Environmental Health Services Working With Water Programs to Promote Safe Drinking Water

Fourteen states and five local health departments are receiving 5 years of funding (a total of $12.73 million) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce exposures from private drinking water sources under CDC-RFA-EH15-1507.

CDC works with drinking water programs at health departments to address problems with wells and other private drinking water sources in their communities. With CDC’s funding, health departments can

• Identify gaps in their current program using the Environmental Public Health Performance Standards.
• Take actions to address identified gaps and reduce exposures to contaminants.

Strong public health programs that focus on providing essential services help homeowners with wells or other private water sources find out about potential problems and take steps to address them. For example drinking water programs may

• Increase awareness among homeowners with private water sources recommendations about
  • How and when to test their water,
  • How to interpret test results and what contaminants were found in their water,
  • Recommendations to keep their water healthy, and
  • Where to find additional information.
• Develop tailored interventions based upon contaminants found in the well.

New Grantees

CDC is working with drinking water programs in the following health departments:

• Arizona Department of Health Services
• Connecticut Department of Public Health
• Delta County, Colorado, Environmental Health (West Central Public Health Partnership)
• Gaston County, North Carolina, Health Department
• Indiana State Department of Health
• La Crosse County, Wisconsin, Health Department
• Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
• Madison County, New York, Department of Health
• Michigan Department of Community Health
• Missouri Department of Health and Human Services
• New Jersey Department of Health
• New Mexico Department of Health
• New York State Department of Health/Health Research, Inc.
• North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
• Oregon Health Authority
• Tennessee Department of Health
• Tacoma-Pierce County, Washington, Health Department
• Vermont Department of Health
• West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

More Information

• Logic Model to Improve Program Performance and Control Drinking Water Exposures
• Water Protection Resources for Environmental Health Practitioners
• Performance Improvement Resources for Environmental Health Practitioners

Craun GF, Brunkard JM, Yoder JS, Roberts VA, Carpenter J, Wade T, et al. Causes of Outbreaks Associated with Drinking Water in the United States from 1971 to 2006. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2010;507-28.

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