CWA-SDWA Coordination

Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act (CWA-SDWA) Coordination can help improve source water quality and public health protection, and help achieve watershed goals.  Efforts to reduce contamination of drinking water sources can protect aquatic life, provide benefits for recreation, and protect public health from the consumption of contaminated fish.  In addition, using the CWA to develop Ambient Water Quality Criteria that are protective of aquatic life can also lead to the protection of a public water supply use.


State Efforts to Address 1,4 Dioxane through Drinking Water, Ground Water, and Clean Water Programs (June 5, 2018): The purpose of the webinar is to share information about state efforts to assess and address 1,4-dioxane, an unregulated contaminant that is causing states and water utilities to become increasingly concerned about potential health impacts from elevated levels of 1,4-dioxane in both groundwater and surface water drinking water sources. This webinar also builds on the efforts of ASDWA, the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA), the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC), and EPA to share and promote Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act (CWA-SDWA) coordination activities across state and EPA water programs.

Slide Decks:


ASDWA CWA-SDWA Webinar: Leveraging CWA 319 and SDWA Programs for Surface and Ground Water Quality Planning (November 7, 2017): The purpose of the webinar is to build on the efforts of ASDWA, the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA), the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC), and EPA to share and promote Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act (CWA-SDWA) coordination activities across state and EPA water programs. State, interstate, tribal, and federal water programs, water utilities, technical assistance providers will learn how the Nebraska and Nevada state water programs coordinated with EPA and local communities to leverage the CWA 319 non-point source (NPS) program for surface and groundwater quality protection planning in drinking water supply areas.

Slide Deck: Combined Webinar Presentations


ASDWA CWA-SDWA Webinar: Creative Uses of Clean Water Funding for Drinking Water Benefits (August 29, 2017): This webinar will share how the Virginia and Washington Drinking Water Programs and the Skagit Public Utilities District (in WA) collaborated with their state Clean Water Programs and other partners to creatively use some non-traditional funding routes to benefit their drinking water utilities, including one very small and disadvantaged water system.

Slide Deck: ASDWA CWA-SDWA Webinar – August 29 2017


CWA-SDWA Toolkit Webinar Series – These three 2015 webinars are a great way to learn more about how to use the different provisions and tools of the CWA to protect drinking water sources.  They share the information from the State-EPA CWA-SDWA Toolkit along with state examples.

CWA-SDWA Full Toolkit – (November 2014) This is the full toolkit developed by ASDWA, ACWA, GWPC, and EPA.  The Executive Summary on pages 5-9 provides a quick overview of the desired outcomes and opportunities for state, tribal, and federal water program coordination based on each provision of the Clean Water Act, that are described in more detail throughout the rest of the document.

CWA SDWA Toolkit flyer 11-10-14 (November 2014)


Using Clean Water Act Funding for Source Water Protection (2012) – Stephanie Von Feck and Lynda Hall will provide a quick overview of the CWSRF and 319 programs and discuss the legal aspects of using these programs for source water protection. Also, to provide national statistics and information about funded projects and to offer some insight for how state drinking water programs might align priorities with state CWA programs.


State CWA-SDWA Case Studies (April 2016)
  • (August 2017) – Rhode Island Administers Three Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loans for Source Water Protection
  • Kansas Develops Drinking Water Protection Program to Support Assessments and Implementation Actions
  • Maine CDC Drinking Water Program and Maine Department of Environmental Protection Collaboration Efforts
  • Minnesota Aligns CWA-SDWA Program Activities for Water Quality and Drinking Water Benefits
  • Nebraska DEQ Source Water Protection and CWA 319 Programs Coordinate to Develop and Implement Drinking Water Management Plans
  • New Hampshire Helps Pennichuck Water Works Develop a Watershed Management Plan and Implement Restoration Projects
  • Virginia Watershed Program Uses Drinking Water Intake Locations to Prioritize Impairments for TMDL Development
  • Rhode Island CWA and SDWA Programs Join Efforts to Develop Source Water Protection Initiative for Newport’s Water Supply Reservoirs

CWA-SDWA Workshop (March 2017):  ASDWA, ACWA, and GWPC held a half-day workshop on March 21, 2017 in Washington, DC with approximately 50 representatives from state and interstate organizations, the three associations, and EPA Headquarters and Regions.  The purpose of the workshop was to discuss CWA-SDWA coordination opportunities and challenges and identify next steps to better protect sources of drinking water (both groundwater and surface water) and improve water quality.  Following are the materials from the workshop:

Source Water News

ASDWA’s Source Water News is intended to improve outreach and information sharing for state staff engaged in source water protection and sustainability, climate change, and nutrient pollution related efforts. Subscribe or search the archives at www.asdwa.org/newsroom.
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