How do other agencies and community water systems use NAWQA information on source-water quality assessments?
USGS works closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), providing information to inform decisions related to various pieces of environmental legislation governing water quality and human health. For example, information is used by the USEPA to evaluate the drinking water Contaminant Candidate List (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccl/index.html) and to develop or revise drinking-water standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Information is also used by the USEPA for decisions on registration or re-registration of new or existing pesticides under the Food Quality Protection Act. Managers associated with community water systems also use the information to continue to manage and track the quality of public drinking-water supplies, and to help guide decisions on treatment processes in the future.
