CT Public Health Association Annual Conference Lori J. Mathieu, Public Health Section Chief

1. Connecticut Department ofPublic HealthConnecticut’s State Water Plan and Public Health Aspects of Drinking Water CT Public Health Association Annual Conference Lori J. Mathieu, Public Health Section Chief Drinking Water Section October 30, 2017

2. Connecticut’s State Water Plan and Public Health Aspects of Drinking Water - Overview • Drinking Water and Public Health - Historical Perspective • Department of Public Health (DPH) Drinking Water Section Regulatory Responsibilities • Current Public Health Drinking Water Law • Draft Connecticut State Water Plan • Challenges of the Future

3. Water SupplyProblems – 19th century • Industries need water for production, fire safety, consumption • Population growth in Cities • Unfiltered & Untreated water • Unsanitary conditions, waste disposal • 1878 CT State Agency Public Health oversight created

4. Public Health ConcernsWater Supply 19th Century • Significant public health issue - consuming drinking water, ground water and surface water • Waterborne disease • Gastrointestinal infection • Typhoid, cholera, dysentery were prevalent • Microorganisms in 19th century • Beginning of 20th century filtration, build technology, disinfection, sanitary protections at source, protection of raw water quality

5. Importance of an Abundant Supplyof Safe and Pure Water fora Community • Public health protection • Preservation of public trust • Allows for a community to plan for future growth • Assure sanitary conditions for multiple facilities, schools, nursing homes, restaurants, hospitals, town facilities • Provides sustainability and viability for community • Public safety, fire protection • PRICELESS

6. CT DPH Drinking Water SectionResponsibilities • Regulate 2,550 Public Water Systems • 2.8 million CT residents served – 3.5 million total population • 550 community systems • 2,000 non-community systems • 150 reservoir systems, over 4,000 ground water sources

7. Unique CT State Public Health Drinking Water Laws • Multi-barrier approach • Treatment and source water protection emphasized and required • Use of high quality raw water sources, upland watersheds • Aggressive and proactive laws to protect public health • DPH Review of local development • Prohibit sewage discharge in upland watershed areas • Prohibit industrial waste discharge in upland areas

8. Threats Remain • 1993 Milwaukee Cryptosporidium • 70 deaths, 400,000 sick • 2012 West Virginia – chemical contamination • 2014 Ohio – Harmful Algal Blooms cyanotoxins • 2016 – Flint Michigan - Lead • New potential emerging contaminates • Drought/Climate Change/Extreme Weather • 2017 Perfluorinated Compounds

9. Flint, MI State Responsible for City of Flint water system due to declared state of financial emergency, not traditional role • April 2014 - Change of Source Water -water chemistry impact - using surface water treatment plant without corrosion inhibitor • Beginning Spring 2014 – Complaints - resident’s concerned • October 13, 2014 – General Motors announces it will stop using the water at it Flint plant because it is corroding engine parts • October 2015 - Flint changes source of supply back to the Detroit supply • January 2016 – EPA Headquarters issues Order to State of Michigan and City of Flint • June 2017 - Michigan Public Officials charged • Significant public health issues continue

10. Lead in Public Water Systems – After Flint

11. Lead & Copper Rule Overview • Lead and copper in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and premise plumbing • The current Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) is not a health based rule, but a corrosion based rule to minimize the lead and copper levels in drinking water by reducing the water corrosivity with Corrosion Control Treatment • The LCR long term revision will make improvement to strengthen public health protection. • 1986 – banned lead solder; “lead free” material: solder & flux ≤0.2% lead; pipes ≤8% lead • Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act of 2011 reduced to ≤0.25% lead in wetted surface; effective Jan 2014

12. Lead & Copper Rule Overview Action Levels • Lead = 0.015 mg/L • Copper = 1.3 mg/L • Based on 90th percentile sample level = no more than 10 percent of the lead samples collected can be above the lead action level. • Applicable to all community (CWS) & non-transient non-community system (NTNC)

13. Administrative Order Summary Lead – An exceedance of the Lead action level will result in the issuance of an Administrative Order (AO) by the DPH that requires certain actions by the PWS. Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act -Lead Consumer Notice (LCN), Lead Public Education requirements, Water quality parameter (WQP) monitoring and source water monitoring are required to be completed within 24 hours of the AO being issued if not already completed. A lead exceedance public notification is also required within 24 hours of the PWS becoming aware of the lead exceedance *School/Daycare: Notice must be sent home with each child Submittal of the Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment (OCCT) – proposal must be submitted within 45 days of the AO being issued. Installation of the approved OCCT must be completed within the timeframe outlined in DPH’s approval The AO will not be closed out until two rounds of tap sampling for lead and copper is completed after installation of OCCT and the PWS is considered “optimized”

14. Challenges of the Future • Maintain high quality sources for human consumption • Assure public health protection • Minimize risk as watersheds are developed and climate change affects source water • Maintain highly skilled technical staff • Modernize for efficiency, use of technology • Addressing new SDWA rules • Keeping historic public health law current • Informing the public of the proactive public health role in safe and adequate public drinking water • Continuing infrastructure investment and upgrades • Continuing to plan to meet future demands • Addressing water conservation, water reuse, and use of the “purple pipe”

15. The ConnecticutWaterPlanningCouncil Connecticut State Water Plan – Draft Report Water Planning Council: JOHN BeTkoski, Lori Mathieu, Betsey Wingfield, Garrett EucalitTo

16. www.ct.gov/water Why Do We Need a State Water Plan? • Water is our most important natural resource • Preserving and protecting the state’s public drinking water supply • Increasing frequency of drought & extreme weather • Climate change impacts • Environmental impairments caused by registered diversions • Increasing peak day demandsfor lawn irrigation

17. www.ct.gov/water What We Have Learned: • CT has ample high quality water for our needs • The water is not always where we need it when we need it • We need wise and efficient use of our water • Climate change will add stress to our natural systems and management systems • Now is the time to plan!

18. “Connecticut State Water Plan” • Goals of the Plan: • Addressing each of the 17 Primary Goals outlined in Public Act 14-163 • Identifying a balance: The right quantity and quality for each need • The Plan is NOT Aimed at: • Solving all of Connecticut’s Water Issues

19. www.ct.gov/water Key Highlights of the State Water Plan

20. Final Draft Plan • Public Comment Period • July 20 – Nov 20, 2017 • Submit Final Plan to Legislature • January 2018 • Plan Implementation • - identify priorities • - implement work items

21. Comment Period is open until Monday, November 20, 2017 What is your #1 concern for water in Connecticut? Go to: www.ct.gov/water • Click on link to submit comments online

22. We Want Your Feedback!– Here’s How: Go to: www.ct.gov/water • Download the Final Draft CT State Water Plan • Check for public meeting updates • Questions? Send an email to wpc@ct.gov Comment Period is open until Monday, November 20, 2017

23. Thank You!Lori Mathieulori.mathieu@ct.gov Drinking Water SectionConnecticutDepartment of Public Health860-509-7333