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Potomac Basin Drinking Source Water Protection Partnership

Potomac Basin Drinking Source Water Protection Partnership. January 9, 2009 Cherie Schultz, Ph.D. Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin. Potomac Drinking Source Water Protection Partnership. Voluntary alliance Goal is protection of source water Identify regional priorities

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Potomac Basin Drinking Source Water Protection Partnership

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  1. Potomac BasinDrinking Source WaterProtection Partnership January 9, 2009 Cherie Schultz, Ph.D. Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin

  2. Potomac Drinking Source Water Protection Partnership • Voluntary alliance • Goal is protection of source water • Identify regional priorities • Promote communication and information-sharing • Encourage coordinated approaches • Develop new initiatives to ensure the highest quality drinking water • Initiated in September, 2004

  3. Source Water Protection Background • Safe Drinking Water Act passed in 1974 • Original focus on water treatment and standards • 1996 amendments required source water assessments for all public water supply systems • Most assessments completed ~ 2004

  4. 70% 60% 50% Population served 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Potomac River Tributaries Ground-water Sources of Drinking Water in the Potomac River Basin Potomac basin population ~ 5.8 million

  5. Potomac Source Water - Assets • 57% forested • 15% permanently protected • Little heavy industry • Chesapeake Bay Program initiatives

  6. Washington, DC Potomac Source Water - Challenges Rapid population growth

  7. Potomac Source Water - Challenges Agricultural practices

  8. Potomac Source Water - Challenges Major transportation corridors

  9. Genesis of Partnership • Completion of Potomac source water assessments • Encouragement by ICPRB and EPA • History of successful cooperation between DC area water suppliers

  10. Current Membership • Fairfax Water (VA) • Washington Aqueduct (DC) • WSSC (MD) • Loudoun Water (VA) • City of Frederick (MD) • City of Hagerstown (MD) • City of Rockville (MD) • Frederick Co DUSWM (MD) • Town of Leesburg (VA) • Washington Co (MD) • DDOE • MDE • PADEP • VADEQ, VDH • WVDEP, WVDHHR • EPA • USGS • ICPRB

  11. Partnership Strategy Develop strategies to protect source water Determine issues of concern Identify sources • Meetings and workshops • Scientific studies • Pathogens • Emerging contaminants • - Disinfection by-products • Hazardous spills • Discussions begun

  12. Activities Related to Pathogens Accomplishments: • Cryptosporidium workshop, Jun 2005 • Cryptosporidium source tracking study, 2006-2008 (DWSPP/CDC/EPA) • Workshop on practices of dairy and beef cattle industry, Aug 2008 • Visits to agricultural BMPs, Oct 2006 and Dec 2008

  13. Activities Related to Pathogens Under discussion in 2009 - support of BMPs that reduce crypto via: • Direct assistance for implementation projects? • Education and outreach to state & county agencies? • Other?

  14. phthalates perchlorate estradiol Activities Related to Emerging Contaminants • Accomplishments: • Emerging Contaminants & Water Supply Workshop, Sep 2005 • Mini-Workshop: Emerging Contaminant Challenges – Alternative Approaches for Water Utilities/Meeting, May 7, 2007 • Workshop: AwwaRF Research on Risk Communication & EDCs for Potomac Region Stakeholders, Apr 2008 • Participation in EPA monitoring perchlorate study • Upcoming: • Potomac basin serving as case study for upcoming AwwaRF project: Water Utility Framework for Responding to Emerging Contaminant Issues

  15. Activities Related to Releases of Hazardous Materials • Accomplishments: • Periodic DWSPP spill response exercises (with EPA RiverSpill simulation model) • Pipeline safety review (follow-up on 1993 spill by Colonial Pipeline Co) • Potomac Pipeline Spill Training and Simulation Exercise, fall 2008

  16. Goals - Pipeline Spill Training & Exercise • Test water supply-related emergency response and communication plans for DC metro area • Enhance emergency response coordination and communication between Colonial Pipeline Co, water suppliers, and others • Define participants’ roles and responsibilities • Clarify the Incident Command System (ICS) structure for the response, in particular the agencies/entities involved in the “Unified Command” • Allow participants to discuss future steps to better prepare for a water supply-related emergency

  17. Participants - Pipeline Spill Training & Exercise

  18. Strategy for Source Water Protection in Potomac River Basin Antietam Monocacy Opequon North Fork Shenandoah

  19. Strategy for Source Water Protection in Potomac River Basin • Search for commonly identified threats to source water within watersheds • Identify opportunities to coordinate with Total Maximum Daily Load efforts • Explore opportunities to partner with county conservation districts

  20. Conclusion • Cooperative alliances cannot: • Reach consensus on all issues • Serve as a substitute for regulations • Cooperative alliances can: • Build trust • Help disseminate information • Reduce duplication of efforts • Effectively exert pressure for change

  21. For more information go to:www.potomacdwspp.orgor contact: Karin Bencala, kbencala@icprb.org Cherie Schultz, cschultz@icprb.org

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