History and the Laws Behind Wellhead Protection
The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974 was originally designed to ensure the safety of drinking water supplies. It gave authority to the Environmental Protection Agency EPA to develop primary and secondary standards for different contaminants. In 1986, the SDWA was amended to include wellhead protection. Each State was required to develop a wellhead protection program for their State and submit it to the EPA for approval.

In 1996, The SDWA was amended again to expand wellhead protection to include protection of surface water that is used for drinking water. This new program was called the Source Water Protection Program.

History and the Laws Behind Wellhead Protection
The Michigan law that is equivalent to the SDWA and gives the State primacy over the EPA program is the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act (Public Act 399 of 1976).

There are 7 elements in the Michigan Wellhead Protection Program (WHPP).

1. Roles and Duties of the state and local governments and public water supply agencies. A planning team should consist of an elected official, fire chief, public works director, system operator, water customer, and other interested parties. It is important to take advantage of the knowledge and expertise of members of the community to design a plan that will best meet the needs of your community. It is always good to strive for a diverse group. This element of the program must list all the team members and a description of their roles and responsibilities.
    
2. Delineation of the wellhead protection area (WHPA) for each wellhead, based on reasonably available hydrological and other data. The WHPA is the area on the surface that overlies that portion of the aquifer that supplies water to the well. The state mandates using a ten-year total time of travel (TOT) to delineate the WHPA. A fixed radius is not accepted and will not be approved. The map that shows the WHPA should also show the location of the wells, water level contours, and municipal boundaries.
    
3. Identification of potential contaminant sources within each wellhead protection area. This provides an assessment of the potential threats to groundwater. The Contaminant Source Inventory (CSI) should include a description of the process used to identify potential sources, a listing of all the potential sources, and a map, which displays all the potential sources of contamination.
    
4. Management approaches for wellhead protection, including but not limited to education and regulatory approaches. These are actions that are taken to minimize the potential for contamination of the communities' wells. The plan should include a description of the local management program, identification of the partnerships or agreements, phasing of management controls and a timetable for program implementation.
    
5. Contingency plans for public water supply systems, to develop options to deal with both short and long term loss of the drinking water supply. The plan should outline the policies and procedures for the water supply emergency response, and indicate the type and location of alternate drinking water supplies.
    
6. Proper siting of new wells to minimize potential contamination. Procedures should be in place to address the addition of new wells to the community's supply. The plan should identify the location, proposed depth, and other descriptive information for all new wells. The WHPAs should be identified if they are known.
    
7. Public education and participation. The public must be involved in some way during the wellhead protection planning and implementation process. Having the public involved and educated is a way to help them own the plan so that they will want to help it succeed.

Delineation of Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA)
The State of Michigan defines a Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA) as "the surface and subsurface areas surrounding a water well, or well field, which supplies a public water system, and through which contaminants are reasonably likely to move toward and reach the water well, or well field within a 10-year time of travel."

The delineation of Greater Lansing Area’s wellfields was originally done by U. S. Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.) in cooperation with the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC), before each community began their wellhead protection programs.

Contaminant Source Inventory (CSI)
The purpose of the Contaminant Source Inventory (CSI) is to identify known and potential sources of groundwater contamination within the WHPAs. Once identified, the contamination sources can be managed in order to reduce the risk they pose to the drinking water supply.

The Cities of East Lansing and Lansing as well as Delhi, Delta, Lansing and Meridian Township’s have worked together to identify potential sources of contamination that pose a risk to local water supplies. These communities are also working together to manage these sources through education and best management practices. Training sessions are being held for local business owners to help them assess their risk and steps they can take to minimize their potential impact on the groundwater supply.

Contingency Plans
The Contingency Plan portion of the WHPP is an important part of the overall program to protect the quality of each water supply. Contingency Plans are developed to document what procedures should be followed in a water supply emergency. In reality, there are numerous variables that will determine how a given emergency situation will develop and be handled. The ultimate response to an emergency situation must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, given the severity of the emergency and the potential risks. As such, deviations from the procedures may be appropriate.

Here is a list of the types of contingency plans that are used:

• Power Outage
• Water Main Break
• Chemical Spill
• Catastrophic Water System Failure
• Alternative Water Supplies