环境保护局（EPA）的指导意见指出，每个州都需要制定一项计划，详细说明将用于进行单独评估的方法。在本文中，这一过程被称为水源评估计划（SWAP）制定。EPA指南概述了各州可用于实施公共参与计划的流程，以将利益相关者纳入互换计划的制定流程。本文讨论的公众参与与利益相关者参与协助制定纽约市水源评估计划有关。

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance states that each state needs to develop a plan detailing the approach that will be used to conduct individual assessments. In this paper that process is referred to as the Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) plan development. The EPA guidance outlines the process that states can use to conduct a public particitpation program to bring stakeholders into the SWAP plan development process. The public participation discussed in this paper pertains to the involvement that stakeholders had in assisting in the development of New York's plan for conducting source water assessments.