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EPA Lauds Walkersville for Drinking Water Protection

Release Date: 7/24/2002
Contact Information: Roy Seneca, (215) 814-5567

Roy Seneca, (215) 814-5567

PHILADELPHIA - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has presented an award to Walkersville, Md. for taking special initiatives to protect the drinking water sources for about 8,000 customers.

“Protecting the sources of our drinking water safeguards both the public health and our environment, and we applaud Walkersville for its extraordinary effort,” said Donald S. Welsh, regional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region.

EPA selected Walkersville as the Maryland recipient of EPA’s source water protection award because of the town’s leadership in protecting drinking water. Walkersville’s source water protection efforts began in the early 1990s with delineation and dye-tracing work that identified the flow of groundwater. These efforts allowed the town to quickly respond to a one-million gallon sewage spill in 1999, and effectively protect public health.

Walkersville has also adopted a wellhead protection ordinance that helps protect drinking water wells from risks of new development. The ordinance was developed with financial support authorized by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and managed by the Maryland Department of the Environment.

EPA’s source water protection awards encourage communities with public drinking water systems to take steps to protect their drinking water supply. The award is open to individuals, and public and private organizations throughout EPA’s mid-Atlantic region, which includes Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia.

The award program is getting special emphasis this year as EPA commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Clean Water Act.

In 1996, the federal Safe Drinking Water Act was amended to give greater protection to millions of Americans who rely on public drinking water systems. By law, all states must delineate areas supplying drinking water to public systems, and develop programs to protect drinking water sources from contamination.