The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded two prestigious awards to the Augusta County Service Authority in Augusta County, Va. The county accepted the Source Water Protection Award for protecting existing and potential drinking water sources and the PISCES award recognizing leadership and innovation in utilizing clean water infrastructure funds.
“Drinking water is a finite and precious resource, and we commend Augusta County’s leadership in protecting it,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “Other municipalities would be well-served to follow their example in adopting source water protection ordinances.”
The service authority coordinated the development of one of the strongest source water protection zoning ordinances in Virginia. The ordinance, passed in February 2011, helps to protect ground water sources of drinking water from adverse impacts such as contamination from hazardous materials or petroleum products, or loss of water in underground aquifers which supply drinking water in the county.
“We’ve invested a lot of resources in establishing our drinking water supply,” said Augusta County Service Authority Executive Director Ken Fanfoni. “The ordinance will help to prevent it being jeopardized by careless actions or unforeseen events.”
Source: EPA
