Water Resources

Norfolk's drinking water is drawn from underground aquifers and routed to two Treatment Plants.  The older East Water Treatment Plant draws from wells within the community.  The newer and larger West Water Treatment Plant draws from the aquifer west of the City.  (See the Water Division for details about treatment processes).  These aquifers are supplied by rain water seeping down through the upper layers of soil, and collecting above a more dense layer of soil or rock.  The type of soil, its chemistry, and soil surface characteristics (including contaminants) influences water quality.  

A Wellhead Protection Plan has been developed to protect the water resources for future generations.  The purpose of the Plan is to use Zoning regulations to limit activities in the source water area that could degrade the water quality.  As an example, elevated protection measures are implemented for fuel and chemical storage, and heavy industrial activity.  The narrative section of the Plan is available via the Wellhead Protection Plan link above.  Database information and several of the maps are too large to be included in this web page, so a complete document is available for review at the Public Library and the West Water Treatment Plant if you choose.   Their are several sources for water quality information, some of which we have included on this page.  The Lower Elkhorn NRD is an active local partner, and has many programs and publications available to the public to assist in this effort. 

When water quality is degraded, it generally is caused by some human activity.

What can we do?

Homeowners can properly manage their automotive fluids disposal, and fertilizer and lawn chemical applications.  Overused and improperly disposed chemicals and fertilizers either run off the surface to the storm drain, or percolate down through the soil into the aquifer.

Industry can insure it does not store chemicals outside or otherwise unprotected.  They can insure that all process waste is routed to a treatment system and not to a drain field or surface drainage.

Agriculture can closely manage their fertilizer applications, insure chemigation systems are maintained and operated properly.  They can properly abandon unused wells, and use double walled fuel storage tanks.  The local NRD office is a great source for rural water management information.

These links are a good source of data on managing run-off from around our homes, farms, and businesses.  Our activities on the land today will impact our water quality for decades into the future, so take some time to investigate how we can all protect this valuable natural resource and community asset.