Frequently Asked Questions

• General

• What are your location and hours?

  • See the Location & Hours page for the Drinking Water Program’s location and hours.

• How do I contact the Drinking Water Program?

  • Contact information for the Drinking Program is on the Location & Hours page.

• Water Quality

• What are the applicable rules and regulations?

  • See the Rules and Regulations Page for the rules and regulations that apply to drinking water.

• How can I test my water?

  • Owners of privately owned domestic wells or concerned public water customers may contract with private companies for independent water testing. For the most up to date information regarding testers currently certified by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) please contact ADHS at (602) 364-0724, or go to the ADHS’s Arizona Certified Commercial Drinking Water Laboratories web page.

• How can I verify my privately owned domestic well’s water is safe?

  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Private Drinking Water Wells web page to assist owners of privately owned domestic wells in determining if their well’s water is safe. Owners of privately owned domestic wells may contract with private companies for independent water testing. Please refer to the previous frequently asked questions for additional information concerning testing.

• What is the quality of the water in my Public Water System?

  • Most Public Water Systems in Maricopa County are required to provide customers with an annual document known as a Consumer Confidence Report. This report is made available in July of each year and contains information and data on water quality for the previous year. For links to water systems that maintain water quality information on line please refer to the Water Quality/Consumer Confidence Reports section on the Resources page.

• My Water Tastes/Smells funny, what do I do?

  • The safe drinking water rule does not regulate color or tastes and odors in Drinking Water. Please contact your water distributer.

• My water looks milky, what do I do?

  • Frequently when water is poured into a glass from a tap, air bubbles will escape, giving the appearance of “Cloudy” water, after a few minutes though, this effect will disappear.

• I want to have my water tested, who should I contact to do so?

  • Follow the link provided for a list of Arizona Certified Commercial Drinking Water Laboratories

• Approvals and Permits

• When must an approval be obtained from the Drinking Water Program?

  • An approval must be obtained from the Drinking Water Program for:

    • Creation of a new Public Water System.
    • Connection of a new or reconnection of a previously used but currently inactive drinking water source
    • Closure or deactivation of a drinking water source.
    • Implementation of Site Sampling, Backflow Prevention and Emergency Operations plans.
    • Closure of a Public Water System.
    
    
• Is an approval required for Public Water System infrastructure?

  • An approval is required for infrastructure that is part of a Public Water System, such as water distribution system pipelines, pressure reducing valve stations, ground water wells, storage tanks, booster pump stations, ground water production facilities or water treatment facilities, by the Department when:

    • A new infrastructure facility or system is to be constructed.
    • An existing infrastructure facility or system is going to be modified and the modification affects the capacity, quality, flow, location or operational performance of the facility or system.
    • The operational plan for an infrastructure facility or system is going to be revised.
    • The infrastructure facility or system is going to be decommissioned.
    
    

    These types of approvals are issued by the Subdivision, Infrastructure and Planning Program or the Water and Wastewater Treatment Program. For questions concerning these types of approvals please contact these programs directly.

• What types of operating permits are issued by the Drinking Water Program?

  • The following types of operating permits are issued by the Drinking Water Program:

    • A Community Public Water System.
    • A Non-Community Public Water System.
    
    
• How much will an operating permit cost?

  • The fee for a Public Water System (PWS) operating permit is based on the type of PWS, the size of the population served by the PWS and the number of well and treatment plant infrastructure components associated with the PWS.

    The fees for operating permits are listed in the fee scheduled in Chapter I of the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code.