COVID-19 Considerations for Public Water Systems
This past Monday, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Division of Drinking Water (DDW) distributed a guidance document on COVID-19. This afternoon, the SWRCB issued a revised version of that document (SWRCB_COVID-19 Considerations_REVISEDpdf). The only change made was to delete “(alcohol-based hand sanitizer and facemasks)” at the end of item 1.a.
Here is the SWRCB’s statement why the change was made: “The only revision is the language mentioning options for consideration of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be non-prescriptive as to the specific PPE to be implemented. Consider consulting your subject matter experts on health and safety, as well as federal and state guidance from health providers for specific guidance.”
Providing Drinking Water is an Essential Function
Copied below is a SWRCB message issued this afternoon clarifying that during any emergency, including the current situation with COVID-19, providing drinking water is an essential function.
