Protecting Our Drinking Water - Source Water Protection Plan

Ozarks Water Watch and the City of Ava, MO have entered in a Contract for Professional Services to revise and update the existing City of Ava's Wellhead Protection Plan or Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP). Ozarks Water Watch is interested in contracting with other municipalities or organizations that may need water quality plans written or updated or educational activities performed. You can view and print our Statement of Qualifications  or contact us for more information.

The Scope of Services for the Ava SWPP project consists of:

• Creating a Source Water Protection Committee.
• Producing an updated Source Water Protection Plan with a detailed potential contaminants inventory and realistic management strategies including a timeline for implementation.
• Conducting a public education campaign on source water protection.
• Evaluating the source water protection program.

Ava is located in the northeast portion of the Bull Shoals Watershed with runoff flowing into Beaver Creek (Click HERE or on Map above for large map)

Source water protection of drinking water supplies is much the same as protecting our streams and lakes from pollution sources. The City of Ava utilizes wells for public water supplies so this plan will focus on ground water protection but lakes, streams and reservoirs can also be used as drinking water sources. A source water protection plan consists of:

• Delineate the source water assessment area: For each ground water well or surface water intake that supplies public drinking water, you must delineate or map the land area that could contribute water and pollutants to the water supply.
• Conduct an inventory of potential sources of contamination: Community groups and public water systems are often especially involved in the second step of an assessment -- identifying potential sources of pollutants that could contaminate the water supply. This inventory results in a list and a map of facilities and activities within the delineated area that might release contaminants into the ground water supply (for wells) or into the watershed of the river or lake (for surface water sources). Some examples of potential pollutant sources are landfills, underground or aboveground fuel storage tanks, residential or commercial septic systems, stormwater runoff from streets and lawns, farms that apply pesticides and fertilizers, and sludge disposal sites.
• Determine the susceptibility of the water supply to contamination: For the susceptibility analysis, you combine the inventory results with other relevant information to decide how likely a water supply is to be contaminated by identified potential sources of contamination. This critical step makes the assessments useful for communities because it provides information that local decision makers can use to prioritize their approaches for protecting the drinking water supply.

City of Ava, MO Source Water Protection Area Showing:  20 yr. Time of Travel (RED), Half Mile Buffer (BLUE)

The Public Education Campaign is a very critical component for successful implementation of a Source Water Protection Plan. We plan to utilize newspaper articles, radio interviews and direct mail on the subjects of source water protection, lawn nutrient management, the proper use of pesticides, proper storage and handling of household chemicals, proper disposal of household hazardous waste, septic tank maintenance, decommissioning of abandoned wells and automotive fluid handling and disposal. Additionally, public involvement through the Source Water Protection Committee consisting of stakeholders from the city's public works department, the health department, the business community, tourism industry, the public educational system, the agricultural sector and the public at large will help with planning, design, implementation and evaluation of the plan.

Ozarks Water Watch is proud to partner with the City of Ava in this important task. Our goal remains to help protect all waters in the Upper White River Basin. You can find more information on Source Water Protection on the EPA website.

Quote of the Week

"When the well is dry, we know the worth of water."

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, (1706-1790), Poor Richard's Almanac, 1746

Current News Articles

Partners cut ribbon on $1.2 million Watershed Center

Springfield Newsleader

July 22, 2011

It was a celebration of partnerships today as the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks unveiled its new $1.2 million education center. Partners in the LEED Gold-designed building snipped a red ribbon this morning to celebrate its completion.

The Watershed Center at Valley Water Mill will help the public learn about the importance of preserving and protecting Ozarks water resources, according to Mayor Jim O'Neal, one of several guest speakers at today's event. The Watershed Center provides a large public meeting and education space that's cooled and heated by a geothermal system using water from 21 wells.

The building also features energy-efficient foam-filled walls, a rainwater collection system to help flush toilets a rain garden to help soak up downpours and slow erosion and pervious concrete parking areas that let rainwater flow through into the ground.

(more)

To read more, Click HERE.

Researchers found no differences in the amounts of sediment, phosphorus or pathogen deposits in the pasture stream between the different types of stream access given to the cattle. Most of the phosphorus and sediment introduced to the stream was the result of stream bank erosion. (Credit: Image courtesy of American Society of Agronomy)

ScienceDaily (July 21, 2011) - 

Surface water quality is important for the proper function of aquatic ecosystems, as well as human needs and recreation. Pasturelands have been found to be major sources of sediment, phosphorus and pathogens in Midwest surface water resources. While poor grazing management may lead to contaminated surface water, little is known about the specific amount of pollution in pasture streams that can be attributed to grazing cattle. (more)

To read more, Click HERE.