Protecting water resources you have:
A raw water supply is a crucial resource for any human settlement, and maintenance of a quality and sufficient water supply is one of the most important services in any community. However, in any settled region, no water supply exists without pressure on its quality. Often at the top the risk list is human generated pollution, such as from industry. An important second is impact from human and animal waste (improperly performing onsite wastewater systems, spread manure, etc.). These are both subjects of whole discussions in themselves and we cover them in some of our other Tech Library articles and in Ground Water Prospectives, which includes both technical and not-so-serious features.
Resource extraction and water supplies: A third category is resource development: aggregates and minerals, coal, uranium, and oil and gas. These have long been important in some settled areas, but recently, with the development of technology to tap deep shale resources has brought big oil and gas back to settled areas in the eastern USA, and now in Europe and China, among others.
We offer some ideas for public water supply wellfields and surface reservoirs and for individual domestic water supplies (linked below).
Locally, we can test your well (so can other people), but we can provide good value in planning site- and area-scale protection and monitoring.
Enlightened self interest -- water testing for individual wells, springs, and other water features near oil and gas development
 How do We Protect Our Raw Water Supply with Resource Development All Around.pdf | [Ideas for preserving the integrity of large water supply assets.] | 164 kB |