A drinking water source protection plan identifies proposed or continuing management actions that reduce the risk of contamination to sources of drinking water. In Oregon, developing a drinking water source protection plan is voluntary. If a public water system and community choose to develop such a plan, they can submit it to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for certification (under OAR 340-040-0170 for groundwater sources) or approval (for surface water systems). Even if a community elects not to develop a formal protection plan, OHA encourages the water system to implement drinking water source protection strategies.

For more detailed information about drinking water source protection plans, see:

• Drinking Water Protection Plan Certification Requirements (DEQ Fact Sheet, PDF)
• Protecting Your Source (DEQ Drinking Water Protection Program): Protection strategies and examples of drinking water source protection plans

Between 1999 and 2005, all Oregon public water systems that had at least 15 connections or served more than 25 people year-round received a Source Water Assessment (SWA) report completed by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and OHA. These assessments provide the water system, as well as the larger community, information regarding the watershed (for surface water systems) or the critical portion of the aquifer (for groundwater systems) that supplies the well, spring, or surface water intake (the drinking water source area). Within the identified drinking water source area, the SWA report identifies the potential contaminant sources present, areas of aquifer or watershed sensitivity, and an assessment of water system susceptibility to the potential contaminant sources present within the drinking water source area. The SWAs are meant to identify the potential contaminant sources that the water system is highly and moderately susceptible to so that public water systems, consumers, and the larger community can initiate and promote voluntary strategies to protect long-term water quality (PDF) and minimize future expenses for drinking water treatment. Many public water systems have used their SWAs as the foundation for drinking water source protection planning and as background information to help develop place-based integrated water resources plans.

Since 2016, the agencies have been updating the original SWA reports to provide water systems and communities more detailed information about the watershed or drinking water source area that supplies their wells, springs, or intakes.

• Surface water systems can obtain a copy of their SWAs from DEQ's SWA Reports page.
• Groundwater systems can obtain a copy of their SWAs by contacting Paula Rich, OHA Drinking Water Services, at paula.j.rich@oha.oregon.gov or 541-231-9125. Reports will only be supplied to water system personnel due to security concerns.

Drinking water source protection in the state of Oregon is voluntary. Public water systems can protect their sources of drinking water by implementing protection strategies. To be recognized by the state, these protection strategies must address the risks within the drinking water source area identified in the water system's Source Water Assessment report or potential hazards that have developed since the report was completed. These protection strategies can be implemented through actions taken by state and federal agencies, regional management authorities, local government, local partners, and the water system. By properly addressing contaminant sources within the drinking water source area that pose a high or moderate risk to water quality, the water system may be recognized by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and OHA as having implemented a strategy or group of strategies that substantially protect the water supply.

Annually, OHA accepts Funding Letters of Interest for Drinking Water Source Protection activities. The purpose of the funding, which is in form of grants and loans, is to help water systems implement source protection strategies. Projects eligible for funding must fall within one or more of the following project types:

• Enhance and update source area delineations
• Enhance and update Source Water Assessments
• Source protection planning
• Protection strategy implementation
• Aquifer or watershed security

For examples of previous Drinking Water Source Protection funded projects completed since 2008, see DEQ's Drinking Water Source Protection Funded Projects for Public Water Systems Interactive Map.

Public water systems that complete a project focused on implementing protection strategies may be identified by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality or OHA as being substantially protected and be eligible for a Drinking Water Source Protection Award.

To acknowledge excellence in drinking water source protection efforts, the state of Oregon awards a certificate of recognition to water systems that have made substantial progress in implementing measures to protect their drinking water sources from contamination.

Receipt of the award is displayed on the Water System Information page. The Drinking Water Source Protection Award may be used to promote consumer trust, positive customer relations, and public support in protecting drinking water sources.

To be eligible for the award, the water system must show that strategies are in place to reduce the risk of contamination from one or more high- or moderate-risk land-use activities within the drinking water source area. The strategy also must be commonly considered an effective risk-reduction measure for the drinking water supply (either groundwater or surface water). Risk-reduction strategies can be implemented through actions taken by state agencies, regional management authorities, local government, and the water system. Water systems do not need to have completed a Drinking Water Protection Plan to apply for the Drinking Water Source Protection Award. To apply for the Drinking Water Source Protection Award, see the information below under "Drinking Water Source Protection Activities Survey."

For risk-reduction examples and ideas, see DEQ's Protecting Your Source.

If your water system has implemented drinking water protection measures that protect your drinking water source from contamination and you are interested in receiving the Drinking Water Source Protection Award, please complete the Activities Survey:

Information provided in the survey will be used to document drinking water source protection activities and to determine if your water system is eligible to receive the award. If you have questions or would like further information, please contact Drinking Water Services at 971-673-0405 or email the Department of Environmental Quality at Drinkingwater.Protection@deq.oregon.gov.