20
|
Fall 2014
feature
By Debbie Maner
NEW LAW
for
SOURCE WATER
PROTECTION PLANNING
A
s many of you may know, up until the end
of June 2014, developing a Source Water
Protection Plan was a voluntary process in
which water suppliers were encouraged to
participate, and incentives were offered by
the state to entice systems to do so.As of June
30
th
, Source Water Protection Planning has
become part of North Carolina law. District
20 Representative Rick Catlin sponsored
the Bill which was passed overwhelmingly.
The legislation is requiring every system
withdrawing surface water in our state to
develop a Source Water Protection Plan to
address any potential or known sources of
contamination within the area supplying
water to their surface intake. The law
does not apply to groundwater sources
at this time.
According to attorney and lobbyist for the
North Carolina Rural Water Association,
Jon P. Carr, “Session Law 2014-41 (HB
894) requires that certain suppliers of
water create and implement a source
water protection plan (SWPP). The North
Carolina Commission for Public Health
(“CPH”) is required by this law to adopt
rules that provide a standardized format
