The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2015-16
REGULATE: PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS
GROUP:
COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS
MEASURE:
NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS
MESSAGE:
80 percent of community water systems have been inspected within the last three Fiscal Years.
Key Statistics for FY 2015-16
Number of Active Systems
2,972
Number of Inspections
994
MEASUREMENTS
- Data Last Updated on:
10-19-2016 (4:04 pm)
Region
Systems
Inspections Completed in in FY 15-16
Percentage Systems Inspected Within the Last Three FYs
1
429
144
81%
2
496
135
67%
3
516
264
91%
4
283
63
81%
5
265
46
69%
LPAs
983
342
84%
TOTAL
2,972
994
80%
Division of Drinking Water (DDW) regions are different than Regional Water Quality Control Board regions. See the DDW Regional Office map below.
WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING
Statewide, 80 percent of all community water systems have been inspected within the last three fiscal years (FYs). Of the 994 inspections, or sanitary surveys, performed in FY 2015-16, 342 inspections were performed by Local Primacy Agencies (LPAs).
WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT
Inspections are a primary tool used to protect public health and ensure that public water systems are able to consistently and reliably deliver an adequate quality and quantity of safe drinking water to the public. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requires that community water systems, a type of public water systems, be inspected every three years. These inspections ensure compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The State Water Resources Control Board's (State Water Board) Division of Drinking Water (DDW) conducts inspections and documents the findings in sanitary survey reports. However, in some counties, also LPA staff conduct some of the inspections.
TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Data Source: SDWIS. Period July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
Unit of Measure: Number of public water systems surveyed annually, during the past three FYs.
Data Definitions:Inspections: include sanitary surveys conducted by DDW staff or LPAs.
A Community water system is a public water system that serves at least 15 service connections used by yearlong residents or regularly serves at least 25 yearlong residents of the area served by the system.
Local Primary Agency (LPA)
A LPA is a local primacy agency (e.g., county health department) that implements the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act for public water systems that have 200 or fewer service connections.
Public Water System
A public water system is a system that provides water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such a system has at least fifteen service connections or regularly served at least 25 people at least 60 days out of the year.
Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
SDWIS is California's safe drinking water information database system.
Sanitary Survey
A sanitary survey is a comprehensive review and inspection to evaluate the adequacy of the water system to provide safe drinking water. The comprehensive evaluation and inspection must include: 1) sources of supply, 2) treatment facilities, 3) distribution system, 4) finished water storage, 5) pumps, pump facilities, and controls, 6) monitoring, reporting, and data verification, 7) system management and operation, and 8) operator compliance with State requirements. The sanitary survey includes an in-office file review and a physical field visit inspection.
Inspections are a primary tool used to protect public health and ensure that public water systems are able to consistently and reliably deliver an adequate quality and quantity of safe drinking water to the public. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requires that community water systems, a type of public water systems, be inspected every three years. These inspections ensure compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The State Water Resources Control Board's (State Water Board) Division of Drinking Water (DDW) conducts inspections and documents the findings in sanitary survey reports. However, in some counties, also LPA staff conduct some of the inspections.