the water supply, (3) mitigate the effects of natural disasters, (4) provide flexibility within water system operations, (5) minimize treatment costs, and (6) comply with regulatory requirements. Realistic goals must recognize the need for balance and compromise among competing and often conflicting demands for various uses within the watershed (AWWARF, 1991), such as protection of aquatic life, recreation, water supply, agriculture, forestry, and urban development. This need for compromise is particularly pressing in water supply watersheds that are not substantially or wholly owned and managed by the water supplier. In addition, the limitations of regulatory authorities that implement and enforce program goals must be acknowledged. Goals must have the necessary supporting legal and regulatory authority to ensure effective implementation.

One example of a goal is ''to protect the water quality and supply reliability by seeking to balance the watershed uses such as the rights of private property owners and public recreational activities with the protection and management of natural resources" (Santa Clara Valley Water District, 1995). The Santa Clara Valley Water District goal recognizes the need for public support and for cooperation from other stakeholders to ensure a successful source water protection program. The Upper South Platte Watershed Protection Association (1998) in Colorado has established a similar goal that reflects a desire to balance activities and effectively engage stakeholders. The Salt Lake City Watershed Management Plan is more strongly focused on maintenance of water quality over other factors: "[Watershed] management emphasis prioritizes water quality first and multiple use of the watershed second. The Wasatch Canyons are protected to maintain a healthy ecological balance with stable environmental conditions, healthy streams and riparian areas, and minimal sources of pollution" (Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, 1998).

In addition to basic goals, water agencies may also establish specific numeric or narrative objectives for their drinking water sources. As required under the CWA, most states or EPA regions have established use designations and associated water quality criteria for the protection of drinking water supplies. To date, water quality criteria to protect drinking water supplies have been limited and somewhat inconsistent from one state to another (Table 3-7). Based on a recent survey of western states, existing criteria generally focus on nitrate, metals, and a few other inorganic constituents; some organic and radiological constituents; and fecal coliform bacteria (Paulson and Vlier, 1997). Other constituents of concern in drinking water supplies, such as organic carbon and specific pathogens, have not yet been widely addressed by water quality criteria.

Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) have been specified by the SDWA for application to treated water supplies and are not directly applicable as water quality objectives for source waters prior to treatment. Natural waters, even