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Drinking Water Source Assessment Reports
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Also known as "Wellhead Protection" and "Drinking Water Source Protection", Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) is a program to assist public water suppliers with protecting sources of drinking water (rivers, lakes and aquifers) from contamination by assessing their source of drinking water. Drinking Water Source Protection addresses the more than 5,000 public water systems in Ohio and does not address private residential water systems.
There are three steps to an assessment:
- Determining the area that contributes water to the well, wellfield or surface water intake;
- Identifying the potential contaminant sources in that area; and
- Determining the susceptibility of the source water to contamination.
Ohio EPA has completed the majority of the source water assessments. Details are available in the Drinking Water Source Assessment Report for each public water system, available by clicking on the link below:
(Note: This Web site currently does NOT provide interactive GIS maps. We are working with our Information Technology Services division to develop this mapping tool, which will enable users to locate Drinking Water Source Protection Areas themselves, and to create their own maps at the appropriate scale. Once registered, you will be notified when this tool is available.)
Other assessments were completed by public water systems themselves, following guidance from Ohio's Wellhead Protection Program. Reports for these assessments are not available electronically from Ohio EPA.
Portions of Seneca, Sandusky, Huron and Erie Counties in northern Ohio are underlain by karst limestone at the surface or near-surface. The large fractures and open spaces in karst allow water to flow much more rapidly through the subsurface. This entire area is considered highly susceptible to contamination and is represented by a regional drinking water source protection area.
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