Water Compliance Articles
Plain-language guides on drinking water compliance requirements — PFAS, lead service line inventory, Consumer Confidence Reports, and state-specific obligations.
Alabama Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
ADEM primacy under Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-7-2, lead service lines in older cities, PFAS from the Decatur area, nitrate in the Wiregrass, and the federal SDWA rules Alabama public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →South Carolina Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
South Carolina public water systems answer to SCDES Regulation 61-58 plus federal drinking water rules. The 2026 operator checklist covers records, lead service lines, PFAS, reporting, and funding.
Read article →Maine Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Maine public water systems answer to the Maine CDC Drinking Water Program under 10-144 CMR Chapter 231. The 2026 checklist covers the state's 20 ppt PFAS standard, arsenic and uranium in bedrock wells, lead service lines, and reporting.
Read article →Montana Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Montana DEQ primacy, arsenic and uranium in rural groundwater, the federal PFAS deadline, and the rules Montana's roughly 2,000 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →pH in Drinking Water: The 6.5 to 8.5 Secondary Standard and Why Low pH Corrodes Your Lead and Copper Lines
pH is the one water-chemistry number a small system cannot afford to ignore, because it is the difference between water that sits in the pipe and water that eats the pipe. The EPA's secondary standard is 6.5 to 8.5, and a system that runs below it is quietly dissolving its own lead and copper service lines.
Read article →TDS in Drinking Water: The 500 mg/L Secondary Standard and What Total Dissolved Solids Mean
White scale on fixtures, a salty or mineral taste, spots left on dishes. That is total dissolved solids, and it has a 500 mg/L secondary standard under 40 CFR 143.3. Here is what TDS actually is, why it climbs, and what a small system does about it.
Read article →VOCs in Drinking Water: The 21 Regulated Chemicals, Their MCLs, and the Monitoring a Small System Owes
Volatile organic compounds are the 21 industrial solvents and fuel components the EPA regulates under 40 CFR 141.61(a), and they carry the tightest limits in the rulebook: vinyl chloride at 0.002 mg/L, benzene at 0.005 mg/L. Most are invisible at the concentrations that matter, so the monitoring schedule is the only thing standing between a small system and a surprise violation.
Read article →Kansas Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Kansas public water systems answer to KDHE under Kansas Administrative Regulations Article 28. The 2026 checklist covers nitrate, arsenic and radionuclides in western Kansas groundwater, lead service lines, PFAS, and reporting.
Read article →EPA Is Now Issuing Administrative Orders to Mobile Home Parks
EPA Region 3 is issuing administrative orders to mobile home parks that missed the October 2024 service line inventory deadline. Two Pennsylvania parks now face five day clocks.
Read article →Iron in Drinking Water: The 0.3 mg/L Secondary Standard and How to Remove It
Reddish brown stains in the sink, a metallic taste, laundry that comes out orange. That is iron, and it has a 0.3 mg/L secondary standard under 40 CFR 143.3. Here is what that number means and how a small system removes iron for good.
Read article →Nitrate in Drinking Water: The 10 mg/L MCL, the 1 mg/L Nitrite Standard, and the 24-Hour Notice a Small System Owes
Nitrate is the most common MCL exceedance in rural well country, and the number everyone knows is 10 mg/L. The part most operators get wrong is that the limit is measured as nitrogen, sits beside a separate 1 mg/L nitrite limit, and carries a 24-hour public notice when exceeded. Here is what each number means for a small water system.
Read article →Copper in Drinking Water: The 1.3 mg/L Action Level and the 1.0 mg/L Secondary Standard Small Systems Confuse
Copper is two numbers, not one. The 1.3 mg/L action level under the Lead and Copper Rule triggers corrosion control, while the 1.0 mg/L secondary standard is only about taste and blue green stains. Here is what each one means for a small water system.
Read article →Barium in Drinking Water: The 2.0 mg/L MCL and What a Small Groundwater System Must Do
Barium has a federal drinking water limit of 2.0 mg/L. It is usually a groundwater problem, and a result above the limit is a health based violation that needs a documented response, not a guess.
