The protection of water sources is regulated by law in many countries. Regulations are differing to the extent of protection areas but always follow similar concepts:

• water point sources are protected by zones of different protection grade in relation to the distance and the landscape to the point source.
• linear water sources are protected by buffer zones of different functionality with regard to the distance to the water
• water bodies are protected by buffer zones of different functionality with regard to the distance to the water

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The figure above show protection zones of a well:

• highest level of protection in proximity to the well
• protection zone where percolated water needs two years for reaching the well
• protection zone where percolated water needs 5 years to reach the well
• protection zone where percolated water need more than 25 years to reach to well

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The establishment of water source protection zones is often involving awareness creation measures such as installing posts or claiming illegal activities of nearby water polluters.