Welcome to the Division of Drinking Water, Monterey District

The Monterey District of the Division of Drinking Water is responsible for the enforcement of the federal and California Safe Drinking Water Acts and the regulatory oversight of over 125 public water systems in Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey counties to ensure the delivery of safe and reliable drinking water.

Monterey District field staff are a team of water engineering and science professionals that are tasked with enforcing the federal and California Safe Drinking Water Acts by conducting field inspections, issuing operating permits, reviewing plans and specifications, issuing enforcement actions for non-compliance with laws and regulations, reviewing water quality and treatment plant reports, and reviewing water quality monitoring results.

Additionally, Monterey District staff work alongside the Monterey and Santa Cruz County environmental health departments, both of which have agreements to provide local regulatory oversight of small water systems less than 200 connections (with some exceptions). In total, there are over 350 small public water systems regulated by Monterey and Santa Cruz County environmental health departments.