Read article →The Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR): What It Requires of a Small Water System
The Surface Water Treatment Rule is the regulation every system on a lake, river, or stream answers to, and it turns on one question: do you have to filter. Here is what 40 CFR 141.70 through 141.75 requires of a small system.
Read article →UCMR 6 Monitoring Requirements: What Small Water Systems Need to Know
EPA proposed the Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule on July 1, 2026. Which systems would sample, for which 30 contaminants, and what small systems should do before 2028.
Read article →Chromium in Drinking Water: The 0.1 mg/L Total Chromium MCL and the Chromium-6 Standard
Chromium is two numbers, not one. The federal total chromium MCL is 0.1 mg/L, but the form that made headlines, hexavalent chromium (chromium-6), is regulated by the states, with California at 0.010 mg/L. Here is what a small water system is actually held to.
Read article →Chloride and Sodium in Drinking Water: The 250 mg/L Chloride Secondary Standard and the 20 mg/L Sodium Advisory
Salty or brackish tap water is usually chloride, which carries a 250 mg/L secondary standard under 40 CFR 143.3, with sodium riding along on a 20 mg/L advisory for restricted diets. Here is where both come from and what a small system does about them.
Read article →Coliform Sample Siting Plan: What 40 CFR 141.853 Requires and How to Write One
Under the Revised Total Coliform Rule, most small water systems must keep a written sample siting plan naming where every routine and repeat sample is taken. Here is what 40 CFR 141.853 requires, what the plan must contain, and how to write one before the next sanitary survey.
Read article →Chlorine Residual and the Disinfectant MRDL: The 4.0 mg/L Ceiling Small Systems Forget
Chlorine residual is a number with two edges: a 0.2 mg/L floor you must hold and a 4.0 mg/L MRDL ceiling you must not cross. Here is what both actually trigger for a small water system.
Read article →Finished Water Storage Tank Inspection: Requirements, Frequency, and What the Sanitary Survey Looks For
Your finished water storage tank sits between treatment and the tap, so any contamination there bypasses every treatment step. Here is what the sanitary survey checks, how often to inspect, and the one state rule that spells out the minimum schedule.
Read article →How to Read Your Water System's EPA SDWIS Record (and What Each Violation Actually Means)
Your EPA SDWIS record is the file every inspector, buyer, and state regulator reads before you say a word. Here is how to read it, what each violation type means, and why a monitoring violation matters even when your water is clean.
Read article →Perchlorate in Drinking Water: The State MCLs, Sources, and What a Detection Means for Your System
Perchlorate has no federal MCL yet, but California regulates it at 6 micrograms per liter and Massachusetts at 2, and EPA is moving toward a national standard. Here is where it comes from, what it does in the body, and what a detection obligates your system to do.
Read article →Wellhead Protection Plan: What Small Water Systems Need Before the Next Sanitary Survey
A practical wellhead protection plan for a small groundwater system: define the protection area, inventory risks, set controls, keep records, and connect the plan to the next sanitary survey.
Read article →PFAS Monitoring Requirements for Small Water Systems: What You Need to Do Before 2027
Every community and non-transient non-community water system must complete PFAS initial monitoring by April 26, 2027. The sampling schedule, the sample count, and what a missed period costs.
Read article →Lead and Copper Action Level: The Number That Triggers a Corrosion-Control Plan (15 ppb Today, 10 ppb Under the LCRI)
The lead action level is 15 ppb at the 90th percentile, and it drops to 10 ppb under the LCRI. Here is what an exceedance actually triggers for a small water system.
Read article →SDWA Public Notice Tiers: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 Deadlines
Tier 1 is 24 hours, Tier 2 is 30 days, Tier 3 is 12 months. What each public notice tier requires, what triggers it, and what a missed notice costs.
