CHRISTIANSTED — The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) said that it will begin monitoring public water systems for compliance starting January 1, 2018.
In the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, DPNR suspended the compliance monitoring required under the Safe Drinking Water Act for the territory’s public water suppliers, DPNR Commissioner Dawn Henry said.
During the suspension of the program, DPNR and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implemented a surveillance monitoring program which entails the collection and analysis of water samples for total coliform and E. Coli bacteria, Henry said.
With the reinstatement of the compliance monitoring program, public water systems will be responsible for the monitoring of their water supplies for the various regulated contaminants and to report the analytical results to DPNR.
As expected under the law, facilities that violate a drinking water standard or fail to perform the required monitoring must notify the public of their violation.
DPNR will take appropriate enforcement actions against facilities that violate the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
For further information on the Public Water System Compliance Monitoring Requirements please contact Mr. Harold Mark, Program Manager of the Public Water System Supervision Program at [email protected].