Public Water Systems

Is the water that comes out of the tap safe and fit to drink?  Public water systems provide high quality drinking water to millions of people every day.  The United Stated Federal Environment Protection Agency (EPA) states that public drinking water systems provide drinking water to 90 percent of Americans. What is a public water system?  A public water system (PWS) as defined by EPA is a system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such system has at least fifteen service connections or regularly serves at least twenty-five individuals per day for sixty days of the year. The Safe Drinking Water Act passed by congress in 1974 to protect the public health. The Act regulates public water systems by regulating drinking water and was amended in 1986 and 1996.

There are two types of public water systems – Community Water System and Non-Community Water System. A Community Water System is a public water system that serves the same people year-round or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents, Examples of a community water system would be public water system that deliver water to homes, apartments, and condominiums.  A Non-Community Water System is a public water system that serves the public but does not serve the same people year-round.

There are two types of Non-Community Water Systems a Non-Transient Non-Community Water System and a Transient Non-Community Water System.

Non-transient non-community water system or NETNEWS means a public water system that is not a community water system and that regularly serves at least 25 of the same persons over 6 months per year. Examples of a Non-Transient Non-Community Water System are schools, factories, office buildings or places of business that have their own water system.

Transient non-community water system or TWS means a non-community water system that does not regularly serve at least 25 of the same persons over six months per year. Examples of a Transient Non-Community Water System are campgrounds, country convenience stores, or restaurants that have a drinking water system.