Read article →Manganese in Drinking Water: The 0.05 mg/L Secondary Standard and the 0.3 mg/L Health Advisory
Black stains in the sink, a metallic taste, laundry that comes out gray. That is manganese, and it has two numbers: a 0.05 mg/L secondary standard and a 0.3 mg/L lifetime health advisory. Here is what each one means and what a small system does about it.
Read article →Inorganic Contaminants in Drinking Water: The IOC MCL List and Monitoring Schedule Every Small System Is Held To
Inorganic contaminants, or IOCs, are the metals and minerals EPA regulates under one schedule, and they trip up more small systems than any contaminant class except disinfection byproducts. Here is the full MCL list, the monitoring framework, and the two numbers that carry a 24 hour clock.
Read article →Fluoride in Drinking Water: The 4.0 mg/L MCL and the 2.0 mg/L Secondary Standard Small Systems Confuse
Fluoride is the one contaminant a system both adds on purpose and is capped on. The 4.0 mg/L MCL and the 2.0 mg/L secondary standard mean two different things, and confusing them is how a small system overfeeds its way into a violation.
Read article →Missouri Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
MoDNR primacy under 10 CSR 60, lead from the Old Lead Belt, TTHM/HAA5 on the big rivers, nitrate in the north, radium, the federal PFAS deadline, and the SDWA rules Missouri's ~1,400 community systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Mississippi Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
MSDH primacy, the Jackson water crisis legacy, lead service line inventory under the LCRI, coliform and E. coli monitoring, the federal PFAS deadline, and the SDWA rules Mississippi's ~1,100 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →EPA Administrative Orders and Small Water Systems: What 2026 Enforcement Means
An EPA administrative order turns an open drinking-water violation into a legal deadline with daily penalties. What the SDWA enforcement ladder means for small systems in 2026.
Read article →Vermont Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Vermont small rural systems face federal EPA deadlines plus state PFAS rules that go beyond the baseline. What Vermont operators need to know for 2026 compliance.
Read article →Source Water Assessment: What It Is and How to Use It for Wellhead Protection
The state produced source water assessment maps where your water comes from and what can contaminate it. Here is how to read yours and turn it into a current wellhead protection plan.
Read article →Drinking Water Violation Penalties: What an SDWA Violation Can Cost in 2026
Civil penalties under the Safe Drinking Water Act can reach $25,000 per day per violation, before state primacy penalties and public notice. What an open violation actually costs a small water system.
Read article →From Grant to Compliance: The Paper Trail Funders Require
Grant applications and compliance monitoring require the same paperwork. How to build the documentation trail funders and primacy agencies both accept.
Read article →EPA Is Now Fining Private and Commercial Water Operators in 2026
A Culligan franchise in Montana just got a federal administrative order over a lead service line inventory. Private and commercial operators are no longer out of the enforcement line of sight.
Read article →Arsenic in Drinking Water: The 10 ppb MCL and What It Triggers for Your Water System
Arsenic's federal MCL is 10 ppb (0.010 mg/L). What an exceedance triggers, the treatment and source options small systems have, and why the cheapest answer is a current sampling record.
Read article →Cyanotoxins in Drinking Water: The Microcystin and Cylindrospermopsin Health Advisories Surface-Water Systems Are Held To
There is no federal MCL for cyanotoxins, which is why a surface-water operator can sit on a harmful algal bloom and believe there is nothing to do. The 2015 EPA health advisories and the UCMR4 monitoring cycle say otherwise. Here is what a lake or reservoir system is actually held to.
Read article →Atrazine in Drinking Water: The 0.003 mg/L MCL and the Monitoring Schedule Surface-Water Systems Owe
Atrazine is a farm herbicide with a federal drinking water limit of 0.003 mg/L, and it is a surface-water problem in agricultural regions. A confirmed exceedance is a health-based violation with a defined monitoring and response path.
Read article →Turbidity in Drinking Water: The NTU Limits That Separate a Passing System From a Boil-Water Notice
Turbidity is not an aesthetic problem. It is a treatment-technique number regulated because cloudiness shields pathogens from chlorine and signals that filtration is failing. Here is what a small surface-water system is actually held to.
