)The Old Pantry Building
103 South Main Street
Waterbury, VT 05671-0403
TELEPHONE (802) 241-3400
VT TOLL FREE (800) 823-6500
FACSIMILE (802) 241-3284
The Vermont Water Supply Division has a federally approved Source Water Assessment Program. This program includes many of Vermont's pre-existing requirements for protection of public community groundwater and surface water sources, and incorporates several new elements necessary to meet the federal requirements of the Source Water Assessment Program. The Source Water Assessment Program was developed with the help of a Technical and Citizen's Advisory Committee which included representatives from state agencies, independent consultants, environmental groups, and water system representatives. All of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee were incorporated into the Source Water Assessment Program.
The federal requirements of the program include:
These requirements must be met for all public water systems, including municipalities, mobile home parks, schools, office buildings, restaurants, motels, etc. The Vermont Source Protection Program incorporates these elements into our existing regulatory requirements and includes additional requirements to protect Vermont's drinking water.
Vermont's Source Water Assessment and Protection Program includes different requirements for the three different types of public water systems. In Vermont, a Source Protection Plan, includes the delineation, inventory, and assessment required under the federal program, and also includes a management plan for the potential risks and a contingency plan.
Public Community Water Systems
A Public Community Water System could be a municipality, mobile home park, or retirement community which serves at least 25 residents year round or has at least 15 service connections. These systems are required to have Source Protection Plans--Delineation, Inventory, Assessment, Management Plan, Contingency Plan.
The system is responsible for developing the Source Protection Plan. The Water Supply Division is available to provide technical assistance in preparing the Plan. We hope to make grants available to assist with re-delineation and other efforts.
Non-transient, Non-community Public Water Systems
A Non-transient, Non-community (NTNC) Public Water System could be a school, factory, or office building with their own source of water which serves at least 25 of the same people more than six months per year.
In the past, these systems were not required to have a Source Protection Plan, although more than half of them have developed a plan voluntarily. Under the new program, all NTNC systems will be required to develop a Source Protection Plan.
Each system will be responsible for developing its Source Protection Plan. The Water Supply Division is available to provide technical assistance in preparing the Plan. We hope to make grants available to assist with re-delineation and other efforts.
Transient, Non-community Public Water Systems
A Transient, Non-community (TNC) Public Water System could be a restaurant, motel, or campground which serves 25 or more people a day more than 60 days a year.
Historically, these systems have not been required to develop Source Protection Plans. Under the new program, the Water Supply Division will visit each TNC system and complete a Source Water Assessment for the system in lieu of a complete Source Protection Plan. A Management Plan and Contingency Plan will not be prepared as part of the Source Water Assessment. The system will not be responsible for developing the Assessment or a Source Protection Plan.
Other Responsbilities
Besides the duties mentioned above, the Water Supply Division has other responsibilities. We will:
Additional Information
If you have additional questions about Vermont's Source Water Protection Program, please contact the Source Water Protection Section at the Water Supply Division at (802) 241-3400 or (800) 823-6500 (VT Toll-free).
The Source Water Protection Program document without
appendices is available for review. (209 KB, 31 pages )
The Water Supply Rule also contains additional information on the regulatory requirements for Source Water Protection.