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IDEM > Your Environment > Source Water Protection - Drinking Water > Source Water Program Description Source Water Program Description

Source water is water from streams, rivers, lakes, or underground aquifers which is used to supply private wells and public drinking water.

Preventing contamination of drinking water supplies is an important mission within IDEM's Ground Water Section. Below, several programs are outlined that the Ground Water Section supports to prevent drinking water contamination.

Wellhead Protection Program

This program is designed to protect Community Public Water Systems that use ground water as their water source. A delineated Wellhead Protection Area, approved by IDEM, is created to provide special safeguards and other measures to protect the underground water supply from becoming contaminated.

Source Water Assessment Program

This program fulfills an EPA requirement to identify the areas that are sources of public drinking water, assess the susceptibility of water-supply systems to contamination, and inform the public of the results. The SWAP includes both ground water and surface water systems.

Watershed Planning

Separate from the Ground Water Section, Watershed Planning works to prevent non-point source pollution to the surface waters of Indiana.

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