Sustainability and Climate Change page, you will find new “State Examples” about Massachusetts’ Sustainable Water Management Initiative and Virginia’s Water Resources Plan.

While you’re visiting, be sure to check out the many other great resources and links on these web pages that are useful for states.  If you have any questions, or have additional resources you would like to post, please contact Deirdre Mason of ASDWA at dmason@asdwa.org or 703-812-4775.