IDAHO: ASSOCIATION OF IDAHO CITIES Statewide Educational Effort Promotes Local Governments' Awareness of Drinking Water Protection Background The Association of Idaho Cities (AIC) initiated a broad outreach program that promotes SWP to each city and county in the State. With support from the Idaho Association of Counties, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, and the Idaho Rural Water Association, AIC developed a packet of educational materials for a variety of audiences, including government officials, the public, and other stakeholders. The multimedia packet, which includes a video, interactive DVD, facilitator's guide, planning manual, and a CD-based compendium of BMPs, was sent to each of the State's counties and cities. AIC plans to follow up with the packet recipients to determine how they took advantage of the educational materials provided. Of the 200 cities and 44 counties in Idaho, 28 cities and counties had completed water protection plans as of January 2003. It is critical for more local governments to recognize the significance of a clean water supply and plan accordingly. Local governments are more likely to identify drinking water protection as a high priority and take action when there is repeated exposure to information about the importance of protecting drinking water supplies. Distribute informational drinking water products to cities and counties throughout the state of Idaho for use in educating government officials, stakeholders and the general public. The products will be designed for a wide variety of audiences to create interest and support for activities that can protect drinking water supplies. Priority Contamination Threats This was a statewide effort, therefore, the priority contamination threats vary with locality and drinking water source. Local Team and Developing the Protection Plan The drinking water products were developed by the Association of Idaho Cities (AIC) with support from the Idaho Association of Counties, Environmental Protection Agency, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and Idaho Rural Water Association. Management Measures The project provides educational materials in the form of a 10-minute video available on VMS and an interactive DVD, a facilitator's guide, planning manual, informational gallery and compendium of best practices available on CD. Office of Water (4606M) 816F10007 January 2010 ------- Outreach to Local Governments The products were arranged into a three-ring binder and distributed by mail to 200 cities and 44 counties in Idaho. Measuring Program Effectiveness The success of this project will be determined by the number of drinking water protection activities that have developed in response to the source water protection products. AIC will contact: • All cities and counties that received the drinking water products to determine the status of their drinking water protection activities and the usefulness of the tools provided by this project. AIC will contact the cities and counties through an online questionnaire that will be supplemented with phone calls. For further information, contact: Ken Harward Association of Idaho Cities (800) 344-8594 kharward@idahocities.org Office of Water (4606M) 816F10007 January 2010 ------- |