THE LOUISIANA SAFE DRINKING WATER PROGRAM Karen Irion, P.E., Chief Engineer LDHH-OPH

1. THE LOUISIANASAFE DRINKING WATER PROGRAM Karen Irion, P.E., Chief EngineerLDHH-OPH

2. Mission of the Safe Drinking Water Program The mission of DHH, operators, owners and stakeholders is to prevent illnesses and deaths among the population from contaminated drinking water. Constant vigilance is required. In 2008 an outbreak of cryptosporidium in Alamosa, CO caused many serious illnesses and one death. There is an ongoing outbreak of cholera in Zimbabwe that has affected more than 100,000 people with more than 20,000 deaths. Zimbabwe went from the best water/wastewater utility in Africa to the worst in only three years.

3. Could An Outbeak Happen In Louisiana ? Cities and parishes must constantly maintain water systems in a harsh economic climate. Neglect can expose the citizens to contaminants (Town of Ferriday). There are increasing threats to the distribution system, including backflow of chemicals, pesticides, and poisons, green building practices, emergency wells and cross connections. Water systems need to work with plumbing inspectors to prevent contamination of the mains. Team work of vigilance by operators, stakeholders and DHH personnel is required. Awareness of source water hazards: emerging contaminants (personal care products, pesticides, petroleum spills, and geologic fracturing).

4. Water System Responsibilities New treatment processes and much more analytical and operational activities are being required for compliance. Rule training is more important now. A list of approved training classes is posted on the Operator Certification website. Secondary contaminants (solids, iron, manganese/taste and odor complaints) are the largest problems at most systems. Water quality is important � but not regulated by DHH/EPA. A regular flushing program is imperative. Customer Service should be a priority. PWS need a cross connection control/backflow preventer inspection program for customer protection. Many more plans (DBP, Lead and Copper, Water Security) are required to be written and implemented at water systems.. The process of consolidation is continuing - driven by the cost of the 15 new regulations promulgated by EPA since 1998 (Now around 1400 PWS)

5. Customer Service Providing clear, water free of solids and odors is a necessary part of increasing customer satisfaction and confidence. A top-to-bottom commitment to consumer satisfaction should be written into Systems MUST have an alternate source of power (generators). Emergencies through Parish EOC to ESF 12 (water and wastewater utilities) at GOHSEP.

6. There Are Two Major Ways To Communication With Your Public: CCRs and Public Notices CCR�s due by July 1 each year, and each system is responsible to provide proof of publication by October 1 Systems must keep back CCRs on file to hand out to customers requesting copies. Also must keep SWAP report available for viewing on request. Public Notices should be issued whenever: Flushing an area - alert consumers to flush their lines When an upset or potential contamination incident occurs When required due to an MCL, monitoring or treatment technique violation. Frequent water system communication will improve customer satisfaction and confidence.

7. Continuing Challenges Budget/fee increases unlikely in near future. Loss of fee revenue likely. Small systems already being required to perform own D/DBP monitoring, since no new money was appropriated to pay for approximately $500,000 additional costs. New rules expected to add $22 Million in cost to SDWP (Current budget is $5 Million)- mostly in laboratory costs and add almost $ 223 Million in costs to Louisiana systems. We need $2.4 Million to pay for new analytical alone. DHH-OPH SDWP may be facing layoffs in the future. Public Water Systems can expect to do more monitoring and other compliance tasks.