Drinking Water Protection: Lincoln-Pipestone Rural Water - A Case Study

Water quality and quantity in southwest Minnesota are significant concerns. Protection of limited water supplies is important to the long-term economic stability and growth of this area. Most drinking water supplies in the region are obtained from shallow ground water aquifers which are frequently contaminated with nitrates. Deeper aquifers are not suitable for use as drinking water because of sulfur contamination and inadequate recharge. Past agricultural land use practices have played a large role in defining today's water quality issues.