Area governments have a common interest in protecting the Potomac River for water supply purposes. COG supports this interest through its participation in the Potomac River Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership (DWSPP). The DWSPP is a cooperative and voluntary partnership of water suppliers and state, interstate, and federal agencies working towards the goal of improved source water protection of the Potomac River basin in order to safeguard the drinking water supply for public health. The DWSPP has identified the following goals:
- Identify regional priorities for source water protection efforts.
- Coordinate, where appropriate, source water and drinking water protection efforts to benefit multiple water systems.
- Establish and maintain a coordinated dialogue, including a Partnership Framework, between water suppliers and government agencies involved in drinking water source protection within the Potomac River watershed.
- Establish and maintain a coordinated dialogue between the Partnership agencies and other groups working towards watershed protection within the Potomac River watershed.
- Promote information sharing among groups working on, and affected by, safe drinking water issues.
- Enhance coordinated approaches to water supply protection measures in the Potomac River basin, especially for boundary waters and for project planning that impacts interstate waterways.
- Develop new initiatives within the drinking water community and with partners that will fill program voids ensuring higher quality drinking water supplies.
For additional information about the DWSPP, visit www.potomacdwspp.org/