CDPH Water System Priority Funding Schedule

CDPH Water System Priority [Fluoridation] Funding Schedule
The California Department of Public Health, Sacramento.
The California Department of Public Health in Sacramento.

JUMP TO CHART:  CDPH WATER SYSTEM PRIORITY FUNDING SCHEDULE

WHY IS THERE A PRIORITY FUNDING SCHEDULE?

AB733 (1995) mandates fluoridation in all California water systems with 10,000 or more active connections (a connection is equivalent to a water bill), and that funding for State-mandated fluoridation projects must be provided from sources other than taxpayers or ratepayers.

In order to pass AB733, it was necessary to present the bill as a funded mandate, although, in practice, funding grants cover only fluoridation infrastructure, and sometimes come with onerous contract provisions.  Ongoing fluoridation expenses may be passed on to ratepayers. The statute requires the PUC  to approve any fluoridation-related rate hikes.

Grants for fluoridation infrastructure usually come from  offshoots of professional advocacy groups, for example, the California Dental Association Foundation, formed as the philanthropic arm of the California Dental Association (CDA), the California Endowment, which is the charitable arm of Blue Cross, and from organizations with close ties to state government, like First 5 California.

In 1999 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) published the first Water System Priority Funding Schedule. The ranking of water systems on the schedule reflects the findings (opinion) of  CDPH about the impact of fluoridating each system. The ranking does not indicate the order in which funding must be provided.

In Marin County, the North Marin Water District (serving Novato) is #32 on the schedule.

In Sonoma County, Petaluma is #142 on the funding schedule, and Santa Rosa is #152.

Note: It’s puzzling that CDPH releases annual Funding Schedule “updates” with priority funding listings identical to the 1999 listings, whether or not fluoridation funding has been found for any of the water systems, and regardless of whether any of systems has fluoridated its water.

The Water System Priority Funding Schedule is designed first, to prioritize fluoridation funding, and second, to track compliance. When a water system on the schedule is offered funding for water fluoridation, it fluoridates, or it risks legal penalties, unless it is alert to specific, time sensitive, legal remedies, which do not include a vote of the people, according to a precedent-setting decision by the California Court of Appeal, Sixth District (10/26/2005).

Up to now California’s fluoridation mandate has been implemented only in water districts, willing or unwilling, that offered no resistance to the mandate. Note: Penalties were imposed on the City of Watsonville, but technicalities have kept Watsonville both unfluoridated, and in compliance with the mandate. However that is poised to change.

June 5, 2015, Governor Jerry Brown announced the appointment of Jayanth V. Kumar, DDS, MPH to serve as Dental Director for the State of California.

California Dental Director Jayanth V. Kumar, DDS, MPH
California Dental Director Jayanth V. Kumar, DDS, MPH

The newly created position, under the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is a triumph for the California Dental Association (CDA), which has long lobbied for the position. In a 2014 press release, CDA reports that the California State budget “provides $474,000 in funding for the first year to assess oral health needs in the state, develop and manage a state oral health plan, and apply for and manage federal and private grants to support oral health,” and notes that the role of the state dental director will include “working to secure funding for prevention-focused oral health.” [Emphases added.]

