Protecting Our Source Water: A Community Effort

At American Water, we are committed to providing high-quality, reliable water service to our customers. A crucial part of maintaining this quality is protecting the sources of our drinking water. Source water can come from surface water, which flows on top of the land surface within a watershed, or groundwater, which is stored in underground aquifers. The quality and quantity of this water depend on local watershed conditions such as climate, topography, and land use.

What is Source Water Protection?

Source water protection involves identifying potential risks that could affect the water supply and seeking to reduce those risks to maintain the quality of the supply source. These risks can include contamination from materials that may be naturally occurring or are used, stored, and transported throughout the watershed. The types of materials vary from one location to another but are typically associated with certain land uses such as agricultural, industrial, or residential.

How Can We Protect Our Source Water?

There are several ways to manage risks to water supplies, including:

• Regulations for material handling and land use practices to reduce contaminant impacts.
• Outreach and education to inform people about how their actions can affect source water supplies.

Protecting our source water requires a community effort. Utilities, businesses, residents, government agencies, and organizations must share information and take action to protect our shared resources. Across the U.S., many waterways contribute to sources of community water supplies, so it's important that we all take steps to protect and improve this precious natural resource.

Community Involvement

Everyone can play a part in protecting and improving drinking water sources. Here are some tips for residents and businesses:

• Be mindful of materials released to the ground or poured down the drain or toilet, as they can flow to and affect waterways.
• Understand that stormwater picks up debris, dirt, and other pollutants as it flows over the land surface, which are then discharged untreated into the water bodies we use for swimming, fishing, and drinking water.

By working together, we can help ensure that our water remains safe and clean for everyone. For more information on source water protection, visit: https://www.amwater.com/corp/Water-Quality-Wastewater-Service/source-water-protection