Source water protection | City of Ann Arbor

Did you know that the stormwater drains channel water directly into the Huron river, without treatment?

Did you know that water from roofs, roads, driveways, parking lots, and other surfaces flows directly to the Huron River on top of and below the ground?

Did you know the Huron River is Ann Arbor's main source of drinking water?

Dumping waste directly into storm drains, ditches, or waterways or leaving it out and exposed in parking lots and driveways is illegal and poses real threats of contamination of Ann Arbor’s drinking water supplies, recreational areas, and wildlife habitat.

Don't pour hazardous waste down the drain, on the ground, or into catch basins. Washtenaw County has a Household Toxics program that can help you dispose of these items.

Everyday actions to project our water

Limit the use of pesticides and fertilizers and follow label directions.
Dispose of medications properly through Washtenaw County's pharmaceutical take-back program.
Grow a vegetative buffer between your lawn and any nearby stream or river.
Keep stormwater drains clear of debris.
Reduce salt use on driveways and sidewalks in winter.
Plant trees to absorb and filter pollutants from water.
Clean up driveway spills promptly without washing them into the street.

SUMMER GAMES CODE: WaterWayToGo

Ann Arbor Water’s Comprehensive Source Water Protection Plan

Protecting the source of our drinking water is key to ensure the health and resiliency of our community and ecosystems. The City of Ann Arbor maintains a Wellhead Protection Plan (WHPP) and Surface Water Intake Protection Plan (SWIPP) within its Comprehensive Source Water Protection Plan. Ann Arbor has recently completed updating these plans and is continuously working on implementing source water protection initiatives. The updates to our Wellhead Protection Plan and Surface Water Intake Protection Plan were made under the direction and guidance of Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy, or EGLE. You can learn more about the EGLE Source Water Protection Program from EGLE’s website.

Ann Arbor's "One Water" approach unites all the city’s water units with external stakeholders to provide quality water services and protect public health. The Comprehensive Source Water Protection Plan bolsters our Ann Arbor Water Program and strengthens partnerships to safeguard our water resources.

What is a Surface Water Intake Protection Plan?

Approximately 85 percent of Ann Arbor’s drinking water is supplied by the Huron River. Ann Arbor’s existing Surface Water Intake Protection Plan evaluated the Huron River and its Source Water Protection Area (SWPA) to understand inputs that could impact water quality in the river and then established water management and treatment strategies to ensure that drinking water in Ann Arbor is safe and reliable. The Source Water Protection Area is the river, its tributaries, and all the land that drains to river, starting from where the city draws its water. A key component of the plan is developing partnerships with other communities and stakeholders in the area to manage this important resource. The update process strengthened the existing water management partnerships.

What is a Wellhead Protection Plan?

Approximately 15 percent of Ann Arbor's drinking water comes from groundwater wells, which store water in gravel, sand, or clay deposits. The Wellhead Protection Plan, in effect since 1996 and last updated in 2024, maps wellhead protection areas, identifies contamination sources, and develops management methods to protect the public water supply. A wellhead protection area (WHPA) is the region around a water well that contributes groundwater to the public system.

Ongoing source Water Protection Initiatives

Source Water Collaborative: a group that will meet regularly to discuss source water protection initiatives. Ann Arbor is working with the Huron River Watershed Council towards the development of a collaborative within the Huron River Watershed.

10,000 Trees Initiative: In collaboration with the city’s Office of Sustainability and Innovation (OSI), we are working to plant 10,000 trees to improve nutrient uptake and reduce storm runoff.

Land Preservation Initiatives: As part of the city's Greenbelt now Bluebelt programs, Ann Arbor aims to conserve key parcels of land in our watershed to improve water quality by preventing pollutants from entering the stream.

Huron River Monitoring: Ann Arbor’s Water Treatment Plant (WTP) will keep testing water quality and Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) indicators routinely.

Emergency Response Plan: details how the WTP plans to quickly and effectively mitigate potential threats to water quality, such as hazardous materials spills. Ann Arbor is constantly making improvements to emergency response procedures and conducting exercises to prepare city staff.

1,4 Dioxane: The WTP will continue to monitor the treatment and discharge of 1,4 Dioxane. Regular sampling allows for a quick response to any potential contamination.