Groundwater sources supply about 38% of all water uses in the 19 western states. Most attention has focused on withdrawals from these sources but, in recent years, concerns have been raised about the quality of groundwater. At the federal level, several laws address aspects of groundwater quality but protection of this resource has been left primarily to the states. Western state groundwater quality protection programs were comprehensively surveyed relating to six aspects: assessment of existing groundwater quality, levels of protection established, controls placed on sources of contamination, use of special management areas, coordination among the involved agencies, and program enforcement. The survey revealed several promising approaches in each of these areas in the western states which are set forth in the paper. Most of these approaches have been established in recent years, reflecting the greatly increased state attention to groundwater quality protection. It is too early to evaluate the effectiveness of particular approaches. In general the western states are taking a more active role in groundwater quality protection, and several states recently have established comprehensive programs for this purpose. Others, however, are still considering approaches to protection of groundwater quality and may find the discussion in this paper of some use.
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