Read article →Tennessee Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
TDEC primacy, ~1,100 public water systems, PFAS monitoring deadlines, lead service line inventory, and the federal SDWA rules Tennessee water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Maryland Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
MDE primacy under COMAR 26.04.01, the federal PFAS rule, lead service line inventory under the LCRI, nitrate and coliform risks, and the SDWA rules Maryland's ~3,400 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Kentucky Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Kentucky Division of Water primacy under 401 KAR Chapter 8, lead service lines, TTHM/HAA5 disinfection byproducts, nitrate in karst, the federal PFAS deadline, and the SDWA rules Kentucky's ~1,300 systems must track in 2026.
Read article →New Hampshire Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
NHDES primacy, the state's PFAS MCLs (PFOA 12 ppt, PFOS 15 ppt), arsenic in bedrock groundwater, lead service line inventory, and the federal SDWA rules New Hampshire's ~2,400 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Utah Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Utah's fast growth is creating new water systems even as federal PFAS and lead rules tighten. Here is what Utah operators answer to in 2026, through the Utah Division of Drinking Water and the EPA.
Read article →Wyoming Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Wyoming is the only state without primacy: EPA Region 8 administers the drinking water program directly. Here is what that means for Wyoming operators in 2026.
Read article →What a Free Water Compliance Dashboard Shows — and What It Leaves Out
A free compliance dashboard shows you the red flag. It doesn't cite the rule, order the fix, or match the funding. Here's the gap — and why it's the part that costs money to get wrong.
Read article →Groundwater Rule (GWR): Triggered Source Water Monitoring for Well Systems
When a routine total coliform sample comes back positive, the Groundwater Rule starts a 24-hour clock for a source water sample. What 40 CFR Part 141 Subpart S requires of well systems.
Read article →AWIA Risk and Resilience Assessment and Emergency Response Plan: What Your System Owes
America's Water Infrastructure Act requires most community water systems to certify a risk and resilience assessment and update their emergency response plan every five years. What applies to your system and what is due next.
Read article →Water System Grants by State: Where to Look in 2026
Every state runs drinking water funding on top of the federal programs. How to find your state's SRF, PFAS grants, and emergency repair money in 2026.
Read article →Chloramine in Drinking Water: The 4.0 mg/L MRDL and the Switch Most Small Systems Get Wrong
Chloramine is chlorine plus ammonia, it holds a 4.0 mg/L MRDL of its own, and switching to it changes your residual monitoring, your disinfection-byproduct risk, and what you owe your most vulnerable customers. Here is what a small system needs to know.
Read article →Water Cyber Shield Act 2026: What Small Water Systems Must Do to Get Ready
A new federal cybersecurity bill for water utilities was introduced August 17, 2026. Here is what it means for a small system and the AWIA requirements you already carry.
Read article →Nebraska Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
NDEE primacy, Nebraska's nitrate and radionuclide groundwater burden, and the federal PFAS and lead deadlines the state's ~1,300 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →South Dakota Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
South Dakota public water systems must manage federal SDWA duties, nitrate and radionuclide monitoring, lead service line inventory records, and state inspection findings. Here is the operator checklist for 2026.
Read article →Water System Record Retention: How Long to Keep Compliance Records (40 CFR 141.33)
Five years for coliform samples, ten years for chemical analyses, three years for correction records. The exact record retention schedule every public water system owes under 40 CFR 141.33.
Read article →Lead Service Line Replacement Funding: LCRI and the DWSRF LSLR Allotments
The LCRI inventory is due November 1, 2027, and replacement work has dedicated DWSRF LSLR money behind it. What systems with lead lines should know about 2026 funding.
