Effects of Forest and Grassland Management On Drinking Water Quality for Public Water Supplies:A Review And Synthesis of the Scientific Literature - Review Draft
| Authors: | George E. Dissmeyer |
| Year: | 1999 |
| Type: | Miscellaneous Publication |
| Station: | Southern Research Station |
| Source: | This draft document is currently undergoing peer review and is provided for informational purposes only.Do not cite this review draft in its current form.This review draft will be replaced in the future by a final draft that has undergone peer review. |
Abstract
The Importance of Safe Public Drinking WaterThe United States Congress justified passing the Safe Drinking Water Amendments (SDWA) of 1996 (P. L. 104-182) by stating "safe drinking water is essential to the protection of public health".For 50 years the basic axiom for public health protection has been safe drinking water reduces infectious disease and extends life expectancy (cf. AWWA1953).Although most United States citizens take safe drinking water for granted, assuring its safety remains a high national priority.Large investments are made by all levels of government to maintain and upgrade public water systems.
To strengthen that process, SDWA mandates that greater protection and information be provided for the 240 million Americans served by public water supplies.Under provisions calling for stronger source water protection by the year 2003, all states are required to submit to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a program for delineating source water areas for all public water supply systems, and for assessing the vulnerability of these source waters to contamination.The law requires that results of the completed source water assessments (SWA's) be made available to the public.
The source water protection strategy for ensuring safe drinking waterwas choisenbecause of its high potential to be cost-effective.A poor source of water can substantially increase treatment costs to make water drinkable.When water is so contaminated that treatment is not feasible, developing alternative water supplies can be expensive and cause delays in providing safe, affordable water.By delineating areas to protect source water and inventorying potential contamination causes will help communities know the threats to their drinking water. Then, they can efficiently and effectively address these threats.