Environment and Natural Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 21, 2001
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Rob Kittay, 773-3754

EPA Approves DENR Drinking Water Certification Program

PIERRE – Consumers using water from public drinking water systems in South Dakota have more reason to trust the quality of the water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Operator Certification Program as meeting all the requirements of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. 

"We are very proud to get EPA's approval of this part of our state drinking water program," said DENR Secretary Steve Pirner. "This approval is another important step in ensuring public water systems are providing clean and safe drinking water to their customers and the travelling public." 

In approving the state’s Operator Certification Program, EPA Region 8's Water Program Director wrote to DENR, "I am pleased to inform you that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the South Dakota Operator Certification Program in conformance with Section 1419 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended." EPA went on to say, "Thank you for recognizing the importance of an effective operator certification program in protecting public health."

This is not the first time operators of drinking water systems in South Dakota have had to be certified. South Dakota has had various certification programs for operators of water and wastewater systems in effect beginning with a voluntary program in the 1950's. That voluntary program evolved into a state regulatory program in the 1970's. 

The U.S. Congress passed amendments to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act in 1996. Those amendments required states to change state certification programs to comply with federal criteria established by EPA, and for the first time to get EPA approval.

If states did not make the changes to be consistent with the federal guidelines by February 2001, Congress authorized EPA to withhold 20 percent of the state’s federal Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) allotment. Based on the $7.8 million South Dakota received for 2001, that would have amounted to $1.56 million withheld.

The Drinking Water SRF program provides low-interest loans for drinking water projects on the State Water Plan to special purpose governmental entities, counties, municipalities, federally recognized Indian tribes, and non-profit corporations.

"We needed a lot of help to get this done," said Pirner. "Governor Janklow supported it, the 2000 Legislature passed a law to give DENR authority to pass rules consistent with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, and a host of water organizations such as the SD Rural Water Association, the SD Section of the American Water Works Association, and the SD Water Congress all supported the necessary changes." 

The biggest change was to eliminate the state exemption for small drinking water systems serving fewer than 500 people. Now all operators of public drinking water systems, big and small, have to be certified. However, the rules passed by DENR allowed existing operators of small drinking water systems to be grandfathered for that specific system based on their experience. There are currently about 1,300 certified operators of drinking water systems in South Dakota.

DENR and the SD Rural Water Association provide free Operator Certification Training sessions, and certification exams are offered by DENR 2-18 times per year across the state. For more information on the state’s Operator Certification Program, visit www.state.sd.us/opercert.

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