IMS Annual Conference 2019

In Idaho there are approximately 2,000 public water systems providing water to almost 1.3 million people. Clean drinking water is vital to the physical and economic health of those communities, and can be achieved through a multi-barrier approach by public water systems, local government, regulators, and the general public from source water protection through distribution. Source water is the raw, untreated supply of surface and ground water used for current or potential future drinking water. Source water protection is a proactive, front-line defense to safeguard, maintain, or improve the quality of drinking water sources and their contributing areas. It involves a coordinated approach among stakeholders to develop strategies that prevent, minimize, or control potential sources of contamination and enhance water quality ultimately reducing public health risks and operating costs.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Source Water Protection Program plays a key role in this multi-barrier approach by helping communities and public water systems to protect drinking water at the source. DEQ develops source water assessment reports and provides them to the public through an online tool, identifies and promotes the implementation of best management practices to address potential sources of contamination, raises public awareness, encourages public involvement, and collaborates with many partners through the Idaho Source Water Collaborative.