Read article →Massachusetts Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
MassDEP primacy, the state's 20 ppt PFAS6 MCL, an aging lead service line inventory, and the federal SDWA rules Massachusetts's ~1,700 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Oregon Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
OHA Drinking Water Services primacy, groundwater coliform monitoring, the federal PFAS deadline, lead service line inventory, and the rules Oregon public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Indiana Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
IDEM primacy, Northwest Indiana's lead service line burden, Corn Belt nitrate, and the federal PFAS deadline - what Indiana public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Louisiana Lead and Copper Compliance 2026: What Small Water Systems Need to Know
The LCRI lowered the lead action level to 10 ppb and started a 10-year replacement clock. Here is what Louisiana's small water systems must do now.
Read article →North Dakota Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
NDDEQ Division of Municipal Facilities primacy, the federal PFAS rule, lead service line inventory under the LCRI, cold-climate infrastructure, and the SDWA rules North Dakota's public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Rhode Island Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Rhode Island drinking water compliance in 2026 means meeting RIDOH requirements alongside the federal EPA baseline. Here is what small Rhode Island systems face this year, from PFAS monitoring to lead service line inventory updates.
Read article →Nevada Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
NDEP primacy, naturally occurring arsenic and uranium in groundwater, and the federal PFAS and lead rules Nevada public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Drinking Water Grants for Small Systems 2026: The Funding Map
The complete 2026 map of federal and state money for small public water systems: DWSRF, USDA WWD, EC-SDC, LSLR, SEARCH, and state programs — and how they stack.
Read article →Iowa Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Iowa DNR primacy, the state's persistent nitrate burden, PFAS monitoring deadlines, lead service line inventory, and the federal SDWA rules Iowa's ~1,800 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Oklahoma Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Oklahoma DEQ primacy, the state's #1-in-the-nation open health-based violation count, disinfection byproduct (TTHM/HAA5) monitoring, and the federal SDWA rules Oklahoma water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Wisconsin Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Wisconsin DNR primacy, nitrate in the Central Sands, radium in the deep sandstone aquifer, enforceable state PFAS limits, and the federal SDWA rules Wisconsin's ~11,000 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →USDA Water & Waste Disposal Grants: What Small Systems Can Actually Get
USDA Water & Waste Disposal loans and grants cover up to 75% of project cost for rural systems serving 10,000 or fewer. The 2026 rates, who qualifies, and how to apply.
Read article →Arkansas Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
ADH primacy, naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater, nitrate risk, and the federal PFAS and lead rules Arkansas public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Minnesota Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
MDH primacy, nitrate in southeastern Minnesota, PFAS from the 3M East Metro sites, lead service line inventory, and the federal SDWA rules Minnesota's 6,500 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →New Jersey Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
NJDEP primacy, New Jersey's strictest-in-the-nation PFAS MCLs, the 10-year lead service line replacement law, and the federal SDWA rules the state's 3,800 public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →West Virginia Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
DHHR Bureau for Public Health primacy, one of the nation's worst health-based violation rates, lead service lines in older mining towns, PFAS in the Ohio River valley, and the federal SDWA rules WV's small systems must track in 2026.
Read article →EC-SDC Grants: $945.7M for PFAS and Emerging Contaminants in Small Communities
EPA's Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities grant put $945.7M into FY2026 for PFAS and CCL contaminants. Who qualifies, how the money flows, and what to prepare.
Read article →New Mexico Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
NMED primacy, arsenic and uranium in groundwater, lead service line inventory, and the federal SDWA rules New Mexico public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Colorado Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
CDPHE primacy, uranium and radium in mountain groundwater, Colorado's own PFAS MCLs, and the federal SDWA rules Colorado public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Virginia Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
VDH Office of Drinking Water primacy, PFAS monitoring, lead service line inventory, and the federal SDWA rules Virginia public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →PWSID Lookup: How to Find Your Public Water System ID
A PWSID is the Public Water System Identification number EPA and your state use to track your system. How to find yours, what the format means, and a free national lookup.
Read article →Connecticut Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
CT DPH and federal SDWA requirements for Connecticut public water systems in 2026: PFAS action level, lead service line inventory, CCR, and sanitary survey obligations.
Read article →Michigan Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Michigan has the nation's strictest PFAS drinking water standards, enforced on top of federal SDWA rules. What EGLE requires of public water systems in 2026.
