Valparaiso City Utilities - Water Department WHPP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Valparaiso's Wellhead Protection Program

The Valparaiso Department of Water Works' Wellhead Protection Program was the first in the state of Indiana to receive approval from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). IDEM approved the plan February 24, 1999,

The Department also received the first Wellhead Protection Program Exemplary Award from the American Water Works Association during its Indiana Conference in Indianapolis.

INTRODUCTION

In 1885, what is now the Valparaiso Department of Water Works was founded as the Valparaiso City Water Company. The Department now services approximately 30,000 residents of the City of Valparaiso and portions of Center and Washington Townships.

In response to requirements set forth in the 1986 Federal Clean Water Act, the Indiana Water Pollution Control Board adopted the Wellhead Protection Rule, effective March 28, 1997.

Under this rule, the Valparaiso Department of Water Works, along with a 35 member Local Planning Team, developed a Wellhead Protection Program that recognizes the potential for the quality of groundwater to be threatened by land uses and activities on the land surrounding the well fields. Accordingly, the program is designed to protect the quality of groundwater by managing the use of the land surface where the precipitation falls before it infiltrates into the ground. That land use management area is called a Wellhead Protection Area.

WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) defines a wellhead protection area as "surface and subsurface areas surrounding a water well or well field, supplying a public water system, through which contaminants are reasonably likely to move toward and reach such water wells or well fields". Within the Wellhead Protection Areas, there are also State required 200-foot sanitary setbacks around each well. These sanitary setbacks have further limits on activities within that area. Studies indicate that the principal source of groundwater recharge in the Valparaiso area is infiltrating precipitation.

MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Department of Water Works has a Wellhead Protection management plan in place that protects all its public wells. The Plan consists of: managing potential sources of contamination that includes an inventory database of all hazardous chemicals store within Wellhead Protections Areas, monitoring compliance, record keeping, identifying abandoned wells, monitoring use of pesticides, notifying property owners in the Wellhead Protection Areas, educating owners of potential contaminant sources, increasing public awareness, implementing a contingency (emergency action) plan, establishing overlay districts, adding monitoring wells around the Wellhead Protection Areas, participating in city and county site plan reviews, monitoring underground storage tanks, encouraging the extension of sewers and public water lines, and supporting and promoting the use of the Porter County Household Hazardous Waste Collections Program. Management of the plan is achieved by using existing Federal, State and Local laws and promoting "Best Management Practices" by those who live and work within the Wellhead Protection Areas.

PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION

An effective Wellhead Protection Program must provide for public awareness and education in order make individual behavior changes that lead to participation in environmental protection of land and water. Target audiences are the school children at all grade levels, the general population, and business and industries (especially those within the wellhead protection areas).

The Valparaiso Department of Water Works disseminates Wellhead Protection education and materials through the Recycling & Waste Reduction District's class room environmental education programs. Included in wellhead protection education is the video "Aqua Cop". This video was developed and produced by students from Valparaiso High School and Valparaiso University, and its message is perfect for all grade levels. Porter County Solid Waste District offers nine (9) different environmental education presentations

If interested in having a class room environmental education program presentation, please contact Aimee House, Public Relations/Education Specialist with Recycling & Waste Reduction District, at (219) 465-3694.

Have any questions? Want more information on Wellhead Protection? Please contact Daryl Brown, Wellhead Protection Plan Administrator, at (219) 462-6174 extension 1311.

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