Reauthorization of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1996, P.L. 104-182, Section 1453(a) requires Federal guidance and defines State requirements for a source water assessment program (SWAP). On August 6, 1997, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) published the State Source Water Assessment and Protection Programs Guidance to assist States in developing an acceptable SWAP.
Michigan has almost 12,000 public water supplies with over 18,000 sources; 71 are community supplies using surface water intakes (60 from the Great Lakes and 11 from inland river sources). These provide drinking water to over 75 percent of the persons served by public water systems, or about 50 percent of the State's population.
The United States Geological Survey and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will cooperatively assess surface-waters from both sources. Methods for assessing both sources are similar, but require different approaches. Both approaches are based on the application of local data on land use, contamination sources (sewer outfalls, leaking storage tanks), information from local water plant personnel (influent chemistry, effects of weather, lake currents), and centralized State and Federal data resources (Census data, permitted discharges). Assessment of Great Lakes supplies will follow the "Assessment Protocol for Great Lakes Sources" developed by the Great Lakes States in USEPA Region 5. For inland source (11 systems), watershed assessments will be performed based on an inventory of contaminants of concern, identification of potential contamination sources, and determination of susceptibility to contamination.
Michael J. Sweat, U.S. Geological Survey, WRD, has been a hydrologist with the USGS for 14 years, responsible for a variety of studies involving geophysics, ground water, wetlands, and surface water. Current projects are restoration of sheetflow in fens and assessment of potential contaminant sources in relation to surface water supplies. mjsweat@usgs.gov
Bradley Brogren, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, is an engineer responsible for the States Source Water Assessment Program. Prior to this assignment Brad was a field engineer for MDEQ working with local water supplies. brogrenb@state.mi.us
Conference
NWQMC National Monitoring Conference, April
25-27, 2000, Austin, TX
Publication
Sweat, M. J., Brogren, B. B., and Erickson, P. M., U.S. Geological Survey, Water
Resources Division, 6520 Mercantile Way, Suite 5, Lansing, MI, 48911. The
Michigan Source Water Assessment Program - Surface Water Supplies
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