“Source water protection” (SWP) involves preventing the pollution of both ground and surface water bodies that serve as sources of drinking water for communities. If the drinking water source is not protected, contamination can cause a community significant expense as well as endanger the public’s health. Cleaning up contamination or finding a new source of drinking water is complicated and costly. Proper planning can aid a community in protecting, not only current sources of water, but also water sources that may be tapped in the future in response to population growth and other factors.

The UNC EFC has been involved in various source water protection (SWP) projects.

• The UNC EFC, in conjunction with the EFC Network, worked with communities around the country to prepare and implement source water protection plans. The UNC EFC's focus was on the Broad River and Second Broad River, which flow out of the Blue Ridge and into the Piedmont near the North Carolina/South Carolina border.
• Review of the establishment of the Cane Creek reservoir in Chapel Hill, North Carolina conducted by the UNC EFC.
• Case study on the Eno River Association (23 KB; pdf) and how it is able to diversify its funding sources.
• The EFC is an ally of the Source Water Collaborative (SWC) that is launching a campaign, Your Water. Your Decision. designed to encourage local officials to take action to protect their sources of drinking water. Learn more