Drinking Water
Whether your drinking water comes from a private well or a public water system, what the water flows through on its way down to the aquifer determines the quality of water we get back. Source water protection means taking care of these recharge areas which are not readily visible on the landscape. Keeping all our soils free from pollution helps keep our drinking water safe and reduces water treatment costs.
Click on the categories below to expand and learn more about these specific areas.
Conservation Districts in Minnesota play a vital role in protecting drinking water by managing land use and promoting conservation practices that reduce contamination risks. We work with landowners, farmers, and communities to implement conservation practices that protect soil, water, and habitat. While the MN Department of Health oversees public water systems, Conservation Districts contribute by safeguarding the land that influences water quality.
We do this by:
-
Source Water Protection Planning
-
Landowner Outreach and Voluntary Practices
-
Wellhead Protection Support
-
Providing Funding and Technical Assistance
Well Sealing
Central Minnesota Water Education Alliance (CMWEA)
Private Well Screening and Testing
Source Water Protection Materials
These materials can be used by the public for outreach efforts in promotion of Source Water Protection awareness and activities. They were created through the partnership between Framework and the Stearns Conservation District with Accelerated Implementation Grant funding through the MN Department of Health via the Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment.
The materials include topics on Class V Injection Wells, Healthy Septic Systems, Source Water, Storage Tanks, and Well Maintenance. The messages come in a variety of formats including as attachments for emails, Facebook Post, Flyer for regular mailing, Print Ad for newsletters, and Web Banners for website.
The materials can be used having the Stearns Conservation District Logo already on them already or if you want them blank then you can add your City’s Logo and contact information. The Print Ads and Flyers can be printed in High Resolution (HR) or High Resolution Crops and Bleeds (HRCB) for professional printing.
