The Drinking Water Protection Program of Alaska produced Source Water Assessments in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996. Each assessment includes a delineation of the source water area, an inventory of potential and existing contaminant sources that may impact the water, a risk ranking for each of these contaminants, and an evaluation of the potential vulnerability of these drinking water sources. These hydrogeologic susceptibility and vulnerability assessments are intended to provide public water systems owners/operators, communities, and local governments with the best available information that may be used to protect the quality of their drinking water. The assessments combine information obtained from various sources, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, public water system owners/operators, and other public information sources.

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the key federal law for protecting public water supplies from harmful contaminants. First enacted in 1974 and substantially amended in 1986 and 1996, the act is administered through programs that establish standards and treatment requirements for public water supplies, control underground injection of wastes, finance infrastructure projects, and protect sources of drinking water. This report summarizes the SDWA and its major programs and regulatory requirements. It includes summaries of the principal environmental statutes administered by the EPA. Also includes the drinking water security provisions added to the SDWA in 2002. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand publication.