Wellhead Protection

Community water supplies in Indiana that use ground water are required by a 1997 Indiana Rule (327 IAC 8-4.1) to develop a wellhead protection plan. Wellhead protection is a process of identifying and protecting the area of land near the drinking water wells (the "wellhead") from potential hazards. Contamination in the wellhead area could affect your water supply years into the future. A wellhead protection plan includes:


1. A map of the area that has the greatest potential to contaminate the well (the "wellhead protection area")

2. An inventory of potential sources of contamination in that area.

3. A management plan to reduce potential contamination from those sources

4. A contingency plan for emergencies

5. Public participation, education, and outreach

IDEM has many resources to help communities. See http://www.in.gov/idem/4289.htm for more information.

Purdue publications to help with wellhead protection (.pdf format)

Brochure for Public Education "Protecting Your Drinking Water: What Every Citizen Should Know"

Groundwater Model for Public Education

Wellhead protection and how it interfaces with watershed protection

View a recorded webinar by Angie Brown and Connie Cousins-Leatherman, Office of Water Quality, IDEM, who discuss suggestions for collaboration.

 


For more information contact Jane Frankenberger (frankenb@purdue.edu)
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