To fully ensure the protection of both current and future drinking water supplies, it is important to plan for the future. Two elements of a wellhead protection program crucial to this effort include developing contingency plans and planning for new wells. As with all the other elements of a Wellhead Protection Program, the State may have developed contingency plans and new well requirements which local water suppliers will need to follow. Therefore, it is important that water suppliers become familiar with requirements in their State.

Contingency Planning

Despite all the best planning, situations may still occur in which the public drinking water supply becomes temporarily or permanently contaminated. Therefore, it is important to plan for emergencies, or to develop a contingency plan. Contingency plans should include provisions for both temporary and long-term water supply alternatives in the event of water supply contamination, as well as emergency procedures to efficiently and quickly deal with threats to the water supply such as a tanker spill, movement of a contaminant plume, industrial fire, or vandalism or natural disaster affecting the pump or generator.

Planning for New Wells

Community growth, water use changes, or permanent wellfield contamination may result in the need for new wells. Planning for new wells provides an opportunity to avoid contaminant threats impacting existing wells through knowledgeable location selection and appropriate management.

New wells may be sited in existing wellfields, necessitating adjustments in existing wellhead protection areas, or they may be sited in a previously undeveloped water supply area, necessitating delineation of a wellhead protection area. Either way, careful planning for new wells should be started in advance of their need, and be incorporated into the overall wellhead protection program.