作者建议，现在是时候认真研究饮用水监管中的另一种情况了，即重视水源保护，在这种情况下，可以采取此类措施来防止或减少公众接触污染物。本文初步回答了以下问题:什么是水源保护，为什么水源保护是一个时代已经到来的想法；饮用水项目目前正在做什么，以及在当前监管环境下可以做什么；是什么阻止了水源保护被纳入公共供水系统监管计划，以及如何消除这些障碍。

The author suggests that it is time to look seriously at an alternative scenario in drinking water regulation, that values source water protection where such measure can be shown to prevent or reduce public exposure to contaminants. This paper provides preliminary answers to the following questions: What is source water protection and why is it an idea whose time has come; What is being done now in the drinking water program and what can be done in the current regulatory environment; What is stopping source water protection from being integrated into the public water supply system regulatory program and how can these barriers be eliminated.