Drinking Water

In your Home (Information for Consumers)

Links on this page are mainly intended for consumers. For information for Water Systems, see Programs and Services for Drinking Water Systems.

The mission of the Office of Drinking Water is to protect the health of the people of Washington state by ensuring safe and reliable drinking water. Read Overview of the Office of Drinking Water. If you don't see what you need in our listing below, please use the search tool at the top of the page, or email the Office of Drinking Water.

Contaminants—information on some of the more common contaminants that may sometimes be found in drinking water.
Emergency Publications for Consumers—includes an Emergency Resource Guide, local health department contacts, and more.
- Publicaciónes en Español.
Private wells—information for private well owners.
- Water on Tap: What you need to know EPA 816-K-09-002 (PDF)
- Arsenic and Your Private Well 334-156 (PDF)
- Private Well Water—Coliform Bacteria and Nitrate Information for Private Well Owners 333-171 (PDF)
- Private Wells—Information for Owners 331-349 (PDF)
- Free Online Program Educates Homeowners with Water Wells.
  Homeowners in small communities and rural areas without a public water supply often don't fully understand how to manage, operate, and protect their private well. Here is a new nationwide training initiative funded by the Rural Community Assistance Partnership through a grant from EPA. The Private Well Class is a free, step-by-step education program to help well owners understand groundwater basics, well care best practices, and how to find assistance.
- The Washington State Department of Ecology regulates the minimum standards for well construction in Washington, and also accredits laboratories that test water (PDF). More information is available on the Department of Ecology's Drinking Water page