Read article →Illinois Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
IEPA primacy, the nation's largest lead service line burden, nitrate risk, and the federal PFAS deadline — what Illinois public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Georgia Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Georgia EPD primacy, PFAS monitoring deadlines, lead service line inventory, and the federal SDWA rules Georgia public water systems must track in 2026.
Read article →Idaho Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
DEQ and EPA compliance for Idaho public water systems in 2026 — PFAS monitoring, lead service line inventories, CCRs, nitrate areas, and Boise-area growth.
Read article →North Carolina Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
NCDEQ and federal SDWA requirements for North Carolina public water systems in 2026: PFAS, lead service line inventory, CCR, and sanitary survey obligations.
Read article →Arizona Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
ADEQ and federal SDWA requirements for Arizona public water systems in 2026: groundwater coliform rule, PFAS monitoring, lead service line inventory, and sanitary survey obligations.
Read article →Louisiana Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
LDH and federal SDWA requirements for Louisiana public water systems in 2026: lead service line inventory, PFAS monitoring, disinfectant residuals, and sanitary survey obligations.
Read article →PFAS Rule Update: EPA's Proposed 2031 Compliance Extension
EPA's May 2026 proposal retains enforceable PFOA and PFOS limits and would let eligible water systems request up to two additional years, through 2031. What is proposed, what remains in force, and what to document now.
Read article →Water System Operator Certification Requirements by State
Every public water system needs a certified operator of record. How the classes work, how to keep certification current, and what happens when it lapses.
Read article →Hawaii Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
DOH and EPA compliance for Hawaii public water systems in 2026 — PFAS monitoring near military installations, lead service line inventories, CCRs, and island source water.
Read article →Total Coliform Sampling Frequency Under the RTCR
How many routine total coliform samples your water system must take each month under the Revised Total Coliform Rule, by population served, with the reduced monitoring rules that apply to small ground water systems.
Read article →EPA PFAS Rollback: What Small Water Systems Still Owe in 2026
EPA proposed rescinding parts of the federal PFAS rule in 2026. Here is what that does — and does not — change for small water systems.
Read article →Ohio Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Ohio EPA and federal SDWA requirements for Ohio public water systems in 2026: PFAS, lead service line inventory, operator certification, and CCR.
Read article →New York Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
New York drinking water compliance requirements for 2026: NYSDOH primacy, PFAS MCLs, lead service line inventory, and the federal deadlines small systems must not miss.
Read article →Pennsylvania Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Pennsylvania DEP regulates more public water systems than any other state. What PFAS, lead service line inventory, CCR, and sanitary survey rules mean in 2026.
Read article →PFAS Is Now a CERCLA Hazardous Substance — What It Means for Your Water System
PFOA and PFOS are now CERCLA (Superfund) hazardous substances. What that changes for a water system's liability, and the two-sided risk operators miss.
Read article →LCRI Lead Service Line Inventory: What Your Small System Must File — and When
The LCRI lead service line inventory has a compliance date, annual updates, and a replacement clock. What your small system must file, and when each item is due.
Read article →Delaware Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
DPH and EPA compliance for Delaware public water systems in 2026 — PFAS monitoring, lead service line inventories, CCRs, and coastal groundwater systems.
Read article →California Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
What California public water systems need to know about PFAS, lead service line inventory, and CCR requirements in 2026.
Read article →Texas Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
Texas has over 7,000 public water systems — the most of any state. Here is what TCEQ and EPA require in 2026.
Read article →Florida Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
FDEP and EPA compliance requirements for Florida public water systems in 2026.
Read article →Washington Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
WAC 246-290 Group A rules, DOH sanitary surveys, and the federal EPA deadlines Washington public water systems face in 2026.
Read article →Open MCL Violation: The 30-Day Operator Checklist for Your Water System
An open MCL violation starts a public-notice clock and a correction deadline the day it posts to SDWIS. Here is the exact 30-day checklist to close it without compounding the problem.
