Permitting Agencies

In California, regulatory authority over well construction, alteration, and destruction activities rests with local jurisdictions (cities, counties, or water agencies), who have the authority to adopt a local well ordinance that meets or exceeds DWR Well Standards. Permitting and enforcement are carried out by the local enforcing agency (LEA), such as the County Department of Environmental Health. LEAs are listed below alphabetically by county; cities and water agencies are listed under the counties they reside in. Please help us keep this list up to date.

Alameda County

Alameda County Environmental Health Department

Alameda County Water District

Zone 7 Water Agency

City of Berkeley, Toxics Management Division

Alpine County

Alpine County Health and Human Services, Environmental Health

Amador County
Amador County Environmental Health Department

Butte County
Butte County Public Health

Calaveras County

Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency

Colusa County
Colusa County Environmental Health

Contra Costa County
Contra Costa Environmental Health

Del Norte County
Del Norte County Health & Human Services

El Dorado County
El Dorado County Environmental Management

Fresno County

City of Fowler

City of Kingsburg

City of Parlier

City of Reedley Public Works

Department of Public Health Environmental Health Division (Unincorporated areas)

Glenn County
Glenn County Environmental Health Department

Humboldt County
Humboldt County Division of Environmental Health (except tribal land for well drilling)

Imperial County
Imperial County Planning and Development Services

Inyo County
Inyo County Department of Environmental Health Services

Kern County
Kern County Department of Environmental Health Services

Kings County
Kings County Community Development Agency (Except City of Hanford, City of Lemoore, City of Avenal, and NAS Lemoore)

Lake County
Lake County Environmental Health

Lassen County
Lassen County Environmental Health Department

Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (all areas in Los Angeles County except for areas within the Cities of Long Beach, Pasadena, and Vernon.)

City of Long Beach Department of Public Health and Human Services

City of Pasadena Water and Power Department

City of Vernon Public Works

Madera County
Madera County Environmental Health Department

Marin County
Marin County Environmental Health Services

Mariposa County
Mariposa County Environmental Health

Mendocino County
Mendocino County Division of Environmental Health (Includes all unincorporated areas of the county)

Merced County
Merced County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health (Except cities of Atwater, Dos Palos, Gustine, Livingston, Los Banos, and Merced, and on any federal or state land.)

City of Merced Public Works Department

City of Los Banos Public Works Department

City of Livingston

Modoc County
Modoc County Environmental Health Department

Mono County
Mono County Environmental Health Department

Monterey County
Monterey County Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau

Napa County
Napa County Environmental Health Division

Nevada County
Nevada County Environmental Health Department

Orange County
Orange County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health (Except Cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Fountain Valley, Orange, and San Clemente.)

City of Anaheim Public Utilities

City of Beuna Park Public Works Department

City of Fountain Valley Public Works Engineering Department

City of Orange Public Works Department, Water Division

City of San Clemente Public Works, Engineering Services

Placer County
Placer County Environmental Health Department

City of Roseville Environmental Utilities Department

Plumas County
Plumas County Environmental Health (Except City of Portola)

Riverside County
Riverside County Department of Environmental Health

Sacramento County
Sacramento County Environmental Management Department (Includes cities of Sacramento, Folsom, Isleton, Galt, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, and Elk Grove)

San Benito County
San Benito County Water District

San Bernardino County
San Bernadiono County Environmental Health Services

San Diego County
San Diego County Department of Environmental Health

San Francisco County
San Francisco Department of Public Health

San Joaquin County
San Joaquin County Environmental Health Department (Except Stockton, Ripon, and Tracy)

San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division

San Mateo County
San Mateo County Environmental Health Services Division

Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services (Unincorporated areas)

Santa Clara County
Santa Clara Valley Water District

Santa Cruz County
Environmental Health Services of Santa Cruz County

City of Santa Cruz - Water Department

Shasta County
Shasta County Environmental Health Department