Direct Implementation on Tribal Lands
EPA directly implements drinking water programs on Indian Lands including Public Water System Supervision (PWSS), Corrosion Control, Underground Injection Control (UIC), and Wellhead Protection. Compliance assistance is supported through technical assistance, on-site support hands-on training and coordination with Indian Health Service (IHS) resources.
The Drinking Water Unit responsibilities are essentially the same role that states play when they have assumed primacy for a program (accepted delegation), as well as performing in a federal oversight role until such time as these programs may be delegated to the individual tribes. There are 38 Indian tribes in Region 10, not including some 226 Alaska Native Villages which are being addressed through a separate EPA/State/Native Corporation series of programmatic efforts, pending resolution of jurisdictional issues in the courts. EPA sponsors a technical assistance program to help tribal water operators and tribal utility managers meet the requirements of the SDWA as they provide safe drinking water to their people. The Unit works with the Indian Health Service, contractors and the Native American Water Association to provide workshops, circuit rider assistance, apprenticeships, and other support to assist tribes in developing their own utility organizations, as a means to protect public health and the reservation environment. Monitoring results required of the approximately 115 public water systems that serve the 38 tribes are tracked to facilitate compliance assistance and, when necessary, undertake formal enforcement actions to ensure compliance with SDWA requirements.
If you have questions about definitions, terms or acronyms used on this Web Page click on the link to the Drinking Water Glossary
For PWSS: Contact: Marie Jennings (jennings.marie@epa.gov), (206) 553-1893