The Source Water Assessment and Protection Program (SWAPP) was created by Congress as part of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996. The goal of the SWAPP is to better protect public drinking water resources by providing local and state governments, and the public more information about those resources. The susceptibility of each source of public drinking water to various types of contamination will be determined and published. Congress has provided funding though the U.S. EPA to the states to support their efforts in conducting these assessments.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has the lead role in the development and implementation of the Delaware SWAPP. The Delaware Division of Public Health and the Water Resources Agency, Institute for Public Administration at the University of Delaware, closely supports its work. A SWAPP Citizen and Technical Advisory Committee (CTAC) was formed at the start of this program in 1998 and continuing to assist in developing and implementing Delaware's SWAPP and ensures public involvement.