Potable Water

"Potable" refers to water that is safe to drink. Employers are responsible for ensuring that potable water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and laundry is distributed properly throughout the temporary work site.

OSHA has requirements for the amount of water per person ("capable of delivering 35 gallons per person per day to the campsite at a peak rate of 2 1/2 times the average hourly demand") and water distribution lines (must supply water "at normal operating pressures to all fixtures for simultaneous operation"). It also provides requirements for water outlets if water does not do directly to shelters (no shelter may be more than 100 feet from a yard hydrant) and the number of drinking fountains (one for each 100 occupants). Finally, employers may not supply common drinking cups.

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