Read article →Alaska Drinking Water Compliance Requirements 2026
DEC and EPA compliance for Alaska public water systems in 2026 — PFAS monitoring, lead service line inventories, CCRs, and the operator capacity challenge in remote villages.
Read article →How Do I Know If My Water System Is Compliant?
Compliance is not an opinion and it is not a certificate on the wall. It is what the public record says about your system. Here is how to read your own record before your state does.
Read article →Boil Water Advisory: What It Means for Your System's Compliance Record and Your Next 24 Hours
A boil water advisory is a public event and a compliance event. Here is what triggers one, what the 24-hour public notice requires, and what an advisory leaves on your system's record.
Read article →Tribal Water System Compliance: When EPA Oversight Is Thin, the Deadlines Land on You
Roughly 1,000 public water systems in Indian Country answer directly to the EPA, not a state. Here is what that means for monitoring, open violations, and the deadlines tribal operators must track in 2026.
Read article →E. coli in Drinking Water: What a Total Coliform Violation Means for Your System
A single E. coli-positive sample is an acute MCL violation under the Revised Total Coliform Rule — with a Tier 1 public notice due within 24 hours. Here is exactly what the rule requires of a small water system in the first 24 hours and after.
Read article →EPA's New Systemic-Issues Checklist: What It Means for Your Next Sanitary Survey
EPA issued new guidance to help states flag 'systemic issues' at struggling water systems. Here is what that means for a small system's next sanitary survey.
Read article →Drinking Water MCLs and Action Levels: The Numbers That Trigger a Violation
A Maximum Contaminant Level is a hard legal ceiling. An action level is a treatment trigger. Here are the numbers small and mid-sized water systems trip over most often, in plain terms.
Read article →Disinfection Byproducts (TTHM/HAA5) in Drinking Water: What a Violation Means for Small Water Systems
TTHM and HAA5 — the two disinfection byproduct families — account for roughly 39% of open health-based drinking-water violations nationwide. Here is what an exceedance means, why it recurs, and how to stay ahead of it.
Read article →Nitrate Violation Public Notice: What It Means for Your Water System
A nitrate MCL exceedance is an acute, Tier 1 violation with a 24-hour public notice clock. Here is what the notice obligates you to do and how to respond without missing a deadline.
Read article →Radionuclides in Drinking Water: Radium, Uranium, and Gross Alpha Compliance for Small Water Systems
EPA radionuclide standards for radium, uranium, and gross alpha, the health risk, monitoring schedules, and what a radionuclide MCL or monitoring violation means for a small water system.
Read article →Backflow Prevention Assembly Testing Requirements by State
Testing frequency, certification, and record-keeping rules for backflow prevention assemblies — and why gaps become sanitary survey deficiencies.
Read article →How to Prepare for a State Drinking Water Inspection: Operator Checklist
A practical pre-inspection checklist for small and mid-sized public water systems: records, monitoring, CCR, lead inventory, backflow, and deadlines.
Read article →What Happens When a Water System Fails an EPA Sanitary Survey
Significant deficiencies trigger public notice, corrective action deadlines, and enforcement. Here is the exact sequence and timeline.
Read article →Lead Service Line Inventory Requirements Under the LCRR
Every public water system must build and submit a complete lead service line inventory. Here is what that means and when it is due.
Read article →How to Build a Water System Compliance Calendar
Missing a compliance deadline means public notification, corrective action, and a permanent record. Here is how operators stay ahead.
Read article →What Is a CCR? Consumer Confidence Report Requirements
A Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is the annual water-quality report community systems must deliver. What it must include, the July 1 deadline, and how to check your system.
Read article →PFAS Compliance Deadlines for Small Water Systems
EPA PFAS initial monitoring begins in 2027; compliance dates for PFOA/PFOS are proposed to extend to 2031. What small water systems need to do now.
Read article →See where your system stands
Free water system lookup — search by system name or PWSID. See your EPA profile and compliance snapshot instantly, no account required.