Drinking Water

National Park Service drinking water systems must be operated and maintained in a manner to provide safe and potable water for NPS employees and the visiting public. This must be accomplished by maintaining compliance with:

  1. the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.])

  2. the Primacy Agency (e.g. the agency designated by federal law as having oversight responsibility) requirements

  3. as appropriate additional requirements provided in RM83A-1.

Non-public or unregulated water systems will be maintained in a manner similar to public water systems. Water systems must be designed, constructed, and operated in accordance with local, state, NPS, and federal codes pertaining to drinking water. Any new or modified water system plans will be reviewed by the Primacy Agency (e.g. the agency designated by federal law as having oversight responsibility) and approved by the Director, Office of Public Health, or designee, before construction starts.

Last updated: January 11, 2022