update on source water collaborative & related topics u.s. epa region 3 source water assessment...
TRANSCRIPT
Update on Source Water Collaborative
& Related Topics
U.S. EPA Region 3Source Water Assessment and Protection
ProgramStates Meeting
June 5, 2013
Jim TaftAssociation of State Drinking Water
AdministratorsNational Source Water Collaborative
The Source Water Collaborative Background & Activities to Date
Focus on Agricultural Community Collaboration
Focus on CWA-SDWA Collaboration State-EPA Workgroup Efforts
Source Water Collaborative Efforts
Focus on Fostering State & Local Collaboratives
Topics to Discuss
…and your drinking water is here
Water quality issues:•Stormwater runoff•Flow•Pathogens•Disinfection byproducts (& precursors)•Algae•Chlorides•Turbidity•Alkalinity•Nutrients•Metals•Trace organics
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We represent the drinking water programs in the 50 states, 5 territories, D.C., and the Navajo Nation.
Our members (which include the Region 3 states) address all facets of their programs – from source to tap (e.g., source water quality and quantity, rule implementation, technical assistance/training, security, data management)
I’m also representing the Source Water Collaborative – a group of 25 organizations dedicated to working cooperatively to protection sources of drinking water.
State Drinking Water Programs & the Source Water Collaborative
Coalition of 25 national organizations united to protect drinking water sources Newest members—National Association of Conservation
Districts and Smart Growth America Key Activities to Date
Guide for Land Use Planners Guide for Local Officials Customizable Tool: Create Your Own Local Official’s Guide SWP Cost Benefit Tool Field-to-Faucets Guide (EPA product) Salmon Falls (NH/ME) & Delaware River Basin Initiatives Engagement with U.S. Department of Agriculture and
National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)6
Source Water Collaborative:Background & Activities to Date
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“We the undersigned organizations committed to safe drinking water, hereby agree to work together at the source – on the lakes, streams, rivers, and aquifers we tap for drinking water and on the land which protects and recharges those bodies of water. As the population grows and the countryside develops, drinking water protection should be integrated into land-use planning and stewardship; road, sewer and water projects; farming, industry and development practices; waste disposal methods; watershed planning, protection and clean-up; and the routine decisions Americans make every day. This is because the quality, quantity and cost of drinking water depend not only on treatment and distribution, but also on land stewardship and planning decisions.”
Excerpt from Source Water Collaborative Charter
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Priority agenda items for next few years: Nutrient reduction partnerships with Agriculture
Agencies Improve SDWA-CWA collaboration
“How-To Guide” for member organizations, localsCoordinated with overall state-EPA initiative
Foster/support new collaboratives:Lancaster County, PA – agriculture, stormwaterSheridan, WY – sediment, E. coli,
CryptosporidiumWisconsin – nutrients in ground water, targeted
watersheds (statewide)
Source Water Collaborative:Priorities for the Next Few Years
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Collaboration Toolkit designed to facilitate partnerships with NRCS State Conservationists
Working with NACD to enhance Toolkit with tips for working with conservation districts
Nutrient Reduction Partnerships with the Agricultural Community
Many contaminants are of mutual concern for aquatic life & human health.
Public health standards don’t exist for all parameters of concern, and take a long time to develop -- so we should optimize tools we have available.
It makes sense to reduce/remove contaminants in source waters to begin with, rather than transferring the cost of removal downstream.
Factors such as population growth and climate change are exerting additional pressures on water use and treatment efficiency: water re-use is already occurring….and will become more intensive.
Drinking water protection can provide additional public motivation and support for water quality improvements, and encourage more partners
Public expects that environment and public health are being protected
Reasons for Collaboration on SDWA and CWA Tools
Foster improved collaboration between programs, including “hard-wired” coordination opportunities.
Get drinking water into the queue of water quality priorities and vice versa.
Leverage resources to improve water quality and source water.
Address pollutants of concern and/or emerging contaminants of concern.
CWA-SDWA State-EPA Work Group“Better quality drinking water sources,
both surface and ground water, now and in the future”
Challenges for SDWA-CWA Integration
Challenge
Few WQC for DW protection
WQC risk levels < MCL risk levels
Use designations may not reflect DW use
Few TMDLs target DW quality
Ambient monitoring/assessments may rely more on biocriteria than chemical data
Public water systems monitor treated water, not source water
Potential Solution
Can use narrative criterion (no toxics in toxic amounts), Health Advisories, Risk Screening Levels
Use State CWA risk levels to develop protective standards for drinking water sources
Revisit use designations for relevant segments
Augment TMDL WLAs, LAs to protect intakes
Supplement ambient monitoring with relevant water chemistry, special studies, water supply data
Many water systems provide supplemental data 18
Water Quality Standards and Impaired Waters Listing
Point Sources (NPDES)TMDLs and Nonpoint Sources (319)Deliverables – “How-To” Guides:
Targeted to State & EPA Regional practitioners How tools can address contaminants or contaminant
groups that pose HH risk in drinking water Use real-world scenarios, where possible Address potential obstacles & approaches to
overcoming them Recommend actions to “hard-wire” integration, as
appropriate, (e.g., in policy, guidance, annual commitments)
CWA-SDWA State-EPA Work GroupSub-Work Groups
Nutrients: toxicity (NO3), taste & odor, pathogens, disinfection byproducts precursors, harmful algal blooms & toxins
Pathogens: e.g., CryptosporidiumChemical contaminants – e.g., BromidesEmerging contaminantsGround water protection
Target Opportunities for SDWA-CWA Collaboration
Complementary Effort: How can the 25 SWC members (and their constituencies)
play an appropriate role in this initiative – commensurate with their interests & authorities?
Citizens/Stakeholders’ Guides: To use & leveraging of CWA tools & opportunities –
especially, TMDLs and NPDES permits.
Strategic use of Data and Information: What local data sources exist to help complement
Federal and state data sources? How and when can such sources be best leveraged and
used?
Source Water Collaborative’s CWA-SDWA Initiative
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Shared understanding and recognition of a serious, time-sensitive problem.
Data and information to guide and direct efforts. Diverse stakeholders and a core group of
committed folks. A champion or two to keep forward momentum. A little bit of money to help defray expenses of
meetings; web site maintenance.
Checklist for Success
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It’s a Team Sport -- needs to be a collaborative effort. It involves the combined efforts of many partners: public water
systems, community leaders, land-use decision-makers, agricultural leaders, and the public; both “traditional” and non-traditional partners need to be at the table.
Leverage existing authorities and resources, wherever possible: it’s easier to make course corrections of aircraft carriers rather
than turn them around. Many folks are just waiting to be “leveraged”; may not know the
need.
Local efforts “move the needle”: Federal, state and regional organizations and networks can help
set up the conditions for success, but it’s ultimately source water protection projects and actions at the local level that make the difference.
Keys to Success (Based on What We’ve Seen Across the
Country)
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Federal: It’s about leveraging information and resources and moving
information down to the state and local levels; also need better “Fed-to-Fed” information sharing and program coordination.
State: Statewide focus allows for coordinated and comprehensive
approach within in established framework – and, ability to make a big impact (NC, CT, MN).
In a large, diverse state, there are obviously a lot of Regional differences and local jurisdictions that need to be involved.
Regional/local: Efforts typically rally around a particular resource (e.g., Salmon
Falls) which provide a sense of urgency and a local focus. Ultimately, source water protection takes place at the local level
– so, how do we facilitate that and establish the conditions for success?
Lessons Learned from National, State, and Regional/Local Level
Collaboratives