Tanks & Pumps · In brief
Buying Hauled Water: Ask for the State License First
Hauled water for a rural home in California should come from a hauler licensed by the Department of Public Health, which licenses anyone carrying drinking water in loads of 250 gallons or more.
By the Ranch House Water desk · Updated · 2 min read
When a well runs short, a water truck and a storage tank can keep a household going. The state oversees that delivered water through its food safety program. Health and Safety Code section 111120 requires every water hauler working in the state to be licensed, and the license is issued by CDPH's Food and Drug Branch.
What does the license cover?
It covers drinking water hauled in bulk, which the department defines as containers of 250 gallons or more. The license must be renewed every year, and a renewal needs current total coliform test results from within the last 30 days, with a separate test for each water hauler. Category X haulers may carry only potable water. SLO County's own list of licensed potable water haulers simply points to the state's records, so the CDPH page is the place to check.
Before the first delivery, ask the hauler for the license and whether the truck carries only drinking water. Keep a copy with your well records.
Is hauled water allowed as a home's permanent supply?
We could not confirm SLO County's rules on that. If you are buying or building on a parcel without a reliable well, put the question to the county's Environmental Health Services and its Planning & Building department before counting on deliveries. We also found no free hauled-water program for dry wells in the county.
If your well has failed, report it through DWR's dry well reporting system; the state says a report is not an application for help. Our brief on reporting a dry well and story on when a well runs low explain the next steps. After a disaster, the county advises bottled water until you know your supply is safe.
Delivered water is only as clean as the tank it goes into. Keep lids closed and vents screened, and never climb into or onto a tank; see tank care and cleaning and water storage tanks.
Sources
- CDPH Food and Drug Branch — Water Hauler License Procedures — license, 250 gallons, annual renewal, coliform tests
- SLO County — List of Licensed Potable Water Haulers — county page points to CDPH
- DWR — Dry Well Reporting System — reporting a dry well
- SLO County EHS — Disaster Preparedness and Response — bottled water after a disaster