Basic Environmental Health Program

Concepts of Water Supply Protection
(EH 109)

This three-day course includes the following topics:

Goal:
The goal is to introduce concepts of potable water supply sources, systems, and protection; and to provide an overview of significant public water supply programs in New York using as primary examples program elements related to small systems with ground water sources.

Subject Material
Concepts to be introduced include the following topics:

• Introduction to Public Water Supply: definitions and demographics, roles of government agencies, regulatory background and mission, multiple barrier concept, and public water supply program elements

• Water Sources: water cycle and hydrology, surface water and ground water characteristics, well development and construction essentials, well yield tests and system capacity requirements

• Residential Sanitation: onsite wastewater treatment systems (functional components, overview of regulations and design factors, soil tests overview, separation distance requirements, identifying system failures), and an overview of state realty subdivision regulations

• Water Chemistry and Treatment: disinfection (purpose, overview of methods, practical application of hypochlorination and ultraviolet, contact time and CT concept); an introduction to other major water treatment concepts such as filtration, fluoridation, ion exchange, and corrosion control; and an overview of chemistry related to such treatment and common contaminants

• Contaminants and Regulations: contaminant categories, coliform and other primary contaminants of public health concern, Maximum Contaminant Level concept and related monitoring requirements, disinfection rule and disinfection waivers, and an overview of other major public water supply regulatory elements such as annual water quality statements, surface water treatment rule, ground water under the direct influence of surface water, lead and copper rule, and cross connection control.

• Emergencies: identifying water emergency and public health hazard conditions and causes, responsibilities and roles in emergency response, boil water notices, emergency communications

• Sampling and Laboratories: overview of water sample collection, preservation, and submission procedures, approved laboratories, field tests for chlorine residual, microbiological sample collection, and interpretation of lab results

• Sanitary Survey Concepts and Practices: why and how sanitary surveys are conducted to assess critical public health protection components of a public water system, including a pre-requisite Field Exercise – Sanitary Survey of a Noncommunity Public Water Supply
  

This course also has a field exercise to be completed before taking the course.

Priority for this course is given to environmental health personnel. Other public health staff may register on a space-available basis.