Staff in the office of the Dental Director will track unfluoridated water systems on the schedule, pursuing fluoridation funding, and monitoring compliance.

~~~
Water System Priority Funding Schedule: Table 64434-A / California Regulations Related to Drinking Water / June 25, 2015 / pp 89-94 / Adopted March 23, 1998 / Last updated June 25, 2015—from Titles 17 and 22 California Code of Regulations. [Posted online as: dwregulations-2015-07-16.doc / pp 99-104 ]

Table 64434-A / Water System Priority Funding Schedule

System No.

System Name

Priority

3710010

Helix Water District

1

5610017

Ventura, City of

2

4110013

Daly City, City of

3

3710006

Escondido, City of

4

4210011

Santa Maria, City of

5

3410009

Fair Oaks Water District

6

1910083

Manhattan Beach, City of

7

3710025

Sweetwater Authority

8

4210010

Santa Barbara, City of

9

0910001

El Dorado Irrigation District

10

3410006

Citrus Heights Water District

11

4410010

Santa Cruz, City of

12

3610039

San Bernardino, City of

13

3310009

Eastern Municipal Water District

14

3710037

Padre Dam Municipal Water District

15

1910067

Los Angeles, City of

16

2810003

Napa, City of

17

3710020

San Diego, City of

18

3710034

Otay Water District

19

3310031

Riverside, City of

20

1910173

Whittier, City of

21

3410020

Sacramento, City of

22

1910139

California American Water Company – San Marino

23

3710021

San Dieguito Water District

24

3610024

Hesperia Water District

25

1910179

Burbank, City of

26

2710004

California American Water Company – Monterey

27

3310049

Western Municipal Water District

28

3010073

Moulton Niguel Water District

29

3010101

Santa Margarita Water District

30

1910239

Lakewood, City of

31

2110003

North Marin Water District

32

3010037

Yorba Linda Water District

33

3710015

Poway, City of

34

3110025

Placer County Water Agency

35

5010010

Modesto, City of

36

1910126

Pomona, City of

37

3410004

Carmichael Water District

38

1910043

Glendale, City of

39

3610018

Cucamonga Community Water District

40

3910011

Tracy, City of

41

1910234

Walnut Valley Water District

42

3910012

Stockton, City of

43

1910146

Santa Monica, City of

44

3710027

Vista Irrigation District

45

3010018

La Habra, City of

46

1910009

Valley County Water District

47

3310012

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District

48

1910051

Inglewood, City of

49

3710005

Carlsbad Municipal Water District

50

4210004

Goleta Water District

51

1910213

Torrance, City of

52

1910152

South Gate, City of

53

1910155

Southern California Water Company – Southwest

54

1510017

Indian Wells Valley Water District

55

1910039

San Gabriel Valley Water Company – El Monte

56

1610003

Hanford, City of

57

3310037

Corona, City of

58

3010062

Garden Grove, City of

59

3610003

Apple Valley Ranchos Water Community

60

3610036

Chino Hills, City of

61

3010064

Westminster, City of

62

4310011

San Jose Water Company

63

3610012

Chino, City of

64

3910004

Lodi, City of

65

5610007

Oxnard, City of

66

1910019

Cerritos, City of

67

1910205

Suburban Water Systems – San Jose Hills

68

1910059

Suburban Water Systems – La Mirada

69

1910092

Monterey Park, City of

70

1910174

Suburban Water Systems – Whittier

71

1910026

Compton, City of

72

1910124

Pasadena, City of

73

3310022

Lake Hemet Municipal Water District

74

1910142

Southern California Water Company – San Dimas

75

4510005

Redding, City of

76

3610037

Redlands, City of

77

3910005

Manteca, City of

78

3710014

Oceanside, City of

79

3610038

Rialto, City of

80

4310022

Great Oaks Water Company

81

4310014

Sunnyvale, City of

82

3310021

Jurupa Community Services District

83

3410001

Arcade- Town & County

84

3610052

Victor Valley Water District

85

3010023

Newport Beach, City of

86

3610064

East Valley Water District

87

1910225

Las Virgenes Municipal Water District

88

3710001

California American Water Company – Coronado

89

3610034

Ontario, City of

90

3910001

California Water Service Company – Stockton

91

1910033

Dominguez Water Agency

92

5410015

Tulare, City of

93

5710006

Woodland, City of

94

3710029

Olivenhain Municipal Water District

95

1910003

Arcadia, City of

96

1910008

Azusa Valley Water Company

97

4410011

Watsonville, City of

98

3010003

Buena Park, City of

99

4310005

Milpitas, City of

100

1910017

Santa Clarita Water Company

101

1910240

Valencia Water Company

102

3610004

West San Bernardino Water District

103

0910002

South Tahoe Public Utilities District

104

5610059

Southern California Water Company – Simi Valley

105

3010027

Orange, City of

106

5410010

Porterville, City of

107

4410017

Soquel Creek Water District

108

4110023

San Bruno, City of

109

1910001

Alhambra, City of

110

3010022

Southern California Water Company-West Orange County

111

3010091

Los Alisos Water District

112

3610050

Upland, City of

113

3410024

Northridge Water District

114

1010003

Clovis, City of

115

3010004

Mesa Consolidated Water District

116

3610041

San Gabriel Valley Water Company – Fontana

117

3410010

Citizens Utilities Company of California – Suburban

118

3010038

Santa Ana, City of

119

3010092

Irvine Ranch Water District

120

1910211

Park Water Company – Bellflower

121

3010010

Fullerton, City of

122

4310007

Mountain View, City of

123

3010036

San Clemente, City of

124

3010079

El Toro Water District

125

5610020

Thousand Oaks, City of

126

3610029

Monte Vista Water District

127

1910004

Southern California Water Company – Artesia

128

4210016

Southern California Water Company – Orcutt

129

4110008

California Water Service Company – San Mateo

130

1310038

Rancho California Water District

131

3410017

Citizens Utilities Company of California – Parkway

132

1910024

Southern California Water Company – Claremont

133

1910044

Glendora, City of

134

3010001

Anaheim, City of

135

5710001

Davis, City of

136

1910134

California Water Service Company-Hermosa/Redondo

137

1010007

Fresno, City of

138

1910102

Palmdale Water District

139

4310012

Santa Clara, City of

140

2710010

California Water Service Company – Salinas

141

4910006

Petaluma, City of

142

1910036

California Water Service Company – East Los Angeles

143

3410013

Citizens Utilities Company of California – Lincoln Oaks

144

3310001

Coachella Valley Water District

145

5010019

Turlock, City of

146

5410016

California Water Service Company – Visalia

147

5610023

Waterworks District 8-Simi Valley

148

0410002

California Water Service Company – Chico

149

1910104

California Water Service Company – Palos Verdes

150

3410015

Southern California Water Company – Corodva

151

4910009

Santa Rosa, City of

152

1910194

Rowland Water District

153

1510003

California Water Service Company – Bakersfield

154

5610040

California American Water Company – Village District

155

3310005

Desert Water Agency

156

0110003

California Water Service Company – Livermore

157

3010046

Tustin, City of

158

4310001

California Water Service Company – Los Altos Suburban

159

4110007

California Water Service Company – San Carlos

160

1910070

Los Angeles, County Water Works District 4&34- Lancaster

161

1510031

Bakersfield, City of

162

4110009

California Water Service Company – South San Francisco

163

3010053

Huntington Beach, City of

164

4110006

California Water Service Company – Bear Gulch

165

1910034

Downey, City of

166

4110022

Redwood City

167

NOTE: This publication is meant to be an aid to the staff of the State Board’s Division of Drinking Water and cannot be relied upon by the regulated community as the State of California’s representation of the law. The published codes are the only official representation of the law. Refer to the published codes—in this case, 1 7 CCR and 22 CCR—whenever specific citations are required. Statutes related to the State Board’s drinking water- related activities are in the Health & Safety Code, the Water Code, and other codes.