Water System Administrator: Information for Communities

There are two types of administrators:

• Full Scope. A full scope administrator is authorized to exercise total and complete managerial control over a designated water system. This includes: distributing water bills, legal responsibilities, operating the water system, hosting public meetings, and developing improvement projects.
• Limited Scope. This type of administrator does not have complete managerial or financial control over the water system. A limited scope administrator manages one or more of the specific areas listed above, for example an Administrator who manages only a grant-funded project.

Administrator Role

• Community accountability. An administrator must act in the best interest of the water system and community it serves including ratepayers, renters, and property owners.  Administrators will establish relationships through a Community Accountability and Engagement Plan that includes outreach, public meetings, and regular updates (at least every three months).
• Water system management. Each administrator develops and implements a plan to improve the water system’s capability to sustainably deliver adequate, affordable, and safe drinking water. The administrator trains the water system?? to develop their administrative and project management skills to maintain a sustainable governance model.

Community Role

• Participate in the process. Community members play an important role in providing input to the administrator on safe drinking water efforts in their community. Community members can influence the administrator’s decision-making by attending meetings and providing input in the process.
• If a community member believes the administrator has taken actions that are not in the best interest of the community, they can submit a complaint to the State Water Board at ddw-administrator@waterboards.ca.gov

1. System Notification

• The State Water Board will notify the water system they have been identified as consistently failing to provide an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water to a disadvantaged community.
• The system is given the opportunity to prove otherwise.

2.  Public Notification

• The community is provided written notice of a public meeting to discuss the administrator appointment decision, at approximately 30 days before the public meeting.
• The potential administrator candidate will be disclosed in the public meeting notice, if already identified

3.  Public Input & Meeting

• The State Water Board will review the administrator process with the community, including an overview of tasks, the qualifications of the administrator, and how they will be funded.
• The name of administrator candidate will be shared with the public by written notice when identified. The community will have the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed selected administrator.

4.  Scoping & Funding

• The State Water Board will develop a plan for the water system including scope of work, budget, and funding for the administrator’s salary.

5.  Administrator Appointment

• The Administrator Order appoints the selected Administrator to take managerial control of the water system.

6.  Implementation

• A Community Accountability & Engagement plan will be developed within 90 days of appointment.
• Administrators must hold public meetings to share updates at every 3 months.
• A Post-Administrator Service Plan will be provided within 12 months of appointment.

7. Appointment Concludes (Administrator Transition)

• The Administrator will transition managerial control of water system to a sustainable form of governance, with the Post-Administrator Drinking Water Service Plan in effect.