Safe Drinking Water Program

Safe Drinking Water Program

The Safe Drinking Water Program accomplishes this objective by the activities listed below. 

  • Monitoring: Collection, analysis and review of bacteriological and chemical samples to ensure compliance with maximum contaminant levels, treatment technique requirements, monitoring and analytical requirements.
  • Inspections: Sanitary surveys and site inspections are conducted to evaluate the capability of a drinking water system to consistently and reliably deliver an adequate quality and quantity of safe drinking water to the consumer and to ensure compliance with state and federal drinking water regulations.
  • Engineering Plan Review: Conducts reviews of and issues permits for new construction and modification of public water systems including the source, treatment, storage and distribution facilities to ensure the quality and protection of drinking water. 

Program Highlights

Water Regulations & Resources

Boil Water Advisories

Emergency Response and Reporting

Louisiana Drinking Water Watch

PWS Monitoring Plan Portal

Community Water Systems Accountability Rule **Water System Grades**

Lead and Copper Rule Revisions and Lead Service Line Inventory

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

Bacteriological Sample Collection and Truck Routes

Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund

 Private water well testing

Safe Drinking Water Fee (Act 605 of 2016)Beginning January 1, 2017, the fee will be increased from $3.20 per connection per year for community water systems to $12.00 per connection per year minus five percent per connection to be retained by the water system.  There were no changes made to the annual flat rate of $100 for non-community water systems.  With this increase, the Safe Drinking Water Program will reinstate the bacteriological sample collection program for all public water systems statewide.  Additionally, the Safe Drinking Water Program will begin to collect and analyze the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) samples for water systems statewide.

News and Events

Safe Drinking Water Program Reporting

Act 263 Interim Reports - Act 263 of 2017 Regular Legislative Session, tasked LDH to evaluate the issues and conditions of drinking water treatment and distribution through the evaluation of sanitary survey results for each water utility system by 2020.

2023 Annual Compliance Report (ACR) - This annual compliance report is a summary of water systems with water regulation violations in the referenced calendar year. (2013 ACR), (2014 ACR), (2015 ACR), (2016 ACR), (2017 ACR), (2018 ACR), (2019 ACR), (2020 ACR), (2021 ACR), (2022 ACR)

2023 Drinking Water Disinfection Annual Report (DAR) - This annual report provides information on compliance with the minimum disinfection rule reported each January. (2017 DAR), (2018 DAR), (2019 DAR), (2020 DAR), (2021 DAR), (2022 DAR)

Contact us for Safe Drinking Water ConcernsLDH/OPH Engineering Services
P.O. Box 4489
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4489
Phone: 225-342-7499