Wellhead Protection Program

In late 1995 the Hamilton County Drainage Board requested the Surveyors Office to form a Task Force to study the County's needs in the area of Wellhead Protection. A fifteen member task force was created which represented all cities and towns and water suppliers, both public and private, within the County. The group met for the first time in December 1995 and met six times in 1996. The result of the efforts in 1996 was an inter-local agreement between Hamilton County and seven other public and private entities for the delineation of Wellhead Protection Areas in order to comply with the Indiana Wellhead Protection Rule, 3271AC8-4.1.

Request for Proposal
A Request for Proposal (RFP) was sent out to consultants for this work in 1997. Proposals were received, reviewed and Engineering Testing Services (ETS) was selected as the consultant. Cicero, Atlanta, Westfield, Arcadia and Indianapolis Water Company entered into a contract through the original inter-local agreement for the delineation phase of the project. All the communities have since completed wellhead delineations and have completed Phase I Wellhead Protection Plans or are awaiting approval.

Municipal Ordinances
Since then, Cicero, Atlanta, Carmel, Arcadia and Hamilton County have enacted Wellhead Ordinances and the other communities are working towards adopting their own. Download a copy of the Hamilton County Wellhead Protection Ordinance (PDF).

Recent Updates
Recently, the Wellhead Protection Committee developed brochures to educate the public about wellhead protection. These Brochures were modified from documents developed by the Purdue Extension program called "Knowledge to Go."

Media
Protecting Your Drinking Water Drop By Drop - Originally aired on WFYI July 22, 2010

Drop by Drop Description
Water is the basis and essence of all life. And yet, its value is often overlooked or taken for granted. We turn on the faucet or do laundry or flush the commode almost automatically, with little appreciation for this important and necessary resource flowing through the pipes. We simply expect it to be there when we need it. And yet, for many small-town and rural residents all over Indiana, that supply of clean water is being threatened. Failing septic systems and aging, deteriorating infrastructure (both wastewater and drinking water) are compromising our continued connection to dependable supplies of what all living things need most: safe, clean water.

There is no new water on planet earth. Instead, the water we have is perpetually recycled. Therefore, how we treat our water today has a direct effect not only on ourselves, but also on the health and well-being of our fellow Hoosiers for generations to come. In Drop by Drop: Protecting Indiana's Water Supply, we'll unlock the mysteries of where our water comes from, and where it goes once it disappears down the drain. And, we'll witness real-life stories of the challenges people face - and overcome - in their efforts to bring clean water to their communities.

Support for this program is provided by the Indiana Regional Sewer Districts Association, and by the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water.