国家地下水的当前和未来保护取决于控制过度开采和污染的相关问题。在本文中，作者调查了与地下水保护有关的现有联邦法律权威，以及乔治亚州的法律权威。讨论了以下联邦法规:《清洁水法案》；《安全饮用水法》；《资源保护和恢复法》；《国家环境政策法》；1976年《有毒物质控制法》；《露天采矿控制和复垦法》； 联邦杀虫剂、杀真菌剂和灭鼠剂法案；铀厂尾矿辐射控制法；以及《综合环境响应、赔偿和责任法》。作者指出了适用于佐治亚州地下含水层使用的联邦和州监管法律中的漏洞，并建议实施联邦地下水战略、州地下水质量保护和全州使用许可证制度。包括24个参考文献、图表。

Present and future protection of the nation's groundwaters depends on controlling the interrelated problems of excessive withdrawals and contamination. In this article the author investigates the existing federal legal authority relative to groundwater protection, as well as the state of Georgia's legal authority. The following federal statutes are discussed: the Clean Water Act; the Safe Drinking Water Act; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; the National Environmental Policy Act; the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976; the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act; the federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; the Uranium Mill Tailing Radiation Control Act; and the Comprehensive Environmental Responses, Compensation, and Liability Act. The author identifies gaps in the federal and state regulatory laws as they apply to use of aquifers underlying the state of Georgia, and recommends the implementation of a federal groundwater strategy, state protection of groundwater quality, and a statewide use permit system. Includes 24 references, figures.