CDC Webinar Highlights California Efforts to Assess and Address Groundwater Quality in Domestic and Irrigation Wells

On January 22nd, Matt Keely of California’s Central Coast Regional Water Board provided a presentation about their efforts to assess and address groundwater quality for CDC’s Private Well Community of Practice webinar.  The presentation shared information about their Central Coast Groundwater Assessment and Protection (GAP) Program that is conducting nitrate sampling, assessment, and outreach efforts for domestic and irrigation wells, and working with farmers to implement best management practices.  This work stems from several laws in California, including the newly enacted “Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014,” as well as the effect of moving the drinking water program over to the Water Board.  This has served to provide a new integrated focus on water quality that now includes public health implications, where they were not necessarily considered before.  The work is being funded from a variety of sources, including Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) monies from Clean Water Act enforcement settlements that the Board used to start an endowment fund.  For more information, visit the Central Coast GAP web page.