Public Water Systems (PWS)

Water is essential to life! Water can become contaminated by bacteria, pesticides, chemicals, lead, and sewage, just to name a few. If you are a provider of water to the public, you will be responsible to follow federal, state, and local regulations, and their procedures to insure the water you supply is safe.

The Clinton County Health Department is responsible for enforcing the Safe Drinking Water Act and the New York State Sanitary Code regulations regarding public water systems.

A public water system is defined as a system providing water to the public for human consumption that has at least 5 service connections or serves at least 25 people per day for at least 60 days of the year. All public water systems share the same goal: to provide safe, reliable drinking water to the communities they serve.

How are PWS's Monitored?

The Clinton County Health Department monitors PWS's by:

• Surveillance Sampling: testing PWS samples
• Sanitary Surveys: check operation, and disinfection equipment is all working properly
• Documentation: ensures the PWS has good record keeping
• Safety Levels: checks lead and copper levels are safe
• Emergencies: responds to PWS water emergencies
• Plan Approval: review and approval of all construction and modifications

What Happens if There's a Problem with a PWS?

Public notification must be made. This is the act of informing the customer and/or the water consumer and the general public of potential problems with a public water system.

The Clinton County Health Department may issue a Boil Water Order to the PWS and inform the public of the order. They may also provide other directions to the PWS to resolve the problem. The Boil Water Order can be issued for the following reasons:

• If water pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch for even a short time;
• A confirmed E. Coli positive water sample;
• Failure of essential equipment in the water treatment facility;
• A sanitation survey reveals pollution sources that cannot normally be removed by the treatment provided

Revised 01/04/24