Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County (Public Health) and its regional partners have received a 2026 National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Promising Practice Award for the Multi-Jurisdictional Source Water Protection Program, an innovative effort that protects the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer—the sole source of drinking water for the Dayton region.
Established in 1988, the program was the first initiative of its kind and brings together the City of Dayton, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County, the cities of Vandalia, Riverside and Huber Heights, and Harrison Township to safeguard groundwater resources that serve more than 400,000 residents and businesses throughout the region.
The NACCHO Promising Practice Award recognizes local health department programs that demonstrate innovative approaches to addressing public health challenges and show strong potential to become national model practices. Award recipients are selected through a competitive review process conducted by peers from local health departments across the country. The award was accepted at the NACCHO360 Conference on July 16, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky.
For nearly 40 years, the program has worked to prevent groundwater contamination before it occurs through coordinated land-use controls, business partnerships, environmental assessments, inspections, employee training, and emergency response planning. Its success is reflected in the continued viability of the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer, which remains capable of meeting the residential and industrial water needs of the Dayton region after decades of growth and development.
Public Health’s role in the multi-jurisdictional partnership includes many aspects. Wellfield Protection Specialists serve as liaisons between local communities and the City of Dayton, providing technical assistance regarding appropriate land use controls to mitigate risk to the wellfields.
One of the program's most significant achievements is the maintenance of a network of approximately 570 groundwater monitoring wells throughout the Source Water Protection Area. This extensive system provides early warning of potential contamination, supports emergency spill response efforts, tracks groundwater conditions, and helps prevent pollutants from reaching municipal wellfields that supply drinking water.
The program also provides direct assistance to businesses operating within the protection area. Through chemical inventory reviews, site assessments, risk-reduction projects, and financial incentives funded by the Source Water Protection Fund, businesses can implement improvements that reduce threats to groundwater quality while strengthening environmental stewardship across the region.
"This recognition highlights nearly four decades of collaboration and commitment to protecting one of the region's most valuable public health assets—safe drinking water," said Jennifer Wentzel, Health Commissioner, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County. "The program's success demonstrates how local governments, public health professionals and businesses can work together to protect a critical natural resource for future generations."
The NACCHO award further validates the effectiveness of the program's regional approach to protecting public health, supporting economic development, and preserving a sustainable drinking water supply for more than 400,000 people.
Key impacts:
- Protect drinking water for more than 400,000 residents.
- Operating continuously since 1988 (38 years).
- Maintains 570 groundwater monitoring wells across the protection area.
- Protects the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer, the region's sole-source drinking water aquifer.
- Involves six governmental partners working across jurisdictional boundaries.
Pictured: Jennifer Wentzel, Health Commissioner, Matthew Tyler, Director of Environmental Health, Eric Borth, City of Dayton, Dr. Becky Thomas, Medical Director, Wendy Owen, Nurse Supervisor, Josh Lucas, Director of the Office of the Health Commissioner.
