Explore this section to see all the ways the Pennsylvania DEP aims to protect water resources in PA.

 

About the Water Offices

Office of Water Programs

DEP's Office of Water Programs administers and oversees departmental programs involving surface and groundwater quantity and quality planning, and soil and water conservation. The office also coordinates policies, procedures, and regulations which influence public water supply withdrawals and quality, sewage facilities planning, point source municipal and industrial discharges, encroachments upon waterways and wetlands, dam safety, earth disturbance activities and control of storm water and non-point source pollution. In addition, the Office of Water Programs also coordinates the planning, design and construction of flood protection and stream improvement projects.

Office of Water Resources Planning

DEP's Office of Water Resources Planning oversees Pennsylvania's membership within interstate river basin organizations, administers the Department's Coastal Resources Management Program (CRM) for Pennsylvania's two coastal areas, the Delaware Estuary and Lake Erie, and manages the Great Lakes Program that provides oversight of the Commonwealth's international and regional level Great Lakes water quality and watershed-related initiatives and commitments. The office serves as project advisors for Growing Greener grants, oversees the Department's non-point source program and provides support for conservation districts and cooperative working relationship with the Department of Agriculture, the State Conservation Commission and other agriculture agencies and organizations. The office also is responsible for the Department's State Water Planning Program that maintains water use data and planning in support of informed decisions on water availability.