Source Water Protection
You Can Help Ensure Safe Water
The Harpers Ferry Water Works gets its water from Elks Run and Elk Branch,
a tributary of Elks Run. Land uses upstream can directly affect the quality
of the drinking water that reaches the treatment plant.
Zones of critical concern in and around the Elks Run Watershed are outlined
in red. These areas are especially important to protect because they are
located close to the water plant intake.
Acres of cropland
Acres of pasture
Acres of houses, towns & roads
What Happens Upstream Matters
Everything done in a watershed can affect the quality and quantity
of the water that travels downstream to the water treatment plant.
Farming remains the principal use of the Elks Run watershed, while
houses, towns, and roads also make up a significant share of the
surrounding landscape.
What Can Affect Water Quality?
Pollutants from everyday activities across the watershed can be
carried by runoff and drainage into Elks Run and Elk Branch.
Pesticides & Fertilizers
Agricultural and lawn products can enter waterways through runoff.
Hazardous Waste
Improperly handled household chemicals can contaminate source water.
Stormwater Runoff
Water running off impervious surfaces can carry pollutants into streams.
Construction Runoff
Runoff from disturbed land can carry sediment and other pollutants downstream.
Litter
Waste left in the watershed can eventually reach local waterways.
Septic Systems
Improperly maintained septic systems can leak contaminants into the water supply.
Pollutants enter the watershed
→
Runoff carries them into local streams
→
Water flows toward the treatment plant intake
From Source Water To Drinking Water
The Harpers Ferry water treatment plant treats raw water for human
consumption by removing disease-causing organisms, including viruses,
bacteria and algae, along with suspended solids such as sediment.
Protecting the water before it reaches the treatment plant helps reduce
the possibility of contaminants reaching the finished water supply and
can reduce the treatment burden on the plant.