Revised On: Dec. 4, 2023 - 7:30 p.m.

Developed in the 1990s by the State of Arizona, the Monitoring Assistance Program (MAP) helps small drinking water systems comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act by assisting with the collection, transportation, analysis and reporting of regulated contaminants taken at the entry point to the distribution systems (EPDS). All community and non-transient non-community public water systems (except state or federally owned water systems) serving less than 10,000 people are required to participate in MAP.

State or federally owned water systems or those with populations greater than 10,000 may opt to participate in MAP if they abide all MAP guidelines and continue participating in the program for at least three years.

Participation Benefits

MAP provides water systems with required baseline sampling at an economies of scale rate by contracting large volumes of sampling in a competitive bid environment. Participation in MAP also ensures that proper water quality monitoring is conducted by adhering to the Safe Drinking Water Information System Database (SDWIS) schedule.

Participation Fees

Each system is charged a $250 base fee and $2.57 per service connection¹ annually. This money is deposited into a fund for hiring a private contractor through the state procurement bid process. The contractor collects, transports, analyzes and reports results of baseline samples to MAP systems and ADEQ.

Updates to MAP Invoicing

Note that:

• 2019 was the last year for MAP refund checks.  The refund amount will now be applied to your next MAP invoice, so look for a credit on your next invoice for the 2021 MAP cycle.
• Invoicing will still be once per year, but you may be billed in a different month of the year, starting in 2021.
• Owners will be notified of their new invoicing period via email and US mail.
• Invoicing remains $250, plus $2.57/service connection annually.²
• Customer outreach was performed prior to these changes went into effect.
  
  

Monitoring

The program samples for regulated inorganic contaminants, volatile organic contaminants, synthetic organic contaminants, asbestos, radionuclides, nitrite, nitrate, sodium and nickel. MAP does not monitor for total coliform bacteria, disinfection byproducts, minimum residual disinfection levels, lead and copper. Testing for these contaminants remains the responsibility of public water systems and generally are taken inside the building or distribution system on a much more frequent basis.

When sampling results meet or exceed the maximum contaminant levels or reporting limits, MAP will not sample for increased monitoring. In either of these scenarios, the system is responsible for collecting samples and providing ADEQ with the results. 

Update Cards

Each year, MAP provides a postage-paid update card to all MAP participants to help systems comply with Arizona Administrative Code (AAC) guidelines.³ Information gathered from the MAP Update Cards is used to assess MAP fees and update system information, including contact information, information about the population served and the number of service connections. Failure to return the MAP Update Card with accurate population information may impact system sampling schedules that are not overseen by MAP (i.e., total coliform, lead and copper, and DBP). Further, an inaccurate MAP Update Card may result in inaccurate invoicing. Please carefully review all MAP information and return.

Sample MAP Update Card | View/Download >

Detailed Monitoring Schedules 

The monitoring schedules for systems participating in the program are now available | Schedule by County > 

Questions?

Visit our frequently asked questions page to find answers | Read FAQs >

¹As defined in the Arizona Administrative Code (AAC) Drinking Water Rules: “Service Connection means a location at the meter or, in the absence of a meter, at the curb stop or building inlet.”
²Per AAC R18-4-304
³AAC R 18-4-303 (B) — The legal owner of a public water system participating in the monitoring assistance program shall notify the department of:

1. The legal owner's current mailing address and phone number.
2. The population currently being served by the system.
3. The public water system identification number.
4. The number of meters or service connections being served by the water system.