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The first step in implementing a drinking water program is to identify water to be used as the source of drinking water. At this stage, an assessment should be made of the potential risks associated with the source. Risks could include wildlife in a watershed, recreational activities such as boating in a reservoir, wastewater treatment plants nearby, agricultural or industrial activities, etc. The system should be designed to minimize the impact of the risks over time. The characteristics of the source water - including physical (such as aquifer characteristics for groundwater sources), microbiological and chemical parameters, and the types of natural and anthropogenic contaminants present - determine the type of treatment required in order to deliver the cleanest, safest, most reliable drinking water to the public. Wherever possible, the system chosen should also be capable of being adapted to deal with unforeseen contaminants.
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