For which type of public water system is wellhead protection mandatory?

Wellhead protection is mandated for community water systems. These systems serve an established population and rely on groundwater resources, typically sourced from wells. The purpose of wellhead protection is to safeguard the area surrounding a well from potential contaminants, thereby ensuring the safety and quality of drinking water.

Implementing wellhead protection strategies helps manage land use and activities that could negatively impact water quality. This includes monitoring potential pollution sources, promoting good practices among nearby landowners, and developing plans for emergency response.

Noncommunity water systems, while still required to maintain certain quality standards, do not have the same mandatory wellhead protection requirements because they do not serve the same residential population and often use different sourcing methods (like surface water). The focus on wellhead protection primarily addresses the specific vulnerabilities associated with community wells.