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Sanitary Survey Prep Checklist
Surveyors decide a lot in the first thirty minutes — mostly from your records. Print this, work through it before your survey window, and the visit becomes a walkthrough instead of an interrogation.
Free. No account needed.
System:
1. Records binder — what the surveyor will ask for
| Record | Where it is / status | |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Bacteriological Sample Siting Plan (current, matches actual practice) | |
| ☐ | Monitoring results, last 3 years (coliform, chem, lead & copper, DBPs) | |
| ☐ | State-issued monitoring schedule (current year) | |
| ☐ | Operator certification(s) — grade and expiration | |
| ☐ | Last sanitary survey letter + evidence every deficiency was corrected | |
| ☐ | Consumer Confidence Reports + delivery certifications (CWS) | |
| ☐ | Lead service line inventory as filed with the state | |
| ☐ | Emergency Response / Notification Plan (current contacts) | |
| ☐ | Cross-connection control program records / backflow test reports | |
| ☐ | Public notices issued (if any) + certifications to state | |
| ☐ | Well logs / source construction records | |
| ☐ | Pressure complaints or outage log |
2. Facility walkthrough — what they physically check
| Item | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Wellhead: sealed sanitary cap, screened vent, sloped concrete pad, no ponding | |
| ☐ | Well setbacks: no chemical storage, septic, or animal enclosures nearby | |
| ☐ | Storage tanks: locked hatches with gaskets, screened vents & overflows (#24 mesh), no corrosion holes | |
| ☐ | Tank interior inspection records (many states expect ~5-year cycles) | |
| ☐ | Chlorination: chemical feed working, residual test kit on hand, reagents not expired | |
| ☐ | Sample taps: smooth-nosed, clean, not near contamination sources | |
| ☐ | Cross-connections: hose bibs with vacuum breakers, no unprotected connections | |
| ☐ | Pressure: system maintains >20 psi at all points under normal demand | |
| ☐ | Electrical/controls: panels labeled, alarms functional, generator exercised | |
| ☐ | Site security: fencing, locks, no vandalism evidence |
3. The five most-cited deficiency areas
- Open items from the last survey — the #1 escalation trigger. Close them with photos and invoices.
- Sample siting plan mismatch — plan says one thing, sampling does another.
- Storage tank screens and hatches — missing vent screens and unsealed hatches.
- Operator certification gaps — expired certs or grade below system classification.
- Recordkeeping — results exist at the lab but not in your files. Surveyors cite what they cannot see.
A surveyor who finds a significant deficiency starts a corrective-action clock — typically 120 days or a state-set schedule. Fixing these items before the visit is cheaper than fixing them on a deadline.