Source water protection is the first step to ensuring safe drinking water quality at the tap. By working to improve water quality in the rivers, streams, and reservoirs upstream of water supply intakes, it is possible to keep some contaminants out of the water and make the treatment process easier and less expensive.

Since its inception in 2004, ICPRB has facilitated the Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership (DWSPP). This voluntary collaborative effort of government agencies and water suppliers in the basin is committed to finding ways to better understand and address water quality threats.