To CD Home > Drinking Water > Reporting Requirements >

Incident Reporting

Rule 62-555.350(10), Florida Administrative Code requires suppliers of water to notify the DEP District Office or Approved County Health Department and water customers in accordance with the following procedures in the event of the following circumstances.

When Do I Notify DEP and/or My Customers? 

• Suppliers of water shall telephone, and speak directly to a person at, the appropriate DEP District Office or ACHD (Approved County Health Department) as soon as possible, but never later than noon of the next business day in the event of any of the following:

  • The occurrence of any abnormal color, odor, or taste in a public water system's raw or finished water

  • Failure to meet disinfection requirements (0.2 mg/L free chlorine or 0.6 mg/L combined chlorine residual)

  • The breakdown of any water treatment or pumping facilities, or water main break expected to adversely affect finished-water quality, interrupt water service of 150 or more service connections; or 350 or more people; or any one service connection for more than 8 hours.

  • The issuance of a precautionary boil water notice in accordance with the Department of Health's "Guidelines for the Issuance of Precautionary Boil Water Notices."

• Suppliers of water shall notify the appropriate DEP District Office or Approved County Public Health Unit and affected water customers by no later than the previous business day in the event of any of the following:

  • When the system plans to issue a Precautionary Boil Water Notice (PBWN) in accordance with the Department of Health's "Guidelines for the Issuance of Precautionary Boil Water Notices" as adopted in Rule 62-555.335, F.A.C.,

  • Before initiating any planned, permitted, or temporary conversion from free chlorine to chloramines or vice versa for disinfection,

  • Before taking public water system components out of operation for planned maintenance or repair work if the work is expected to adversely affect finished water quality or interrupt water service to any service connection.

top

Who/How Do I Notify?

• When notifying the Central District of any drinking water incidents, contact Jose F. de Pedro at 407-897-4143.  In the event that Jose is unavailable, please leave a message and then contact Shelley Locklear at 407-897-4145.

• The Incident Report Form must be used to report malfunctions, incidents, abnormal events, and "Precautionary Boil Water Notices." (PBWN) Incident Report Form [Word format 42 kb]

• The environmental health section of your county health department must also be notified if a PBWN is issued.

• For systems that submit Monthly Operation Reports (MORs), all emergency or abnormal operating conditions; repair work or maintenance work that involves taking the water system components out of operation must be documented on MOR submissions.

For Additional Assistance

• In Indian River County, please contact Justin Christensen by email using Justin.Christensen@dep.state.fl.us or by phone at 407-897-4310.

• In all other counties, please contact  Jose F. de Pedro via email at Jose.Depedro@dep.state.fl.us or via phone at 407-897-4143.

• Visit the American Water Works Association (AWWA) website to obtain the current AWWA Standards listed below:

  • AWWA Standards for Disinfection of Water Treatment Plants

  • AWWA Standards for Disinfection of Water Mains

  • AWWA Standards for Disinfection of Water Storage Facilities

top

Drinking Water Contacts:   Field Compliance -- In House Compliance -- Permitting

Central District

Drinking Water Section

3319 Maguire Blvd., Suite 232

Orlando, Florida 32803-3767

Compliance Fax: 407-897-4189

If you have technical problems with the functioning of this web site,

please e-mail our webmaster.