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Arkansas Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP)

 

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 Arkansas' source water protection program logo   Assessment of Arkansas' Public Drinking Water Supplies

A source water assessment is intended to provide a basis for developing, implementing, and improving a source water protection program. These programs require administrative agencies or individuals to delineate protection areas for water intakes, inventory significant contaminants within the protection areas, and determine the susceptibility of the water supply, based upon the conditions found within the protection area(s). These assessments are often used to focus environmental or public health programs developed by local governments, and concerned citizens.

In 1998, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) embarked on developing a source water assessment for Arkansas' Public Water Supplies. The ADH collaborated with the USGS – Little Rock District Office and the Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) to identify the appropriate assessment methodologies for the Public Water System (PWS) Intakes within Arkansas. The Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies joined the team to provide technical assistance with the Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis and procedures. This project marked the first time a statewide assessment of the source water resources and their susceptibility to potential contamination had ever been completed for Arkansas.

A comprehensive report on the project and other information is available here.