To help protect the groundwater and our water supply wells from potential contamination, the Town is currently implementing a Wellhead Protection Plan (WHP). The WHP focuses on public awareness and education and spill prevention and reporting. For your reference, a complete copy of Owensville's WHP is available at the Town Hall located at 103 S. Main Street in Owensville, IN. For more information to join the local planning team and assist with the implementation of the Wellhead Protection Plan, contact the Water Department at (812) 724-4151. Refer to the WHP brochure Protecting Your Drinking Water:Wellhead Protection (see bottom of page for download) for more information.

Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

The Annual Drinking Water Quality Report is provided to water utility customers each year and is designed to keep customers informed about the water utility and the quality of the drinking water over the previous year. The Owensville Water Department's goal is to provied the community with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. The most recent Annual Drinking Water Quality Report is available at Town Hall  (see bottom of page for download).

Household Tips for Protecting Our Drinking Water Supply

• Reduce the amount of fertilizers, pesticides, or other hazardous chemicals (see bottom of page for downloads) that you use. Buy only what you need so that you don't have to dispose of leftovers. Read all the labels and follow directions.
• Use organic lawn and garden alternatives that do not contain synthetic chemical poisons.
• Reduce the use of products that contain any of the following words on thier labels: caution, warning, danger, poison, flammable, volatile, caustic, or corrosive.
• Recycle used oil, automotive fluids, batteries, household hazardous wastes and other products. Don't dispose of hazardous products in toilets, storm drains, wastewater systems, creeks, alleys, or the ground. This pollutes the water supply. Refer to the Gibson County Solid Waste Management District  website for contacts and recycling information.

Private Septic Systems

As a part of the WHP Program, septic systems within the WHP areas were identified. Leachate from an improperly maintained septic system has the potential to directly affect groundwater used for our public water supply. Refer to the brochure Operating and maintaining the Home Septic System (see bottom of page for download) for information regarding the proper functioning and maintenance of your septic system. Additional information on septic systems is provided by the Gibson County Health Department website.

Abandoned, Active and Inactive Water, Oil & Gas Wells

The Town of Owensville is attempting to identify active, inactive and abandoned water, gas, and oil wells within the WHP areas. Damaged wells can become a direct conduit for surface contamination to reach the underlying aquifer. We ask for your assistance in identifying abandoned or inactive wells on your property. Please contact the Water Department with relevant information. Refer to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) brochure on the Orphaned & Abandoned Well Program (see bottom of page for download) for additional information.

Water wells are abandoned if the original purpose and use of the well has been disontinued for more than 5 years or if the well is in a state of disrepair. If the well was abandoned after January 1, 1988, a licensed water well driller must be used to plug the well. The licensed driller will complete a record of the abandonment and submit it. If a well was abandoned prior to 1988, refer to INDR's Plugging and Sealing Abandoned Water Wells (see bottom of page for download) brochure provided by the IDNR.

We believe that an effective program of pollution prevention is everyone's responsibility. By assisting us in this endeavor, you help ensure that the citizens of Owensville and surrounding communities will have a safe water supply now and in the future. If you have any questions or concerns or desire additional information on wellhead protection, please contact the Water Department at (812) 724-4151.