Safe Drinking Water Act

Drinking water in the United States is among the most regulated and safest in the world.  Ensuring the safety of the nation's drinking water is not just a good idea, it's the law.  The primary legislation governing drinking water quality is the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) passed by Congress in 1974 and amended in 1986 and further strengthened in 1996.

This legislation resulted in the development of national standards for drinking water quality.  The standards establish limits on the amount of various substances in drinking water that can, at certain levels adversely affect human health.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), after consulting with the National Academy of Sciences, sets a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for each regulated substance.  Periodically, these standards are reviewed and refined based on scientific and technological advancements.

The national regulations apply to all water systems that provide drinking water to at least 25 people or 15 service connections for a minimum of 60 days a year.  This includes water utilities that serve about 85 percent of the U.S. population.  The remainder receive their drinking water from privately owned and operated sources such as wells and are responsible for regulating their own water quality.

To ensure the highest quality, the SDWA requires each public water utility to implement a regular program of sample collection and laboratory analysis.  Contaminants that can cause acute health effects are monitored daily.  Others are monitored weekly and still others, monthly.  By law, each state must meet the federal standards.  Some states have augmented the federal requirements with standards of their own.  Local water utilities must meet all the requirements for the state in which they operate.  Testing and monitoring results are reported regularly to the state health department and are available to the public.  Strict adherence to monitoring and testing are the best guarantees for safe drinking water.  The state and EPA work together to see that all requirements are followed.  Utilities who fail to comply are fined.

In addition to the SDWA, there are other federal laws that safeguard the quality of drinking water by regulating surface and ground water pollution, management of hazardous substances, and use of chemical pesticides.  The effectiveness of the legislation depends on adequate funding, enforcement and agency interaction.  Regulations and standards for drinking water quality like water itself continue to evolve.  Health and environmental considerations together with improved science and technology will most likely warrant additional regulations in the future to ensure that the quality of our drinking water remains among the best in the world.


Safe Drinking Water Hotline:
 

  • Phone: 1-800-426-4791
  • Hours: Monday — Friday: 9:00 am to 5:30 pm