The agricultural community of Wellspring has always relied on city wells for the water needs of their small
town. Recently, an outbreak of water-borne diseases has caused the EPA to investigate the town wells
and determine that there are a variety of pollutants (including known carcinogens) in the groundwater.
The EPA is on the verge of requiring Wellspring to shut down their wells. The only alternative water supply
for wellspring is Hetchee Lake that is twenty-five miles away. Hetchee Lake is large and already supports
the needs of three satellite communities.
To help the town of Hetchee make decisions about their water supply, you must take on the role of an EPA
advisor. You must provide a detailed analysis that discusses; what groundwater is, whether or not
groundwater is a renewable resource, what the legislative difficulties are in governing groundwater
reserves, and a detailed analysis of the pros and cons to shutting down the Wellspring wells and applying
to the governors of Hetchee Lake to tap into their water supply.
Sample Solution
