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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Drinking Water and Private Wells

Florida Department of Health in Manatee County

Environmental Public Health
  •  941-714-7593
    EPH Division
  •  941-748-0747
    DOH-Manatee Main Line
  •  

    Mailing Location

    410 6th Avenue East 

    Attn: Environmental Public Health 

    Bradenton, FL 34208

Drinking Water

Through the Limited Use Drinking Water program, Environmental Public Health monitors small public drinking water systems (wells) in Manatee County. The program:

  • Checks for water contamination (from bacteria, organic/inorganic chemicals, or radiation).
  • Reviews construction plans for new or modified systems to ensure all applicable standards are met.
  • Performs routine annual sanitation and safety inspections.
  • Investigates complaints of water-related diseases.
  • The Well Surveillance Program protects public health by monitoring and identifying threats to the drinking water supply, ensuring that contaminated sites posing the greatest risk get cleaned up first, and preventing long-term consumption of contaminated drinking water.

    Drinking water wells are vulnerable to contamination by industrial chemicals, petroleum, or agricultural chemicals. Well owners are typically not responsible for the contamination, and may be unaware of the dangers. In 1984, the State of Florida created what is now the Well Surveillance Program to ensure that potentially contaminated wells are located and tested. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Health (DOH) both have responsibility for program. Field sampling and surveys are carried out by County Health Department personnel.

New Limited Use Permitting Checklist

Private Wells (Drinking Water)

This office assists owners of private water systems in determining the bacteriological quality of their drinking water. Samples are brought in from private wells at the request of owners, residents, physicians, and/or lending institutions. In addition, the Environmental Public Health staff investigates waterborne illnesses possibly related to private water systems.

Resources