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

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   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

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