About the Ground Water Protection Council
The Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) is a nonprofit 501(c)6 organization whose members consist of state ground water regulatory agencies which come together within the GWPC organization to mutually work toward the protection of the nation’s ground water supplies. The purpose of the GWPC is to promote and ensure the use of best management practices and fair but effective laws regarding comprehensive ground water protection.
Our Mission
The Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) is a nonprofit 501(c)6 organization whose members consist of state groundwater regulatory agencies that come together within the GWPC organization to mutually work toward the protection of the nation’s groundwater supplies. The purpose of the GWPC is to promote and ensure the use of best management practices and fair but effective laws regarding comprehensive groundwater protection, with a specific focus on three categories:
- Water/Energy
- Water Quality
- Water Availability & Sustainability
Our mission is to promote the protection and conservation of groundwater resources for all beneficial uses, recognizing ground water as a critical component of the ecosystem. We provide an important forum for stakeholder communication and research in order to improve governments’ role in the protection and conservation of groundwater.
GWPC History
Chartered by the states in 1983, the GWPC was incorporated as a nonprofit national association, headquartered in the State of Oklahoma.
It was initially incorporated by five states who wanted to form an organization that would serve as a forum to bring together technical and regulatory experts to discuss underground injection control (UIC) issues and overall groundwater protection. The founders also sought to develop a strong public outreach/education program to inform the public about the safety of the national UIC program and to develop information that could be used by the states to enhance this effort.
Since then the Board of Directors have enhanced GWPC’s overall commitment to broader groundwater issues as a recognition that the UIC program is one piece of a much larger effort to effectively protect groundwater as an essential component of the ecosystem.
The GWPC was founded upon a sound principle from which it has never wavered. It has matured into a respected national association of state groundwater and UIC agencies. Along the way, GWPC has had a significant impact in affecting national policy in underground injection and groundwater protection.