Wellhead protection programs or groundwater protection programs, as they are referred to in Texas, are administered by the Texas Water Commission and are a component of the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments (SDWA). They consist of the identification of a protection area around a well based on five-year time of travel of a contaminant to the well, inventory of contaminants, implementation of an ordinance and/or best management practices, and development of a contingency plan. With the promulgation of the Phase II and Phase V Rules of SDWA, states are also determining how susceptible sources are to contamination. This is referred to as a vulnerability assessment. In regard to public health standards, the Texas Water Commission's Water Utilities Division has developed a three-tiered approach for the protection of groundwater from contamination. Expanding a wellhead protection program and applying the State's Vulnerability Assessment Guidelines will extend the level of protection.