Groundwater
Issue Summary
U.S. EPA
Other Federal Agencies
Organizations/Non-Government Programs
Publications
Databases and Tools
Issue Summary
Ground water is an
important resource in our environment. It replenishes our streams,
rivers, habitats and also provides fresh water for irrigation,
industry, and communities. For many Americans, ground water is also
the primary source of drinking water. However, ground water is highly
susceptible to contamination from septic tanks, agricultural runoff,
highway de-icing, landfills, and pipe leaks. EPA protects ground
water supply from pollutants in a number of ways. The Agency sets and
enforces water standards, offers guidance to private well users,
regulates the storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of
solid and hazardous wastes which may infiltrate groundwater systems
and offers resources and expertise to facilitate the rehabilitation
of contaminated ground water sources.
EPA published
the Ground Water Rule in the Federal Register on November 08, 2006.
The purpose of the rule is to provide for increased protection
against microbial pathogens in public water systems that use ground
water sources. EPA is particularly concerned about ground water
systems that are susceptible to fecal contamination since
disease-causing pathogens may be found in fecal contamination.
The GWR will
apply to public water systems that serve ground water. The rule also
applies to any system that mixes surface and ground water if the
ground water is added directly to the distribution system and
provided to consumers without treatment.
Under the Drinking
Water State Revolving Fund EPA awards grants to states
to establish revolving loan funds to assist public water systems with
infrastructure improvements. The program also allows states to
reserve a portion of their grant to fund activities needed for source
water protection and enhanced water systems management.

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U.S. EPA
Ground
Water and Drinking Water. OGWDW, along with EPA's ten
regional drinking water programs, oversees implementation of the Safe
Drinking Water Act
Ground
Water Rule (GWR). The purpose of the GWR is to provide
for increased protection against microbial pathogens in public water
systems that use ground water sources.
Underground
Injection Control Program. The UIC Program is
responsible for regulating the construction, operation, permitting,
and closure of injection wells that place fluids underground for
storage or disposal.
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Other Federal
Agencies/Programs
USGS
Ground Water Information Pages. The U.S. Geological
Survey provides unbiased, timely, and relevant information and
studies about ground-water resources of the Nation..
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Organizations/Non-Government
Programs
American
Water Works Association. Founded in 1881, AWWA is the
authoritative resource on safe water, providing knowledge,
information and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of water
in North America and beyond.
Association
of Metropolitan Water Agencies. The Association of
Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) is an organization of the largest
publicly owned drinking water systems in the United States. AMWA's
membership serves more than 130 million Americans with drinking water
from Alaska to Puerto Rico.
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Publications
Key
EPA ground water guidance and selected other reports.
Reports on ground water which are used frequently by Superfund
remedial project managers.
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Databases and Tools
Hydroweb.
EPA groundwater modeling software.
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