This is a message from the State Water Resources Control Board.
TO: ALL COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS
FROM: Division of Drinking Water (DDW)
Subject: Lead TESTING OF DRINKING WATER IN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS: ab 746 UPDATE
What is required of community water systems?
California Assembly Bill 746 (AB 746) was approved by the Governor and published on October 13, 2017. The bill requires all community water systems that serve a schoolsite of a local educational agency with a building construction before January 1, 2010, to test for lead in the potable water system of the schoolsite on or before July 1, 2019. All community water systems need to begin contacting public K-12 schools within their service area to arrange a time to meet and discuss the sampling procedures. Section 116277 was added to the Health and Safety Code (HSC 116277), outlining these requirements, which become effective on January 1, 2018.
Are the 2017 Domestic Water Supply Permit Amendments still in effect?
In an effort to further safeguard California’s water quality in K-12 schools, the Division of Drinking Water amended domestic water supply permits in January 2017, requiring community water systems to test the lead level of drinking water at any California K-12 school that requested testing, including private, public, and public charter schools. Under the 2017 permit amendments schools were not required to test their drinking water. The 2017 Permit Amendments are still in effect, however HSC 116277 and the 2017 permit amendments have areas of overlap. For example, any public school that has requested lead testing of their potable water under the 2017 permit amendments is considered to have met the requirements of HSC 116277 and no further testing is required.
How do HSC 116277 and the 2017 Permit Amendments Compare?
| HSC 116277 | 2017 Permit Amendments | |
| Schools Affected | Includes public K-12 school sites constructed before 1/1/2010 | Includes any K-12 schools that request sampling |
| Number of Samples | The minimum number of samples to collect at a schoolsite is not specified | One to five samples from regularly used sinks, faucets, and fill stations |
| Timeline | Must be completed by 7/1/2019 | During school year, within 90 days of receiving a request |
| Reporting Requirements | Report findings to schoolsite within 10 business days after receiving results | Provide and discuss sample results with school site within 10 days of receiving results. Laboratories are requested to submit results to DDW database |
| Action Level | 15 parts per billion (ppb) action level | 15 ppb action level |
| Notification Requirements | All exceedances reported to school within 2 business days. Collect repeat sample at the water system/schoolsite service connection | Notify schoolsite of exceedances within 2 business days. Collect resample within 10 business days if site remains in service.
Collect third sample within 10 business days after notification that resample is less than 15 ppb |
DDW Recommendations
- Community water systems and schools are encouraged to use the sampling guidance developed for the 2017 permit amendments to meet the sampling plan requirements of HSC 116277.
- Sampling results for all testing of lead levels of potable water systems in schools should be reported electronically to DDW through the DRINC portal’s School Lead Sampling and Reporting Tool.
If you have additional questions, please visit our website, or contact us by phone or email.
Website: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/leadsamplinginschools.shtml
Phone: (916) 322-9601
Email: DDW-PLU@waterboards.ca.gov
