Watershed Management for Drinking Water Protection

Protection of the watershed is the water provider’s first barrier in the multiple-barrier approach to preserving water quality from source to tap.

Watershed protection is an effective way to protect and maintain water quality and prevent water pollution that will eventually require costly treatment and removal.

Watershed Management for Drinking Water Protection shows watershed managers how to:

• Assess watershed risks to drinking water quality

• Evaluate options to avoid or reduce risk

• Use a variety of approaches to fund watershed protection programs

• Build partnerships with stakeholders (landowners, government authorities, recreational users) in watershed protection

• Establish a watershed surveillance, water quality monitoring, and reporting program

• Manage recreational use of water bodies in the watershed to reduce contamination

Each chapter includes a Best Practice section. These practices have been proven in practice to provide the best results. Best practices are provided for funding, stakeholder involvement, risk management, land use planning, surveillance, monitoring, recreational access, on-site wastewater treatment, groundwater protection, communication, and incident management. In addition, many case studies are included to provide concrete examples of various aspects of good watershed management in action.