State Water Board asks advisory group how to scale support for domestic wells and state small systems

Adriana Renteria, director of the State Water Resources Control Board’s Office of Public Participation, opened a long discussion on December 11 about what the state board — and the SAFER program — should do to help households that rely on domestic wells and state small water systems.

Assistant Deputy Director Andrew Elszvogt told the advisory group that “domestic wells are privately owned wells that can either supply water to individual homes or less than 5 connections,” and that state authority over those wells is limited. He said state small water systems (generally 5–14 connections) and domestic wells are eligible for SB 200 funding for emergency and interim solutions and consolidation, but that the primary legal accountability for domestic wells rests at the county and property‑owner level.

Why it matters: thousands of Californians rely on privately owned wells or very small systems; staff and advisory members said gaps in data, funding and local capacity leave many households without reliable, safe water and that the state must define what it can do within its legal limits.

State staff reviewed the existing evidence and programs. Elszvogt and other staff noted a State Water Board aquifer‑risk mapping effort…