SWAPP stands for Source Water Assessment and Protection Program.  This program is meant to ensure that your drinking water is safe, not just at the tap, but at its source. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is initiating the SWAPP as part of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

The water that surrounds us - lakes, rivers, streams, and aquifers - makes up our drinking water sources. These source waters can be threatened by potential contaminants such as hazardous chemicals, stormwater runoff, waste disposal sites and underground storage tanks.  It is a national priority to protect these sources and ensure safe drinking water for citizens. SWAPP was created to protect these vital resources.

The SDWA was passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water supply. The law was amended in 1986 and 1996 and requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources.  The SDWA authorizes the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to set national health-based standards for drinking water to protect against both naturally occurring and man-made contaminants that may be found in drinking water. The USEPA, states, and water systems then work together to make sure that these standards are met.

The authorization of SWAPP was one of eight amendments made to the SDWA in 1996.

What Can You Do?

Multiple Barrier Approach