Small Water Systems - Technical Support Unit

Last Update: April 4, 2008

The Technical Support Unit administers the Local Primacy Delegation Program, as well as the Technical Assistance and Capacity Development Program.

CDPH, under the provisions of Section 116330 of the California Health and Safety Code, has delegated primacy to 35 local primacy agencies (LPAs) for the regulation of public water systems serving fewer than 200 service connections.  LPAs are county environmental health jurisdictions that have applied for and were granted regulatory authority over a portion of the public water systems in their county, and include:

LPAs regulate ~1,600 community water systems and 3,900 non-community water systems.  [Small water systems (SWSs) in the 23 counties not delegated primacy are regulated by CDPH, which regulates all large water systems.]

The CDPH Drinking Water Program's LPA Coordinator, in conjunction with the DWP District Engineers, provides oversight over LPAs to insure consistency in the SWS regulatory program. The LPA coordinator is the statewide contact regarding LPA issues, including (1) rule implementation and workload priorities, (2) data reporting, (3) small water program augmentation contracts, and (4) SWS regulatory issues.

For further information about the LPA program, please e-mail Duncan Wilson, R.E.H.S., or phone him at (916) 449-5652.

County environmental health jurisdictions and contact information can be obtained from the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health.

Education Grants for SWS Operator Certification

Education expense reimbursement grants from the US EPA are available for SWS operator certification. 

The Expense Reimbursement Grant (ERG) Program was established in CDPH under a grant from the US EPA.  The ERG Program's purpose is to enable all SWS operators to become certified at the proper level for duties they perform.  The program provides education, training, certification and certification renewal opportunities for SWS operators 

The ERG Program is administered through a contract between CDPH and Cooperative Personnel Services (CPS).  CPS conducts the necessary administrative functions to assure that SWS operators are reimbursed for eligible specialized training courses, operator certification examinations, operator certification, continuing education and certification renewal costs.  Click here for more information, or call CPS at 1-800-822-4277.

For additional information about operator certification, continuing education, and specialized training courses, click here.