Source Water Protection

Once the causes of current or potential threats to drinking water are identified, actions can be taken toward remediation of problem areas or prevention of future contamination. Biological threats to drinking water resources include bacteria and pathogens. Chemical threats can include toxic metals, nutrients, pesticides, fertilizers, petroleum products and industrial solvents. Numerous research programs through CSREES and the Land Grant System are exploring various ways to reduce the amount of contamination to drinking water resources.

Researchers sampling part of an alternative septic system Onsite Wastewater Treatment

Approximately 1/3 of the U.S. population uses septic systems to treat domestic wastewater. When these systems work improperly or fail, nitrogen, phosphorus and pathogens may be released into the groundwater; this contamination could pose a potential health threat in drinking water supplies. New alternative and innovative onsite wastewater treatment systems are being developed to remove these contaminants and help protect public health and sensitive water resources. For example, the University of Rhode Island Onsite Wastewater Treatment Center has research systems installed in six communities and the University of Minnesota Onsite Sewage Treatment Program has two major research projects.

A study (D'Amato, 2007) was funded by Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and conducted by ARCADIS to identify, compile, analyze, and report on the existing body of literature and other data sources addressing the performance of primary treatment units (septic tanks and grease traps) in onsite wastewater systems and the factors impacting their performance.

Accomplishment: As a result of research conducted at the University of Minnesota Onsite Sewage Treatment Program , a performance-based component was implemented and incorporated into Minnesota Rules Chapter 7080 that guides the proper location, design, installation, use and maintenance of individual sewage treatment systems. In addition, protocols and methodology for evaluating system performance using seeded bacterial pathogens and viral pathogen surrogates have been developed and are being used.

Researchers studying the role of wetlands in nutrient retention Best Management Practices (BMP's)

Nutrients and pesticides are potential pollutants of both surface and ground water and may impact drinking water supplies. USDA-CSREES has identified Nutrient and Pesticide Management as a topical theme to focus research, education, and Extension projects.

The effectiveness of various BMPs on turfgrass, farmland, and private homes in minimizing nutrient and pesticide contamination from fertilizer and pesticide applications is being explored extensively through CSREES.

Accomplishments:
Grass filter strips have reduced the contribution of atrazine and metolachlor in runoff by as much as 50%, according to research conducted at Texas A&M University. Installation of such filter strips will protect sources of drinking water.
Researchers at the University of Rhode Island determined landscape controls of riparian zone groundwater nitrate removal. These insights were translated into methods that can be adapted to available spatial databases and enhance our ability to target high value riparian zones for protection and restoration to improve or maintain water quality. RI NEMO has incorporated these results into their programming with municipal officials and modeling efforts.
Iowa State researchers have demonstrated that riparian buffers re-established on previously cropped or pastured land have tremendous potential to remediate nonpoint source pollution in agricultural watersheds. Insights from this study are being used to improve buffer performance and consequently water quality.
Results from work at the University of Kentucky suggest that soil biogeochemical properties will be useful diagnostic tools to assess the water quality improvement function of created and restored wetland ecosystems .

Example:
Work is being conducted at Colorado State University to develop and examine modified bank stabilization structures to reduce nitrate and phosphorus concentrations before contamination of surface waters can occur.

Watershed-Scale Protection of Water Resources

USDA CSREES has identified Watershed Management as a topical theme to focus research, education and extension projects. This understanding of watershed linkages allows us to design long-term and sustainable solutions to water quality problems and plays an important role in the restoration and protection of drinking water resources. This research frequently involves the collection of data and its incorporation into GIS for spatial decision support tools and various models.

Indicates work supported by the USDA-CSREES National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program .

The intent of this page is not to catalogue all activities, but rather to indicate the types of research activities in this theme across the U.S