What is a Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA)?
A wellhead is the physical structure or device through which ground water flows or is pumped. The surface and subsurface area immediately surrounding a pumping well is defined in 327 IAC 8-4.1-1(27) as the wellhead protection area. Contaminants poured on the ground in a wellhead protection area have a good chance of seeping into the soils and the subsurface materials where the ground water that is likely to flow towards the public well is located. Insuring that nothing is spilled, leaked, injected, or runs off into this area is vital to protecting the water supply.
