in Mississippi

the initial response, assessment, monitoring, risk evaluation, and remediation of petroleum
contamination to remove risks to human health and the environment. The legal authority derives
from Mississippi’s Underground Storage Tank Act of 1988, Code, § 49-17-405, which also
created the Mississippi Groundwater Protection Trust Fund. Through the Mississippi
Groundwater Protection Trust Fund, the Assessment and Remediation Program reimburses
eligible tank owners for the reasonable and just costs associated with assessment and remediation
activities.
When tank owners report a release at the facility, they are the responsible parties for all
assessment and remediation activities. After the report, MDEQ assigns the site to a project
manager Division of Owners per Project Manager. MDEQ requires information from the tank
owner, performs a site visit, and if necessary, determines if the site is eligible for the Mississippi
Groundwater Protection Trust Fund. In order to be eligible for reimbursement from the trust
fund, a release at an underground storage tank site must:
• be confirmed;
• be a motor fuel;
• be in use on or after July 1, 1988;
• be in substantial compliance with UST regulations; and
• pose a threat to the environment or public health or welfare.
If the site is Trust Fund Eligible, the tank owner will be responsible for hiring either an
Environmental Response Action Contractor or an Immediate Response Action Contractor. The
tank owner will also need to complete a Trust Fund application, forms required to receive
reimbursement, and a certification affidavit.
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY
“Water supply system” refers to pipelines, conduits, pumping stations and all other structures,
devices and appliances used in transporting water to public agencies or to a point of ultimate use
(Code, § 51-9-191). Mississippi has three types of public water systems (PWS). The largest is a
community PWS used to distribute water throughout towns. The second type of PWS is a
nontransient, noncommunity that schools or factories utilize. The last type is a transient
noncommunity system that is located at rest stops or parks. Mississippi currently has 1,211
community PWSs, 109 nontransient noncommunity PWSs, and 140 transient noncommunity
PWSs.
Safe Drinking Water Standards
The EPA requires that PWSs monitor their water systems in order to detect unregulated
contaminants. Currently, the EPA only approves certain methods for the analysis of drinking
water samples.
The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act requires water quality analysis and the revenue comes
from the state’s Drinking Water Quality Analysis Fund. A full description and further
stipulations can be found in the Mississippi Safe Drinking Water Act of 1997 (Code, § 41-26-
252