Under federal and state laws and regulations, MDE is responsible for ensuring that all public drinking water systems throughout Maryland meet strict drinking water quality standards. Public drinking water system means a system that provides water to the public for human consumption, if the system serves at least fifteen service connections or regularly serves at least twenty-five individuals. Public drinking water systems serve approximately 4.3 million Marylanders.
Private wells serve fewer than twenty-five individuals on a regular basis.
The wells may serve one home, or be shared by a few homes or businesses. MDE addresses its safe drinking water responsibilities by implementing various programs that protect groundwater and surface water supplies from contaminants, inspect facilities that treat and provide public drinking water, and assure compliance with all safe drinking water standards. Source Water Protection. Key activities related to source water protection include developing a source water assessment program that is consistent with the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act. This will require the delineation of source water assessment areas, identifying potential sources of contaminants and conducting a susceptibility analysis of the source to those contaminants.