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<br />002986 <br /> <br />WATER QUALITY RELATED RESPONSIBILTIES <br />OF <br />THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA <br /> <br />The State of California has an extremely comprehensive program of <br />water quality control equaled by few, if any, States in the Union. <br />California under the authority of the Water Code, the Fish and Game <br />COde, and the Health and Safety Code has complete authority to protect, <br />alter, study, preserve, and upgrade the quality of the waters of the <br />State, including the surface, ground,' and the offshore ocean waters. <br />This authority is exercised through the following organizations: <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The Department of Water Resources <br />The De:partment of Fish and Game <br />The Department of Public Health <br />The State Water Quality Control Board <br />Nine Regional Water Pollution Control Boards <br /> <br />California I s Water Quality Control T"aw went into effect in 1963, <br />and the Water Pollution Control ,rent into effect in 1949. The Fish <br />and Game Code, the Water Code, and the Public Health Code are basic <br />codifications of the laws of the State. <br /> <br />Activities <br /> <br />The State Department of Public Health, operating under the Health <br />and Safety COde, is responsible for the safety, :purit:)i and wholesomeness <br />of the waters delivered to consumers. It is also required to prevent <br />contamination which in California refers to the effect of waste dis- <br />charges on the :public health through poisoning or through the spread of <br />disease. The Director of the State Department of Public Health also <br />serves as an ex officio member of the State Water Quality Control <br />Board. <br /> <br />The State Department of Water Resources is the agency charged with <br />the res:ponsibility for planning and construction of projects to insure <br />that full use is made of the State's water resources. The department <br />is also charged with making ,rater quality investigations into all phases <br />of water quality including surface, ground, and marine waters. <br /> <br />The State Water Quality Control Board is responsible for setting <br />statewide :policy with respect to the maintenance and control of water <br />quality. <br /> <br />4 <br /> <br />~ . <br /> <br />1 .) <br />;,L.Q <br />