Drinking Water Program
 

News and Announcements

• NEW! Tips & Insights for Sanitary Survey Preparation (MS PowerPoint - 4.9 MB)
• The Lead and Copper Short Term Revisions have been adopted and became effective October 1, 2010. The associated Lead and Copper Rule forms, 62-555.900(16) PWS Certification of Notification of Lead and Copper Tap Sample Results and 62-555.900(17) Lead Public Education Program Report for PWSs have been updated and are available on the Drinking Water Forms and Reporting Formats website.

• 2010 DEP/DOH Interagency Agreement – Effective 1/1/2010 (6.3 MB)

• Cover Sheets for Demonstration of Four-Log Virus Treatment of Ground Water
  • MSWord 2007 Version (234 KB)

About the Program

The Department of Environmental Protection has the primary role of regulating public water systems in Florida. Authority derives from Chapter 403, Part IV, Florida Statutes and by delegation of the federal program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Department has promulgated a number of rules in the Florida Administrative Code.

A public water system is one that provides water to 25 or more people for at least 60 days each year or serves 15 or more service connections. These public water systems may be publicly or privately owned and operated.

Very small water systems which provide water for public consumption, but which do not fall under the above definition, are regulated by the Department of Health and the county health departments. Bottled water and water vending machines are regulated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Food Safety. Digging of water wells, both public and private, and the quantities of water that may be extracted, are regulated by the Water Management Districts.