The purpose of the water program is to ensure that the public’s health is protected through safe drinking water, proper well and water supply system construction and site location evaluation for wells before installation. Prevention from contamination of the on-site water supply is a high priority of the program.
The program involves a permit process and the identification of the specific type of supply, public or private. Water supplies are classified according to the number of people served and the number of service connections, and they include Community, Individual and Non-Community Water supplies. The KCHD staff also collects compliance samples from public water supplies to assure safe water quality.
Individual water wells must be drilled by licensed well drillers. A list of Approved Well Drillers can be found on the WVDHHR Environmental Engineering Division’s website. Other sources of individual water supplies include cisterns and springs; however these are not KCHD approved without the use of a chlorinator or ultraviolet light for disinfection. Residents wanting to have their private water supply tested for bacteriological safety or that have questions concerning this program may call the Health Department.
Resources
- Guidelines for Evaluating water and sewage for Home loan
- Presentation: Role of Public Health in the Largest Chemical Drinking Water Contamination Incident in U.S. History
- West Virginia Department of Natural Resources
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- National Environmental Training Center
- Water Systems Council
- West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources