Source Water Assessment Program

GIS map of VA

ODW is the Commonwealth’s agency that regulates public drinking water. In 1999, ODW developed a Source Water Assessment Program, as a result of the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Section 1453. By 2003, all existing drinking water sources were assessed.

The objective of the Source Water Assessment Program is to facilitate and promote the implementation of source water protection measures among the waterworks community. To achieve this, ODW delineates an assessment area for each drinking water source and creates an inventory of potential sources of contamination using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This information is used to make a susceptibility determination of the drinking water source in relation to the potential source of contaminants found in the assessment area.

In 2013, ODW began working with WorldView Solutions to organize and manage source water data previously collected by ODW and to create a customized reporting tool into ArcGIS. This custom-created tool used within the GIS platform allows ODW to collaborate more effectively with waterworks and their consultants, particularly when pursuing source water protection. ODW continues to improve the Source Water Assessment data and report features.

Related Links