Groundwater is a key resource supporting many aspects of life. It replenishes our streams and rivers, provides fresh water for irrigation, industry, and communities, and supplies drinking water to 95% of Idaho citizens. As Idaho’s population grows, so does the need for clean, usable groundwater.
DEQ is responsible for maintaining and protecting the existing high quality of Idaho’s groundwater and restoring degraded groundwater to support beneficial uses where feasible. We focus on protecting groundwater from pollution, cleaning up degraded groundwater, and monitoring and assessing groundwater quality. We also partner with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR), and many other state, local, and private agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals to achieve this goal.