Public Drinking Water Section
3901 Penn Avenue, Building #5
Pittsburgh, PA 15224-1318
Phone: 412-578-8047
Fax: 412-578-8053

 

The Public Drinking Water Section (PDW) is responsible for the inspection and oversight of 78 public water systems in Allegheny County, which serve 99% of the County's residents.  The systems regulated include facilities such as the City of Pittsburgh Water Treatment Plant, to small systems serving <50 people, to water vending machines.  All of these facilities are regulated under the Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act, the primary purpose of which is to assure that proper water treatment is being performed and reduce the threat of biological and chemical pollutants through proper treatment and monitoring.

Inspections:

The public water systems are permitted by the state and inspected by PDW.  All public water systems receive an annual comprehensive inspection.  All equipment and components of the facility are visually examined and water samples from various stages of treatment are collected for analysis.  Additional investigations throughout the distribution and storage facilities may also be conducted to evaluate construction activities, respond to a complaint, or for other specialized investigations.

Sanitary Surveys/Inventories: 

This information is collected as it pertains to the infrastructure, which comprises the larger water systems and is a tool, which may aid in identifying potential problems.  The inventories include both drawings and narrative information such as population served, treatment schematics, locations of storage and treatment facilities, distribution network, and location of valves, hydrants, and emergency interconnects, as well as other pertinent information that describes that water system.

Filter Plant Performance Evaluation (FPPE): 

This is a comprehensive inspection performed at surface water treatment plants to assure that all of the treatment processes are optimized and barriers established to prevent passage of waterborne pathogens (Cryptosporidium and Giardia).  As waterborne diseases have lately received national media exposure, our Section has spent considerable money to obtain the most technologically advanced particle counter and turbidimeter available for performing these evaluations.

Wellhead Protection Program (WHPP): 

Allegheny County has a history of groundwater contamination by industrial solvents, which has forced some groundwater systems to abandon wells or entire well fields and resort to the purchase of bulk water from another system or provide costly treatment to remove solvents/chemicals.  In 1993 the Allegheny County Health Department obtained a $100,000 grant from the state to develop a WHPP, which would serve to identify the location of affected water wells and provide some protection against future occurrences.  The Section accomplishments to date include delineation of the well field capture zones, mapping of potential sources of contamination, installation and sampling of monitoring wells, and installation of "Water Supply Area" signs to alert the public of the locations of WHPP zones.  Future activities include formation of local steering committees to begin implementation of local wellhead protection plans for each of the 10 community groundwater systems.  Local steering committees have been formed for 3 community water systems and Wellhead Protection Ordinances have been adopted in two municipalities to protect their groundwater systems.  More recently, Wellhead Protection efforts have evolved into the Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) Program, which requires a Wellhead Protection Program as part of the development of new surface or groundwater sources for community water supplies.

New Regulations Affecting Public Water Suppliers: 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to promulgate new regulations, which subsequently require public water suppliers to perform additional monitoring, reporting, and may require additional treatment modification. 

Emergencies:

Emergencies are handled on a 24-hour basis and take precedence over routine inspections and monitoring.