Policy Text
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/09/2 5, All Rights
Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Clara
County Sheriff's Office Water Supply - 1Policy
804Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office
Custody Manual
Water Supply
804.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office recognizes the importance of providing the facility with
safe, potable water. The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for testing the facility's
water to ensure that the water is safe to consume.
804.2 POLICY
In compliance with standards set by law, this facility will ensure the continued supply of safe
potable water for use by incarcerated persons, staff, and visitors through rigorous annual testing
of water supplies (42 USC § 300f et seq.).
804.3 WATER TESTING AND STANDARDS
The Assistant Sheriff of Custody Operations or the authorized designee shall ensure that the
facility's potable water source is tested by an independent public or private testing service at least
once each year. Water quality will be certified to be in com pliance with all state and local
regulations. Corrective measures shall be promptly taken if the test results fall below acceptable
regulatory standards.
In the event that water testing reveals any significant hazards to the incarcerated persons or staff
at the facility, the Sheriff, Assistant Sheriff of Custody Operations or the authorized designee, and
Adult Custody Health Services shall take immediate action to mitigate the problem.
The testing results, valid certificates of the sampling entity, and the testing laboratory shall be kept
in accordance with established records retention schedules.
Where the facility's water supply is obtained from a private source, the source shall be properly
located, constructed, and operated to protect it from contamination and pollution, and the water
shall meet all current standards set by the applicable state and/or local authority regarding
bacteriological, chemical, and physical tests for purity.
804.4 EMERGENCY PLAN
The Assistant Sheriff of Custody Operations or the authorized designee and the Office's health
authority shall develop a plan for the supply of potable water for drinking and cooking in the
event that a man -made or natural disaster interrupts the regular water supply. The plan shall
address methods for providing clean potable water for a minimum of three days, and should have
contingency plans for emergencies lasting longer than three days. The plan should also include
contingencies for the use of non-potable water to flush toilets and remove effluent from the facility.
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to deny the power of any facility administrator to
temporarily suspend any standard or requirement herein prescribed in the event of any emergency
which threatens the safety of a local detention facility, incarcerated people, staff, or the public. Only
such regulations directly affected by the emergency may be suspended. The facility administrator
Docusign Envelope ID: 5E137B6B-6F36-4EC4-8A2E-30F4BD9BF47D
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/09/2 5, All Rights
Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Clara
County Sheriff's Office Water Supply - 2 Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office
Custody Manual
Water Supply
shall notify the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) in writing in the event that such
a suspension lasts longer than three days. Suspensions lasting for more than 15 days require
approval of the chairperson of the BSCC. Such approval shall be effective for the time specified
by the chairperson (15 CCR 1012).
804.5 POLICY REVIEW
This policy shall be reviewed at least once every two years.
804.6 POLICY TRACKING
Date of Origin 6/14/23
Review Date
Revision Date
Date Approved 9/25/2024
Effective Date 9/26/2024
Supersedes New Policy
References 42 USC § 300f et seq, 15 CCR 1012
Regulatory Authority 15 CCR 1029
Signature of Issuing Authority
Docusign Envelope ID: 5E137B6B-6F36-4EC4-8A2E-30F4BD9BF47D
9/26/2026