Environmental Review for CEQA (Drinking Water Program)

Last Update:  December 19, 2007

Compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is required for certain Drinking Water Program activities, such as the issuance of water supply permits.

There are also CEQA requirements for projects funded by the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SDWSRF) and Proposition 50 (see links below).

Water Supply Assessments

Section 15155 of the CEQA Guidelines was updated on July 27, 2007 to include the requirement to develop a water supply assessment.  The assessment is required when a residential development of more than 500 dwelling units is proposed.   If the development is part of an existing public water system that has fewer than 5,000 service connections, an assessment is required when the proposed residential development will account for an increase of 10 percent or more in the number of the public water system's existing service connections.

The Department of Water Resources has prepared guidelines for water supply assessments (PDF).

CEQA Forms

The State Clearinghouse provides downloadable CEQA forms (Notice of Preparation, Notice of Completion, Notice of Determination, Notice of Exemption) and other information related to CEQA compliance.

Information about Projects

To look up projects in the process, go to the CEQAnet Database, and click on the Search button.  To see programs for CDPH review, go to "Lead Agency" (or to "Reviewing Agency").  Agencies are arranged alphabetically, so you will need to scroll down the pull-down menu. Note that CDPH's projects may still be listed under its former agency name, "Health Services, Department of."   Pull down the document type to look for various CEQA documents.

More Information

For more information about the Drinking Water Program's environmental review activities, contact us at: 

California Department of Public Health
Drinking Water Program
Environmental Review Unit
P.O. Box 997377, MS 7400
1616 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95899-7377
telephone (916) 449-5600
fax (916) 449-5656