It has been three years since the water system for the city of Sturgeon Lake was completed in June of 2006. With the sanitary sewer system completed in May of this year, the city is required to develop a wellhead protection plan for its drinking water supply wells. “It’s a program whereby we attempt to keep contaminants from entering the water,” said Dave Neiman, source water protection specialist with the Minnesota Rural Water Association, who explained the state mandate at the city’s regular October 27 meeting.

Part one of the two-part wellhead protection process was completed earlier this year and was approved by the Minnesota Department of Health in August. Neiman presented an overview of that portion, which includes delineation of the wellhead protection area, the drinking water supply management area boundary, and an assessment of the well and drinking water management vulnerability. He provided a map indicating the designated drinking water supply management area, over a ten-year period, and those areas most vulnerable to pollutants, which are the grounds nearest the city wells.

“You have a good water supply system, and it’s very good water,” said Neiman, whose role is to assist the city in devising and managing its wellhead protection plan for the two 100-foot wells. “You have an aquifer that is providing a lot of water, and it’s providing it very fast,” he said, adding that the drinking water is likely 10-50 years old.

Neiman noted, however, that the wells’ surrounding area does not provide a good protective layer of ground, saying, “It’s the nature of the geography in the area.” Still, he said, “It’s nothing we can’t work with.” He explained that implementing a wellhead protection plan will help manage the use of land and potential sources of contamination in the area to prevent drinking water from becoming polluted. “I don’t see in this area a lot of heavy duty threats,” asserted Neiman.

He recommended no authoritative action for management strategies at this time. “We don’t want to restrict people, if we can get the public to understand the plan.”

Neiman looks to the community for assistance in protecting the well water, “to make sure they’re utilizing the best management practices.” He said the process of developing a plan will help people learn to care for the water and prevent contamination. “The majority of people want to do the right thing,” he said.

Neiman explained the beginning phase of part two to the wellhead protection plan process, which is to identify potential contaminants, like old or unused septic systems, fertilizer use, abandoned wells, or old spill sites. “We don’t anticipate a lot of heavy duty issues,” said Neiman. “You’re in a pretty good situation, and we want to work with the landowners to keep it that way.”

Neiman and a group of council members and residents are expected to meet on November 5 to identify potential threats. He punctuated the importance of community involvement in the protection plan saying, “This is a community plan, and we want the public’s input.”

The next step in the process is to develop management strategies and goals and objectives for the city with regard to anticipated growth and opportunities in the area. An evaluation program and contingency plan follow. Neiman anticipates one meeting per month toward arriving at the protection plan’s deadline of June, 2010. The public is expected to remain apprised of forthcoming public meetings over the program before it goes to the Minnesota Department of Health for approval next summer.

About the protection plan

The Wellhead Protection Plan is a federal mandate through the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that was originally passed by Congress in 1974, and amended in 1986 and 1996, to protect public health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water supply and to set standards to protect drinking water against both naturally-occurring and man-made contaminants. The SDWA requires actions through the local governing units to protect drinking water and its sources, i.e., rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and ground water wells. SDWA does not regulate private wells that serve fewer than 25 individuals.