Water: Ground Water Quality Protection

What is It?  
Why Should Our Community Care?  
What Can We Do?  
Resources  
 
 What is It?

Ground water is water that is found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand, and rock. Ground water is stored in and moves slowly through layers of soil, sand, and rocks, called aquifers. Aquifers typically consist of gravel, sand, sandstone, or fractured rock, like limestone.

Ground water is a key resource supporting many aspects of Idaho's way of life. It replenishes our streams and rivers and provides fresh water for irrigation, industry, and communities. In addition, ground water supplies 95% of the state's drinking water. As Idaho's population grows, so does the need for clean, usable ground water.

 
 Why Should Our Community Care?

The water that flows from your tap likely comes from ground water, as it provides 95% of the state's drinking water. Ground water is a vital resource in Idaho. Around nine billion gallons of ground water are withdrawn every day for various uses in the state.

Agriculture uses approximately 60% of the total ground water withdrawn for irrigation of such crops as potatoes, sugar beets, and barley. Aquaculture also relies on ground water, as do industrial processes that use ground water for food processing, fertilizer production, and high-tech manufacturing.

The Idaho Environmental Protection and Health Act (I.C. § 39-126) mandates that state and local governments incorporate policies from the Idaho Ground Water Quality Plan into their programs and states that cities, counties, and other political subdivisions are also authorized and encouraged to implement ground water quality protection policies within their jurisdictions.

The Idaho Local Land Use Planning Act (I.C. § 67-6537) requires local governing boards to consider the impact on ground water quality when considering amending, repealing, or adopting a comprehensive plan.
 
 What Can We Do?
  1.

Plan ahead. Local governments have the authority to manage potential sources of ground water contamination within their jurisdictions. They can therefore protect ground water quality by including ground water protection as a component in their comprehensive plans. Local governments can also implement ordinances and regulations such as wellhead protection overlay zones, riparian buffers, storm water management ordinances, special use permits, and land-use controls to protect ground water quality.
  2.

Local governments have the authority to implement ordinances that restrict ground water contamination beyond state and federal laws and regulations. Many land uses that pose a potential threat to ground water quality are managed at the local level. Therefore, it is local government that can most efficiently administer and implement some provisions of the Idaho Environmental Protection and Health Act (I.C. § 39-126) and the Idaho Ground Water Quality Plan, particularly when implementation can be incorporated into existing programs. Determine what is best for the health and welfare of your community.

  3.

Implement ground water quality protection policies within your jurisdiction. The Idaho Ground Water Quality Plan provides guidance on ground water policies and implementation strategies for local government management efforts.
  4.

Consult the Idaho Ground Water Quality Plan and evaluate city or county use and management of pesticides, chemicals, and hazardous waste.
  5. Use land-use regulations or ordinances to protect ground water (especially for activities located near sensitive ground water areas). (See source water section.)
  6.

There are tanks that are not regulated. Develop and use best management practices for facilities and persons that store and use materials that have the potential to contaminate soil and ground water. This includes assistance with selecting, designing, installing, and maintaining secondary containment systems. Reference federal and state regulations that you may want to apply to unregulated tanks (for instance, heating oil tanks), such as the Idaho Underground Storage Tank Act or the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule.
  7.

Consider a requirement that projects have pollution liability insurance.
  8. Implement a household hazardous waste collection program for used oil, pharmaceuticals, and household hazardous waste. (See household hazardous waste section.)
  9. Develop educational and voluntary programs to discourage the release of unregulated contaminants to ground water to reduce or eliminate contamination from these sources.
  10. Identify groups in the community working on water issues, such as utility companies, water quality agencies, or advocacy organizations, and explore ways to collaborate with them.
  11.

Implement homeowner and business education programs and community and business stewardship programs.
  12.

Contact DEQ for training and technical assistance in implementing ground water and drinking water protection.
  13.

Clean up spills or releases in accordance with the Idaho Ground Water Quality Rule.
Communities located within Nitrate Priority Areas can work with DEQ to form local ground water quality advisory committees to develop and implement ground water quality improvement plans.
 
 Resources

Have a question?
For more information on ground water quality protection, visit DEQ's Ground Water Web page.