This paper discusses using the Clean Water Act programs to build a source water protection program. The Clean Water Act has a powerful set of regulatory and program tools that, if properly focused, could define a workable surface water source protection program. The author clarifies source water protection in EPA's terms and offers a brief background on what is underway at EPA and other places; illustrates the major Clean Water Act elements and how they link to the drinking water program; and sketches out a source water protection program in Clean Water Act terms for public water systems using surface water.