ASDWA and GWPC Host Southeastern States Source Water Protection Meeting with NRCS and EPA

On August 6, ASDWA and GWPC hosted a virtual Southeastern Source Water Protection meeting with State Source Water Protection Coordinators, NRCS Regional and State Conservationists, and EPA Headquarters and Regions in the NRCS Southeast Region. Approximately 60 people attended the meeting that included representatives from both programs in all eleven states. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how state source water and NRCS partners are working together, ask questions, and share challenges and successes. James Tillman, the Southeast NRCS Regional Conservationist opened the meeting by sharing his inspiring vision for building relationships and ensuring long-term success for working together. Speakers from the state source water protection and NRCS programs in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas also provided brief presentations about sharing their GIS maps to develop high priority source water protection areas; identifying forestry and agricultural practices to protect drinking water sources; and developing NRCS program projects with partners. During the discussion, participants talked about opportunities to measure and share successes, work with utilities and other partners, and protect drinking water sources that may be threatened but are not impaired. For more information about the meeting and opportunities to work with NRCS, view the agenda here, and visit ASDWA’s source water web page.