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This training module provides an in-depth overview of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to help you understand your responsibilities, recognize key terms, and ensure compliance with water quality standards. From the history of water treatment to current regulatory requirements, this module covers everything you need to know to maintain safe drinking water. Learn about the roles of environmental compliance boards, the EPA, DEP, and more. Stay informed on monitoring, reporting, and treatment techniques for microbial, chemical, and radiological contaminants. Discover the importance of record-keeping, certified operators, and consumer confidence reports. This module also addresses regulatory compliance, enforcement steps, and emergency protocols. With exercises and key points highlighted, you'll be well-equipped to uphold water safety standards.
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Training Module 3The Safe DrinkingWater Act Prepared by RCAP Solutions for the PA Department of Environmental Protection
Introduction • Basic introduction to SDWA • Become familiar with your responsibilities • Recognize terms and acronyms
Introduction • History of water treatment • 4000 years ago • to • Present day
Responsibilities • Environmental Compliance • Board is ultimately responsible • NOT the operators!
Responsibilities • EPA delegates authority • DEP is primacy agency for regulations • PENNVEST is primacy agency for SRF
Responsibilities • Public Water Systems (PWS) • 15 or more connections • or • 25 or more people • 3 types
Responsibilities • 85% of U.S. served by PWS • 66% of PWS serve less than 500 people • Regulations are nearly the same regardless of size
Ensuring Safe Water • Water Quality standards • Monitoring and Reporting • Record keeping • Public notification
Ensuring Safe Water • >100 substances are regulated • MCL set for each • Stay current on standards!
Ensuring Safe Water • Microbial contaminants • Chemical & Radiological contaminants • Treatment technique requirements
Ensuring Safe Water • Microbial contaminants: • Total Coliform bacteria • Fecal Coliform and E. coli • Viruses • Protozoa • Bacterial Pathogens
Ensuring Safe Water • Chemical & Radiological contaminants: • Inorganic Chemicals • Volatile Organic Chemicals • Synthetic Organic Chemicals • Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts
Ensuring Safe Water • Treatment technique requirements • Turbidity • Filtration and Disinfection • Lead and Copper
Ensuring Safe Water • Certified operators • Samples and testing
Ensuring Safe Water • Record keeping • When in doubt, keep it!
Ensuring Safe Water • Record retention requirements
Ensuring Safe Water • Consumer Confidence Reports • Provided to customers
Exercise 1 • Take a few minutes to complete the exercise in your workbooks
Regulatory Compliance • DEP approval • Exceeding the MCL
Regulatory Compliance • Violations • Tier 1 • Tier 2 • Tier 3
Regulatory Compliance • Enforcement steps • Corrective Action Plans • Civil and Criminal Actions
Regulatory Compliance • Citizen Action
Regulatory Compliance • Emergencies • Fines
Other Provisions • Other monitoring rules • May be specific to type of source and other factors
Other Provisions • Groundwater • Well Head Protection • Numerous threats
Other Provisions • Surface Water • Special Monitoring, Filtration, and Disinfection requirements
Other Provisions • Lead and Copper Rule
Other Provisions • Rules • Compliance deadlines
Other Provisions • Existing Rules • Future Rules
Other Provisions • Funding for outreach and technical assistance • Funding for operator certification
Other Provisions • Don’t hesitate to ask • Don’t wait until it’s too late!
Exercise 2 • Take a few minutes to complete the exercise in your workbooks
Summary • Key points
References • Dennis Lee , PA Department of Environmental Protection • Don Schwartz, PA/NJ Program Manager, RCAP Solutions • EPA and DEP • NETCSC
