Welcome to the California Environmental Health Tracking Program (CEHTP) Drinking Water Systems Geographic Reporting Tool, also known as the Water Boundary Tool. This tool is specifically for use by California public water systems, local primacy agencies, and the CDPH Drinking Water Program.
To learn more about the tool, select from the topics below.
- What's new
- About the tool
- Purpose of the tool
- Partnerships and support
- For assistance and information
Read the welcome letter from the Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management.
What's new
- 8/10/2012: We have created a new discussion forum for the Water Boundary Tool. It's called the CEHTP Water Boundary Tool Group and can be viewed at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/cehtp-water-boundary-tool-group. Please use it to submit questions or comments about the tool and to learn from others.
About the tool
The Water Systems Geographic Reporting Tool allows personnel from water systems, state primacy field operations districts, local primacy agencies (LPAs), other state agencies, and other qualified individuals to input and edit customer service area boundaries for drinking water systems throughout California.
The tool also allows users to:
- Create and edit service area boundaries
- Track boundaries as they change over time
- Collaborate with other users to improve accuracy of boundaries
- View boundaries on Google Maps
- Export digital files of the customer service areas
To learn more, view FAQs or our presentation at the CA/NV American Water Works Association conference on March 30, 2011.
To begin using the tool, users must register for an account.
Purpose of the tool
CEHTP, along with our partners, created this tool with the following goals:
- Produce a high resolution, digital map of drinking water system customer service areas for the entire state of California
- Assist water systems in digitizing their customer service area boundaries and identifying their neighboring systems
- Create a geographic information system (GIS) layer that can be used for:
- Emergency preparedness
- Public health prevention and response
- Research to better understand the relationship between drinking water, health, and the environment
To learn more, view FAQs.
Partnerships and support
The California Environmental Health Tracking Program (CEHTP) initiated this effort; developed, deployed, and maintains the tool; and hosts the website. Our partners have been essential in this effort, offering key information and support.
The CDPH Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management provided information about the public water systems in the state, which was essential to the tool's development; facilitates relationship-building with water systems and other key stakeholders; and provides guidance and support in the tool's implementation.
The UC Davis Information Center for the Environment (ICE) conducts outreach to water systems, pre-populates the tool with boundaries obtained from various sources, and provides software development support and guidance.
For assistance and information
- FAQs - View our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the tool
- Instructions and Tutorials - View step-by-step instructions for using the tool
- Discussion Group - Ask questions and learn about previous issues
For more information, contact the tool administrator. Please notify us of any problems with our tool. We welcome your comments and feedback.