Water Potability Certificate

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issues a Water Potability Certificate to wholesale food establishments. This certificate is needed if a government agency asks for it.

The certificate includes a letter that says:

• The place was checked.
• The place has clean drinking water.
• There are no connections between clean water and gray or waste water.
• The waste water disposal systems are acceptable, adequate and approved.
• The water sample tested clean for coliform bacteria.

The certificate lasts for one year from the approval date. A renewal form will be mailed to each place. You need to fill out and return the form with the fee. Renewal is not required. If an agency asks for renewal, another inspection is needed.

This page explains how to apply, follow regulations and get inspected for the certificate. It covers health rules. You should read the relevant documents to understand all of the provisions.

• Read the Instructions for Applying for a Water Potability Certificate.

• Pay fines: pay all Health Code fines before you apply or renew a permit. You can pay fines at the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Citywide Licensing Center or online.

• NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)
  Address:
  Licensing Center
  42 Broadway, Lobby
  New York, NY 10004
  Email: onlineappsdocs@dcwp.nyc.gov

• Write a letter with the following information:

  • Business name
  • Business location
  • Owner or manager
  • Business phone number
  • Days and hours of operation
  • Date plumbing will be ready for inspection

• Application fee: the fee is $270.00.

• Payment methods:

  • Personal check (payable to the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene - in person)
  • Certified check (payable to the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene - in person)
  • Money order (payable to the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene - in person)
  • American Express (online or in person)
  • Discover (online or in person)
  • Mastercard (online or in person)
  • Visa (online or in person)

• Getting a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) certificate or permit does not cover other City and State regulations.
• You must get all other permits, licenses and approvals needed by other City and State agencies.
• If you do not follow all rules, your DOHMH certificates or permits may be suspended until you show proof of compliance.

• Create an account: sign up with the NYC Online Licensing system. You can save your application and return later. Have your credit or debit card ready.

• Select permit type: choose the permit type and fill in the required fields. Fields with an asterisk (*) are required. Upload each document one by one.

• Make payment: pay with a credit or debit card to finish the application.

• Follow up: check your application status by calling the NYC Department of Health, Office of Public Health Engineering.
  
  NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)
  Office of Public Health Engineering/Building Water Supply
  42-09 28th St., CN-56
  Long Island City, NY 11101
  Email: phe@health.nyc.gov
  Phone: 718-786-6004

• Complete forms: fill out the application forms and prerequisites.

• Submit application: submit the form, letter and fee to the DCWP Citywide Licensing Center.
  
  NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)
  Licensing Center
  42 Broadway, Lobby
  New York, NY 10004
  Email: onlineappsdocs@dcwp.nyc.gov

• Receive receipt: if you apply in person, DCWP will give you a receipt. If you apply online, you will get a receipt via email. Follow up on your application status by calling the NYC Department of Health, Office of Public Health Engineering at 347-396-6001.

• You can renew online using the NYC Online Licensing system.
• You need to register first.
• You cannot renew if you have unpaid fines. You can pay fines online before renewing.

To renew online for the first time, you need the Personal Identification Number (PIN) on your Renewal Notice for each permit or license you have. The PIN links your records to one online account. You only need to use your PIN once for each permit or license. If you do not have access to your Renewal Notice, you can get your PIN by filling out an online PIN Request Form or by calling 311.

PIN Online Request Form