Protecting Our Drinking Water Quality

Did you know that the Department of Planning and Natural Resources-Division of Environmental Protection (DPNR-DEP) monitors public water systems on a regular basis?

The Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) program monitors public water systems (PWS) to ensure that water supplied to the public is safe for human consumption.  SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1(The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has interpreted the term “water for human consumption” to include water utilized for drinking, bathing, showering, cooking, dishwashing and maintaining oral hygiene) Virgin Islands law defines a PWS as a system that provides water via piping or other constructed conveyances for human consumption to at least 8 service connections, or serves an average of at least 20 people for at least 60 days each year.

There are three classifications of public water systems:  1) Community Public Water Systems (CPWS); 2) Non-Transient Non-Community Public Water Systems (NTNCPWS); and 3) Transient Non-Community Public Water Systems (TNCPWS).

·         A CPWS services a residential population of the same individuals on a yearly basis.  In the Virgin Islands facilities such as the Water and Power Authority, apartment complexes, and some condominiums are examples of CPWSs.

·         NTNCPWS regularly serves at least 20 of the same individuals for at least six months during the year.  This type of system does not serve a residential population.   The people served by the NTNCPWS are usually employees of a business or the teachers and students of a school.  Many of the Territory’s schools, day care centers and shopping malls are examples of these types of systems.

·         A TNCPWS serves different people on a daily basis.  This category of water systems includes hotels, restaurants, parks, campgrounds and similar facilities.

In addition to the above defined systems, DPNR’s Public Water System Supervision Program also regulates the bottled water plants, ice manufacturers, and water haulers in the Territory.

The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and the Virgin Islands Safe Drinking Water Act requires public water systems to regularly test their water for various contaminants. The systems are also required to notify persons served by their system when they fail to comply with these monitoring requirements or to report any situations that pose a risk to public health.

The data collected is routinely reviewed by the Public Water System Supervision Program to determine compliance with federal and local standards.  The data is maintained in the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS/State) and on several Excel spreadsheets.  Enforcement actions such as issuing Notices of Violation, Administrative Orders, and/or Civil Penalties are taken when a systems fails to comply with the monitoring requirements.

In addition to regulating and enforcing drinking water quality monitoring requirements, the program also performs sanitary surveys of public water systems, and conducts annual registration and inspection of water hauler tanks.  A sanitary survey is an on-site inspection of the water source, facilities, equipment, operation and maintenance procedures and management practices of a public water system for the purpose of evaluating the adequacy of such for producing and distributing safe drinking water.

Throughout the month of January, DPNR’s Public Water System Supervision Program will conduct its annual inspection and registration of water haulers.  These inspections are done to ensure that water transported via truck or tanker to the residence of the Virgin Islands is of a quality safe for human consumption.  Trucks and tankers that pass the inspection receive an inspection sticker, registration number and registration card.  Trucks and tankers that fail the inspection are not registered and must pass a re-inspection prior to hauling water for human consumption. 

For more information about the Public Water System Supervision Program, visit us online at www.dpnr.gov.vi/dep/home.htm  or call 773-1082.

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By Director, Nadine Noorhasan, Ph.D.
Department of Planning and Natural Resources
Director Division of Environmental Protection