Central Wyoming

Groundwater Guardian Team

The Central Wyoming Groundwater Guardian Team was established in 1996 as an advisory team to the Central Wyoming Regional Water System Joint Powers Board. The Team's mission is to initiate activites that support protection of the Regional Water System well fields from both surface and subsurface contaminaton. The Team is made up of volunteers and includes residents living near the wellhead protection area, community leaders, local business people, and educators. It is the duty and responsibility of the Team to educate the community n the importance of protecting and preserving the public's ground water and drinking water for our generation and future generations. Team members are committed to working together to achieve this common goal. The Groundwater Guardian Team strives to take a proactive approach to:

• Prevent groundwater contamination
• Promote compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act
• Decrease financial burdens on consumers and funding agencies
• Protect drinking water sources for future generations.

Team Accomplishments

Since its inception in 1996, the Central Wyoming Groundwater Guardian Team has focused on the following five-step plan for groundwater protection:

• Active planning team membership
• Actively protect zones of influence around well fields
• Identify existing and potential contamination sources
• Manage the protection area
• Develop a contingency plan

In December 1998, the Team completed a comprehensive Wellhead Protection Management Plan for use in protecting the Central Wyoming Regional Water System well fields, which provide the citizens of the region with eighty percent of their drinking water. The plan incorporated each of the steps listed above and provides a blueprint for groundwater protection in Central Wyoming.

Meetings are held monthly at the Central Wyoming Regional Water Treatment Plant, 1500 SW Wyoming Blvd. Casper, WY. Call (307) 265-6063 for date and time.

Current Groundwater Guardian Newsletter

The Groundwater Guardian Program

Groundwater Guardian is a Groundwater Foundation program that supports communities protecting groundwater. It is designed to empower local citizens and communities to take voluntary steps toward protecting their groundwater resources. Groundwater Guardian can be a catalyst for groundwater protection programs such as a local wellhead protection or source water protection program. Groundwater Guardian is not a regulatory program; rather it relies on voluntary steps developed at the community level.

For more information on the Groundwater Foundation and the Groundwater Guardian program, visit the Groundwater Foundation web site.

Future Team Activities

Each year, the Central Wyoming Groundwater Guardian Team submits to the Groundwater Foundation on a description of each activity the team has adopted to implement over the next year, or several years, to protect their groundwater supplies. In 2003, the Team will focus on public information and public involvement with the following activities:

• Participation in planning and production of the Wyoming Children's Water Festival
• Publication of a quaterly newsletter
• Implementation of Home*A*Syst, an educational program helping homeowners to assess environmental risks in and around the home
• Participate in Public Events providing opportunities for education in source water protection and water conservation
• Implement the Source Water Assessment Program

Team Contacts

For more information on the Central Wyoming Groundwater Guardian Team, contact Team Chairman Floyd Field by phone at (307)234-4044.

Team Members

Floyd Field
Chairperson
Ted Lee
Vice Chairperson
Bruce Pedersen
Secretary/Treasurer
John Naquin
Advisor/ Regional Water System Contact
e-mail

Debbie Salisbury
Margaret Teevens