The Division of Water's mission is to improve and protect water quality. In keeping with this mission, the division:

• Establishes standards for water cleanliness;
• Regulates discharges to waters and wetlands;
• Provides financial assistance for water and wastewater facility construction, and waterbody assessment and remediation;
• Trains, certifies and assists water and wastewater system operators; and
• Monitors and reports on water quality.

The Division of Water improves and protect Alaska's water quality through these programs:

Facilities Programs

• Village Safe Water (Go to Home Page)
  
  
  • Allocation and Distribution of funding for sanitation facilities.
    Funding grants to small communities for water and sewer studies and construction projects.
  • Grant Administration
    Ensure appropriate and effective use of grant funds.
  • Project Oversight, Monitoring and Control
    One of two agencies responsible for project oversight (along with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium)
  
  
• Municipal Grants and Loans (Go to Home Page)
  
  
  • Municipal Grants Program (Go to Home Page)
    
    
    • Assigning a project engineer to assist with plans, designs, construction and regulations.
    • Providing grants for facility planning and construction.
    
    
  • Municipal Loan Program (Go to Home Page)
    
    
    • Providing low-interest loans up to 20 years in duration for projects or eligible portions of projects.
    • Providing refinancing of eligible projects.
    • Assigning a project engineer to assist with plans, designs, construction and regulations.
    • Assuring timely reimbursement for construction expenditures.
    • Ensuring appropriate and effective use of loan funds.

• Operations Assistance (Go to Home Page)
  
  
  • Operator Training and Certification Program (Go to Home Page)
    
    
    • Develop training curricula, correspondence courses, certification standards, and examination materials for over 2,500 certified drinking water and wastewater system operators.
    • Coordinate and notify operators of training opportunities.
    • Work with the Alaska Water and Wastewater Advisory Board to establish standards for certifying operators and to adjudicate certification actions.
    • Maintain a lending library of reference and training materials.
    • Administer Semi-Annual Statewide Certification Exams.
    
    
  • Remote Maintenance Worker Program (Go to Home Page)
    
    
    • Provide over-the-shoulder training and technical assistance to local water and sewer operators in over 180 rural communities through a circuit rider program.
    • Provide immediate response to emergency situations that threaten or impact community water and sewerage facilities.
    • Provide regional classroom training for area utility operators.
    • Maintain an inventory of emergency repair equipment for loan to communities.

Water Quality programs

• Compliance (Go to Home Page)
  
  
  • The Compliance and Enforcement Program will assure compliance with APDES permit and program requirements by using a combination of
    1. Compliance Monitoring,
    2. Compliance Assistance,
    3. Compliance Incentives, and
    4. Enforcement.
  
  
• Cruise Ship (Go to Home Page)
  
  
  • Permits wastewater discharges from large cruise ships
  • Ensures cruise ships and State ferries comply with visible emission standards
  • Oversees the Alaska Ocean Ranger Program that monitors compliance with environmental standards, safety, and sanitation issues
  • Conducts scientific research to assess impact of cruise ship wastewater on Alaska's environment
    
    
• APDES Primacy (Go to Home Page)
  
  
  • Develop standard operating procedures, guidance, and policies to implement the state’s Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) Program.
  • Monitor revisions to federal laws, regulations, and policies relating to implementation of the APDES Program.
  • Serve as a liaison between DEC and EPA staff.
  • Provide outreach and information to the public and Tribes regarding the APDES Program.
  
  
• Wastewater Discharge Authorization (Go to Home Page)
  
  
  • Issue permits and monitor compliance with State permits for wastewater discharges.
  • Certify that permits for wastewater discharges issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency comply with State water quality law.
  • Inspect permitted facilities to verify compliance and help operators comply with their permits.
  • Cruise ship registration and regulation.
  • Improve online permitting and permit fee payment services.
  
  
• Water Quality Standards Assessment and Restoration (Go to Home Page)
  
  
  • Protect the waters of the State of Alaska from pollutants.
  • Help people understand the Water Quality Standards regulations and how they are used.
  • Provide easy access to the regulations, proposed revisions, fact sheets, technical papers, and issues that may be of interest.