Mandatory Consolidation: Community and Program Info

California’s Division of Drinking Water has encouraged and supported voluntary consolidations of public water systems for many years, with an emphasis on small, disadvantaged communities. The technical, managerial, and financial capacity required to operate a water system that can source, treat, and distribute safe drinking water is high. When a public water system in California fails to, or is at-risk of failing to consistently provide safe drinking water, the State Water Board has the authority to mandate certain water systems to consolidate with, or receive and extension of service from, another public water system (see Senate Bill 88 and Senate Bill 403, sections 116680-116684 of the California Health and Safety Code). A mandatory consolidation can be physical or managerial. Mandatory extension of service to domestic wells is authorized only when disadvantaged community is substantially reliant on domestic wells that consistently fail to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water, and when agreed to by the well owner.

The changes to the Health and Safety Code give the Division of Drinking Water authority to mandate such consolidations or extension of service following a series of specific actions. The State Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water will issue letters to water systems to consolidate with, or seek an extension of service, from a public water system. The recipients of such letters have up to six months from the date the letter is issued to voluntarily consolidate with, or receive extension of service from, a public water system. All letters to public water systems, consolidation orders, petitions, responses, and administrative indices are available to the public upon request.