Reestablishing public health and land use planning to protect public water supplies.

Objectives: This study measured the extent to which land use, design, and engineering practices could reduce contamination of major public water supplies.

Methods: Key parcels of land were identified in New Jersey, and the potential uncontrolled loading of contaminants was estimated with the US Environmental Protection Agency's Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment model for a variety of land use, design, and engineering scenarios.

Results: High-density per-acre development and engineering controls, along with housing and light commercial activity near main railroads, would substantially reduce runoff.

Conclusions: In New Jersey, government and purveyor action is being taken as a result of, and in support of, these findings.