Drs. Lee and Jones-Lee have long been active in the evaluation and management of the impacts of cultural activities, such as farming, urban development, and waste management, on the quality of surface waters and groundwaters for use as domestic water supplies. For example, much of their work has focused on the impacts and management of aquatic plant nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, from various sources on eutrophication-related water quality of water-supply lakes and reservoirs. The eutrophication of a surface water supply can cause significant water treatment/quality problems including shortened filter runs, increased chlorine demand, increased trihalomethanes that require additional treatment, and tastes and odors in the finished water. Dr. Lee served as chairman of the American Water Works Association Quality Control in Reservoirs committee for several years in the late 1970's and early 1980's. He discussed and demonstrated how proper attention to the input of aquatic plant nutrients to surface water supplies can ease water treatment problems and improve the quality of the treated water. He also worked to improve the consideration of eutrophication-related water quality issues as part of the design and operation of water supply reservoirs.

Drs. Lee and Jones-Lee also have extensive experience in evaluating impacts of land surface activities on groundwater-based domestic water supplies. Their work in this regard on behalf of domestic water utilities has included reviewing potential impacts of irrigated agriculture and other sources of pollutants that can impair the use of a groundwater for a domestic supply. In addition, much of their work on the impacts of landfills has been, and continues to be, done on behalf of water utilities and individuals to protect groundwater supplies from pollution by hazardous and otherwise deleterious chemicals.

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