Water-Related Activities

CDPH's Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management (DDWEM) has a number of activities that are related to water.  These include:

Regulation of public drinking water systems - DDWEM's Drinking Water Program issues permits and oversees the activities of water systems that provide drinking water.  CDPH does not regulate private wells.

• Water system security and emergency response.
• Drinking water treatment and distribution system operator certification.
• Residential water treatment device certification.
• Water recycling - CDPH adopts reguations for recycled water, and advises Regional Water Quality Control Boards on their permitting of water recycling projects.
• Marine biotoxin monitoring and regulation of commercial shellfish growing areas.
• Recreational water - CDPH adopts regulations and standards for microbiological contamination of ocean beaches and provide guidance for recreation in ocean and freshwater beaches and waterbodies.
• CDPH provides information about blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms, which may occur on some surface water bodies, depending on environmental circumstances.
• CDPH is providing public health consultation on water quality associated with the northern pike eradication program at Lake Davis.

In addition, CDPH's Food and Drug Branch regulates the quality of bottled water and vended water, considered food for regulatory purposes.

Other State Agencies

Other state agencies deal with a variety of water issues, including the Department of Water Resources, the State Water Resources Control Board, and nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards.