1. Administer the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and other statutes relative to public drinking water supplies.
2. Review proposals to create and/or expand all public water supplies (including supply sources, distribution piping and storage facilities).
3. Provide technical assistance to identify problems with public water systems and assist in evaluating alternative solutions.
4. At appropriate frequencies, sample all public water supply systems for water quality. Categories include:

Bacteria; Inorganics (e.g., Heavy Metals); Radionuclides; Pesticides/Herbicides;
Industrial Solvents and Hydrocarbons ; Secondary Aesthetic Standards.

5. Perform field inspections (such as sanitary surveys) of public water systems for the adequacy of physical facilities and proper operation/maintenance.
6. When necessary, take appropriate action to ensure that deficient facilities, water quality, or operational practices are corrected.
7. Promote and provide technical support for aquifer protection, regionalization, fluoridation and other significant water supply issues.
8. Provide water supply expertise during emergency situations such as droughts, chemical spills, vandalism, etc.
9. License public water system operators.
10. Provide education courses for public water supply system operators.
11. Review governmental and private sector actions that potentially impact public water sources.
12. Provide speakers for public meetings pertaining to drinking water (such as for town meetings, board of selectmen, conservation commissioners, Realtors, Kiwanis, schools, etc.).
13. Provide evaluation, education to private homeowners with individual well problems.
14. Provide data and respond to questions from the legislative and executive branches. Publish a variety of documents that identify and categorize the public water supply industry in New Hampshire and serve as a source of basic data for national, state and regional needs. Provide a wide selection of professional textbooks at wholesale cost.
15. Annually inspect and license approximately 160 youth recreational camps.

A public water supply is defined as "a piped water system having its own source of supply, serving 15 or more services or 25 or more people, for 60 or more days per year." Public water systems can be divided into three categories. Typical examples include:

The Drinking Water Program does not have jurisdiction over private water systems serving less than 25 people or less than 15 services for less than 60 days. The legislative authority for New Hampshire's Public Drinking Water Program is found in RSA 485. Program rules are found in Administrative Rules, Chapter Env-Ws 300-386.

The New Hampshire Drinking Water Program is consistent with the National Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The SDWA was reauthorized in August, 1996. New Hampshire has received "Primacy" (the official designation by EPA to implement the provisions of federal drinking water legislation). Approximately 60 percent of the financial support for New Hampshire's Drinking Water Program comes from EPA; approximately 20 percent from State funding, and 20 percent from fees.

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Water Supply Engineering Bureau
29 Hazen Drive, P.O. Box 95
Concord, New Hampshire 03302-0095
(603) 271-3139