Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Colleen Chawla, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Charles Ice, Director, Environmental Health Services
Subject: Introduction of Ordinance Updating Chapter 4.64 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code Concerning Domestic Water Systems
RECOMMENDATION:
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Introduction of an ordinance repealing and replacing San Mateo County Ordinance Code Chapter 4.64 concerning domestic water systems, and waive reading of the ordinance in its entirety.
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BACKGROUND:
The County’s water supply system ordinance (Chapter 4.64 of San Mateo County Ordinance Code) was last updated in 1977 and is outdated, lacking alignment with current State regulations and policies governing domestic water supplies. The County’s Wells Ordinance (Chapter 4.68) was first adopted in January 2001 and was last amended in November 2002. These two ordinances function in tandem, and Environmental Health Services (EHS) is proposing a comprehensive overhaul of both ordinances to align with current State standards and updated regulatory best practices and for improved implementation and enforcement of both ordinances.
In addition, the proposed Domestic Water Systems ordinance seeks to regulate Farm Labor Housing Water Systems. In 2023, the County of San Mateo created the Farmworker Housing Compliance Task Force (Task Force) consisting of inspection and compliance personnel from multiple County departments. The Task Force had two goals: (1) proactively identify and locate all farmworker housing on agricultural and ranch lands within the unincorporated area, whether permitted or illegally constructed; and (2) inspect such housing and work with property owners to ensure that all units comply with minimum health and safety standards. The Task Force determined that of the 124 active agricultural and ranch operations in unincorporated San Mateo County, 56 operations are providing 145 far...
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