Bureau of Safe Drinking Water - Division Missions
Operations and Monitoring
The division provides policy and data management oversight of the public water systems in Pennsylvania.
The Operations Section develops, coordinates and evaluates the surveillance, compliance, enforcement, data management and operational strategies that direct field inspector activities at water supply facilities to maintain SDW primacy requirements. The section develops new and revised regulations, rules, policies and procedures to manage program activities and directs compliance and enforcement responses to violations identified at public water systems.
The Monitoring Section establishes and maintains electronic communication networks with department enterprise data systems, the regulated community and federal compliance tracking systems. Monitoring staff develop, modify and maintain data systems to meet revised and new regulatory requirements. Staff also maintain and upgrade bureau-specific software and hardware used to maintain SDW primacy requirements. Staff periodically upload inventory, sample result and compliance data to the federal data systems in accordance with primacy delegation agreements and annual program grant commitments. Staff also generate compliance reports for executive and senior managers and field operations staff. The section generates special inventory and compliance reports in response to inquiries from the media and requests from the public.
Sections:
Training, Technical and Financial Services
The division develops and delivers training, technical assistance and outreach programs to maximize public health protection, protect the environment, and achieve and maintain compliance with federal and state regulations. Division staff administer the Drinking Water and Wastewater Operator Certification program to strengthen the knowledge, skills and abilities of system operators; develop training programs for drinking water and wastewater treatment plant operators and Department staff; administer the Department's training provider accreditation program; and develop and implement specialized management and operational programs at drinking water facilities to optimize compliance performance and build technical, managerial and financial capability.
The division also administers federal Safe Drinking Water Program grants and reports the outputs and activities to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
Sections:
- Training
- Technical Assistance
- Operator Certification