The drinking water that flows from your faucet is the product of a sophisticated treatment system aimed at removing dirt, bacteria, viruses, and other pollutants that may have contaminated the water at its source. When source water is very contaminated, communities may have to invest in even more extensive treatment processes or develop a completely new source for their drinking water.

Either option is expensive. And neither addresses the root of the problem.

The Texas Source Water Protection Program helps communities prevent pollution at the source and ensure affordable, sustainable drinking water for generations to come.

The Texas SWP program provides technical assistance in several areas:

• identifying and creating an inventory of Potential Sources of Contamination (PSOCs) near system wells or intakes;
• developing community consensus on Best Management Practices (BMPs) for preventing pollution;
• targeting sources of funding to help implement those practices; and
• communicating with stakeholders on source water protection activities.

BMPs include a broad range of measures targeted to remove or reduce contaminants from entering a water supply system. BMPs may be implemented as a prevention method, implemented at the source of potential contamination, or implemented within waterbodies once contamination has occurred. BMPs can be chosen based on a system’s needs, concerns, and budgetary constraints.

More than 500 public water systems in Texas are participating in this voluntary and free program; their success stories can be replicated in your community.