Sole Source Aquifers

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Sole Source Aquifer designations are one tool to protect drinking water supplies in areas with few or no alternative sources to the ground water resource, and where if contamination occurred, using an alternative source would be extremely expensive.

The designation protects an area's ground water resource by requiring U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review of any proposed projects within the designated area that are receiving federal financial assistance. All proposed projects receiving federal funds are subject to review to ensure they do not endanger the water source.

• Ground Water:
  The location of aquifers and surface bodies of water may be subject to impact from development or redevelopment. Contacts include the local water department or authority, the U.S. Geodetic survey maps, and the local or state department of natural resources.

Does the project affect a sole source aquifer?

Threshold: The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 requires protection of drinking water systems that are the sole or principal drinking water source for an area and which, if contaminated, would create a significant hazard to public health. Development, which can affect aquifers designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), must be reviewed for impact on such designated aquifer sources. Only for new construction and conversion activities does the sole source aquifer (SSA) authority apply. SSA information is available from the local planning agency, but is also listed on the homepage of the EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water at (http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/ssanp.html).

Documentation: Grantees are to select A_ or B_ for the condition that best describes their property and document the source of the information.

1. For the grantee who proposes new construction or conversion activities that are located on or may affect any sole source aquifer designated by the EPA, the grantee identifies the aquifer and provides HUD with an explanation of the effect on the aquifer from a qualified data source, and/or a copy of any comments on the proposed property that the grantee has received from the EPA Regional Office as well as from any State or local agency with jurisdiction for protecting the drinking water system.



2. The grantee provides HUD with a finding stating that the grantee's proposed property is not located on nor does it affect a sole source aquifer designated by EPA.