Auditors: DPH lax on water oversight

Authorities say agency complied with half of violation orders from 2012-16

An audit released Thursday found bewildering gaps in the state public health agency’s oversight of the quality of the water that 2.7 million Connecticut residents drink, including that public water systems complied with only half of violation orders issued from 2012 to 2016, and of the violations that were addressed, nearly 20 percent were long overdue.

In fact, state auditors said, the Department of Public Health “rarely assessed or

collected civil penalties for drinking water violations” and when “critical enforcement procedures” were enacted, they weren’t “sufficiently documented.” In many cases, violations remained open for extended periods, some as long as five years, even when drinking water samples detected contaminates that well exceeded allowable levels.

DPHenforces water quality standards for all wells and reservoirs that supply water to 25 or more people for at least 60 days a year. That range includes large systems such as the Metropolitan District and the South Central Regional Water Authority, as well as tiny operators. In all, there are more than 2,500 public water systems.

The auditors noted that DPH’s enforcement approach could have “a negative effect” on the health of state residents, but the report doesn’t say whether or not anyone got sick from contaminated drinking water during the period the auditors examined.

In its response to the auditors, DPH said it agreed that its enforcement practices should be overhauled. It said that during the four years the auditors examined, staffing in the water bureau was “limited.”

The agency said it will take steps to “ensure that appropriate enforcement actions are issued for all violations,” that cases are closed in a timely manner and that enforcement actions are “escalated” in the face of noncompliance.

But the agency also told the auditors that enforcement actions can be onerous and that it is trying to use counseling, technical assistance and other methods to engender voluntary cooperation from public water suppliers.

The larger water systems can be fined up to $5,000 a day for violations but the auditors noted that DPH has “wide latitude” in the way it goes about making sure that drinking water is safe and it has the discretion to lower fines.

The auditors said that the public health agency must strike a balance between credible enforcement actions and waiting for voluntary compliance.