Wellhead Protection
The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1986 established requirements for states to develop Wellhead Protection
Programs to help protect underground sources of drinking water. Creating a Wellhead Protection Plan to reduce the
susceptibility of wells to contamination and manage areas around wells called wellhead protection areas is voluntary,
though strongly encouraged in North Carolina. Some of the benefits of developing a Plan include:
The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1986 established requirements for states to develop Wellhead Protection
Programs to help protect underground sources of drinking water. Creating a Wellhead Protection Plan to reduce the
susceptibility of wells to contamination and manage areas around wells called wellhead protection areas is voluntary,
though strongly encouraged in North Carolina. Some of the benefits of developing a Plan include:
- Preventing the contamination of groundwater supplies and the expense of locating new sources, or remediating existing ones,
- Helping to educate water customers and community leaders about their water sources, and the importance of protecting them,
- An approved Plan may receive priority points on applications for drinking water funding.
- Select a Planning Team to help collect data and create a useful Plan.
- Delineate the Wellhead Protection Area using information specific to each well.
- Identify any Potential Contamination Sources that might pose a threat to a community’s water quality.
- Develop management strategies to protect the groundwater. These can be regulatory or non-regulatory.
- Develop a contingency plan to be implemented should one of a system’s wells become contaminated.
- Implement, maintain, and update the WHP Plan.
- Submit the WHP Plan to the NC Public Water Supply Section for review and approval.
Surface Water Protection
The NC Surface Water Protection Program serves the state by initiating proactive protection strategies to identify and
mitigate potential contamination threats to surface water sources including streams, rivers, and lakes. In NC, more than
4 million citizens rely on surface water for safe and reliable drinking water.
Beginning January 1, 2019, developing a Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP) for every source of drinking water from a
surface water supply in the state became mandatory in accordance with 15A NCAC 18C .1305. This plan is referred to as
a Source Water Resiliency and Response Plan (SWRRP). Deadlines for compliance are as follows:
2. By June 30, 2021 for community water systems serving 50,000 to 99,999 people
3. By December 30, 2021 for community water systems serving 3,301 to 49,999 people
The NC Surface Water Protection Program serves the state by initiating proactive protection strategies to identify and
mitigate potential contamination threats to surface water sources including streams, rivers, and lakes. In NC, more than
4 million citizens rely on surface water for safe and reliable drinking water.
Beginning January 1, 2019, developing a Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP) for every source of drinking water from a
surface water supply in the state became mandatory in accordance with 15A NCAC 18C .1305. This plan is referred to as
a Source Water Resiliency and Response Plan (SWRRP). Deadlines for compliance are as follows:
- For community water systems that are required to complete a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) under Section 2013 of America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA), the system’s RRA and ERP created to comply with AWIA may be referred to as a SWRRP and used to satisfy the requirements of this Rule, if the PCS list was compiled in accordance with 15A NCAC 18C.1305. Deadlines for community water systems falling in this category are as follows:
2. By June 30, 2021 for community water systems serving 50,000 to 99,999 people
3. By December 30, 2021 for community water systems serving 3,301 to 49,999 people
- For community water systems that are not required to complete a Risk and Resilience Assessment and an Emergency Response Plan under Section 2013 of AWIA, the system shall certify completion and implementation of a SWRRP by December 31, 2022 containing elements as described in Section (c) of 15A NCAC 18C .1305.
- Non-transient, non-community water systems subject to this Rule shall certify completion and implementation of a SWRRP by December 31, 2022 containing the elements as described in Section (e) of 15A NCAC 18C .1305.