Principles of a Ground‐Water Strategy

A ground‐water strategy is a policy document that outlines how a state can best manage its ground water, consistent with budgetary limitations and with provisions of federal and state law. This paper outlines such a strategy, as adopted in New Jersey, which establishes policies for water‐supply and water‐quality protection. The strategy includes two new directions critically important to successful ground‐water management. First, a state program is proposed to control nonpoint sources of ground‐water pollution. Second, the strategy corrects the lack of coordination among state programs that provide alternative water supplies to replace contaminated wells and among programs requiring cleanup of hazardous water pollution. Alternative water supplies that are constructed without regard to pollution mitigation may allow the party responsible for the pollution to escape liability for full remedial costs. Due to such circumstances, water‐supply remedies in severe cases may be delayed, even where sufficient public funds exist. The strategy solves this problem through a common priority system for both water‐supply and pollution‐mitigation remedies, and by addressing first those portions of cases that pose major public‐health risks and afterward, remaining portions of those cases.