Safe Water Resources
Learn how to keep your water resources safe, including recreational water, private wells, drinking water, and emergency water supply, with our free tools.
Jump to our resources for private wells or Legionnaires’ disease.
Reduce risk for waterborne illness outbreaks, drowning, and chemical poisoning at public pools and other aquatic venues with these free science-based guidelines.
Health departments: Learn about threats to well water after a wildfire and explore CDC’s rapid assessment form.
Access videos, posters, and other tools from health departments working to reduce exposures from private wells.
Learn how CDC works with health departments to improve well water programs.
Join this virtual community for resources on private water issues, including a discussion forum, resources library, event calendar, webinars, and newsletters (produced in collaboration with CDC).
Explore Legionella resources for environmental health practitioners, including a Vital Signs report and infographic, environmental sampling videos, toolkit for developing a water management plan, and more.
Access resources to help communities with all phases of water advisories including guidance, recommendations, instructions, templates, and other tools.
Develop an Emergency Water Supply Plan to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a total or partial interruption of health facilities’ normal water supply.
Learn how to assess the public health risks for using areas after a flood where potential exposure to microbial contamination exists.
Understand and prepare for drought in your community with this guide for public health professionals.
Improve your knowledge, skills, and resources to address the environmental health impacts of emergencies and disasters on potable water and waste water.
Access comprehensive workforce development resources for environmental public health practitioners with this free package of 15 e-learning courses, with topics including potable water, waste water, and swimming pools and recreational facilities.
Improve your inspection skills by learning about aquatic facility systems and walking through a pool inspection using CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) inspection form.
Learn to create a water management program to reduce risk for Legionnaires’ disease.
Take CDC’s training for safer well water through stronger public health programs using the 10 Essential Environmental Public Health Services.
Read our plain language summary of findings from CDC-led Legionnaires’ disease outbreak investigations.
Explore our collection of resources around wastewater management research.
Read about water safety projects by funded Environmental Health Specialists Network partners in fiscal years 2010–2015.
Read our water publications on such topics as wastewater management, waterborne disease outbreaks, drought, drinking water, recreational water, and global water.
On July 9, 2013, an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease was identified at a Long-Term Care Facility in central Ohio. This article describes the investigation of the outbreak and identification of the source, a cooling tower using an automated biocide delivery system. EHS participated in the environmental assessment.
At the request of the Ohio Department of Health, EHS investigated the potential sources of water contamination on South Bass Island in 2004. Ohio asked for assistance because slightly more than 1,000 persons reported a sudden onset of symptoms that included diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and vomiting.