Reach Out

New Create-Your-Own Guide Online Tool:  www.YourWaterYourDecision.org The Source Water Collaborative has developed a tool to help you create a customized guide to encourage local officials to connect with best practices, people, and other resources that can help them protect their sources of drinking water. The tool is free and easy to use.  It allows you to: create a professional brochure in minutes from your compute include trusted local, state and federal sources relevant to your community customize to add your logo, contact information, pictures and more Visit www.yourwateryourdecision.org to get started.  You'll also find tips on ways to use the brochure in your community. If you prefer our general, non-customized guide, please use the links below: YWYD Guide for Local Officials Postcard: Option 1 Postcard: Option 2

Growth

Development Patterns
How you govern can determine what you drink. You can plan how your community develops to avoid harming your water - this is sometimes called low impact development. Consider your community’s efforts in development patterns, then get the details you need for action from the websites below.

More Vegetation
Protection Stream and River Corridors:  Creating Effective Local Riparian Buffer Ordinances
Planner’s Guide to Wetland Buffers for Local Governments
Planting Trees in the Urban Landscape

More Green Space
Protecting Resources with Higher-Density Development
Practical Ideas for Getting Smart Growth on the Ground

Less Pavement
An Overview of Smart Growth
Planning and Design Approaches to Impervious Surfaces
Sprawl's Impact on Water Quantity & Quality
A Report on How Sprawl Aggravates Drought

New Protection
A New Approach to Stormwater Management
Low Impact Development Guide for Municipal Officials and Home Builders

Budget & Cost

Budget & Cost
How you govern can determine what you drink. You can help avoid overuse of valuable water resources and pollution by setting rates to reflect the true costs of safe drinking water. Consider your community’s efforts in pricing options, then get the details you need for action from the websites below.

Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection
Technical Assistance Grants to Rural Communities
Help Your Community Reduce its Water Use
Using GIS Tools to Link Land Use Decisions to Water Resource Protection
Assistance with Rate Design, Cost Recovery, Capital Improvement Planning and Sustainably Managing Drinking Water Systems
Asset Management and Efficient Capacity Development
Self-Assessment Tool for Your Water System's Financial Health
Online Systems Assessment Training Programs
National Drinking Water Clearinghouse
Rural Community Financial Toolbox with Spreadsheet-Based Calculators to Assess Water System Budgets
Web-Based Drinking Water System Budgeting and Financing Tools
Sources of Funding for Watersheds  

Stewardship

Stewardship
How you govern can determine what you drink. Your own actions can set the tone for source water protection. Consider your community’s stewardship efforts, then get the details you need for action from the websites below.

Resource for Source Water Assessments and Other Protection Tools
Community Organizing/Action Programs
Stewardship for “Green Spaces” (Parks, Golf Courses, Ball Fields, etc.)
Community Test Your Well Events
Media Awareness Campaign for Public Officials and Utilities: Tap Water Delivers
Public Awareness Campaign – Source Water Protection
A Community Septic Education Kit
Fact Sheet: Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Product Contamination  
A Primer for Preventing Pathogenic Contamination
A Community Source Water Stewardship Guide
Colorado’s Toolkit for Local Officials
Guide for Municipal Stormwater Plans
Getting in Step: Engaging and Involving Stakeholders in Your Watershed
A New Source Water Protection Tool for Municipal Officials
Community Source Water Awareness Media Toolkit
Cost Effective Techniques and Practices for Maintenance and Service of Unpaved Roads

Planner's Guide

2008 Documents 

Advice Worth Drinking,
A Planner's Guide

 

 

Agriculture

 

Agriculture

Field to Faucet
Insert for Field to Faucet brochure