What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?
In the early 1900’s, states began to monitor and regulate water systems. Water professionals worked closely with researchers and health officials to develop standards to protect public health. In 1974, the federal government created uniform national requirements for public water supplies by passing the original Safe Drinking Water Act. It directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish standards and requirements to protect consumers from harmful contaminants in drinking water. In 1986, the SDWA was updated with additional regulations aimed at improving water quality. The 1996 reauthorization of the Safe Drinking Water Act strikes a balance among federal, state, local, urban, rural, large and small water system requirements that improve the protection of public health and bring reason and good science to the regulatory process.
