A Tale of Two Cities — Source Water Protection Case Studies for Systems in Rural Settings

Abstract

Rural public water supply systems represent the majority of systems in the U.S. Challenges facing the public water supply systems include documented water quality issues such as the presence of coliform bacteria and nitrate and urbanization resulting from development projects in the area. Strategies for dealing with these challenges can vary widely. This paper will present two case studies from a source water protection project being conducted in Central Texas. Both systems are privately owned, rural water system managed by a water supply corporation. Differences between the two systems arise in the populations they serve, with one being a community water system and the other being a non-community system serving a campground. The paper highlights the unique differences between the two systems in terms of implementation of protection measures as well as funding opportunities.