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THE ORCBS > Environmental Compliance > Programs & Guidelines > Wellhead Protection >
Wellhead Protection is a preventative program to protect public water supply systems. The goal is to prevent contaminants from entering public supply wells. Groundwater is water occurring in the zone of saturation in an aquifer or soil. Water beneath the surface of the earth which saturates the pores and fractures of sand, gravel, and rock formations. DIAGRAM Where does groundwater come from? Groundwater begins as precipitation that is absorbed into the ground. Much of the precipitation is taken up by plant roots and evapotranspired. What makes it beyond to root zone is pulled down by gravity until it reaches the water table. Below the water table all the pore space in the soil is filled with water. This is the saturated zone. DIAGRAM What are the types of contaminants? There are three
basic types of contaminants. They are microorganisms, inorganic
chemicals, and organic chemicals.
How can groundwater be contaminated? As groundwater infiltrates it can pick up contaminants from the surface of the ground or from the surrounding soil. The water may dissolve the contaminant or just carry it in to the aquifer. Some contaminants can be transported great distances from their source. Groundwater travels very slowly; therefore, little dilution or dispersion of the contaminant usually occurs. The contaminant forms a concentrated plume that follows the groundwater flow path. DIAGRAM What are the potential sources of contamination? There are many different potential sources of contamination. Anywhere that has or uses chemicals can be considered a potential source. Some of the commonly known sources of contaminants are underground storage tanks (USTs), septic tanks, surface impoundments, agricultural activities, landfills, industries, drycleaners, abandoned wells, highway de-icing, accidents, and illegal dumping. What is a Wellhead Protection Plan? A Wellhead Protection Plan is a program written by a local team to protect public water supply systems from potential sources of groundwater contamination. It is done by forming a wellhead protection team to delineate the area that needs protection, taking an inventory of potential sources of contamination, using appropriate management strategies, developing contingency plans, planning for future wells, and involving the public in the development and implementation process. For more information of the process please visit History of WHP. Who is responsible for Wellhead Protection? Michigan's WHPP is a voluntary program, so it is the community that is responsible for establishing their program. This does not mean that they have to do it all on their own. There are many people and agencies that are more than willing to help communities get their programs started. Many of the communities that already have their WHPP up and running are willing and able to share pointers about tricky areas and other helpful tips. Other agencies willing to help are the MDEQ, MSU, and MDA. Why do we need a Wellhead Protection Plan? Every community needs a clean source of drinking water. If your community's source of drinking water is from wells, they need to be protected from contamination. A WHPP is in the best interest of the community because it protects the public health, the environment, and economy. It is an investment in the community. What is the Wellhead Protection Area? A Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA) is a geographically designated surface and subsurface area surrounding a water well or well field, supplying a Public Water System, through which contaminants are reasonably likely to move toward and reach such water well or well field. This is an area where groundwater protection is emphasized. A WHPA includes at least the delineated capture zone area, but could be influenced by other factors such as existing land use and zoning, site and facility identification and location, political boundaries, natural features, and environmentally sensitive areas. DIAGRAM How large is the Wellhead Protection Area? A WHPA can be many varying sizes depending on a number of factors. Some of these factors include the pumping rate, the surrounding geology and characteristics of the aquifer, the time of travel for pollutants. Michigan's WHPP requires a 10 year time of travel to insure that if the groundwater were to become contaminated there would be adequate time to devise a plan to deal with the contamination before it reached the well. WHPAs may extend several thousand feet upgradient of the well to protect it. Groundwater protection begins at home, the way you dispose of the products you use can contribute to the contamination of your community's groundwater. Products like motor oil, pesticides, leftover paints or paint cans, weed killers, household cleaners, flea collars, mothballs, and a number of medicines contain materials that can be harmful to groundwater. The average American gets rid of approximately one pound of this type of waste each year. This may seem inconsequential but it is quite large when you multiply it by the number of people in your community. Here are some things you can and shouldn't do
If you think you cannot have a positive influence on the environment, you need to reconsider. The right choices can reduce waste, save money, maximize resources, and protect the environment. The choices you make can and do make a big difference. For more information
about understanding groundwater, visit the tutorial
by GEM and IWR or EPA's
Groundwater Primer. |
