Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

1. Safe Drinking Water Act(SDWA) 1974, 1984, 1996

2. Enacted December 16, 1974 • Amended in 1986 and 1996 • SWDA regulates all public water systems in the U.S. (national law) • Requires theEPA to set Maximum Contaminant Levels for public drinking water as well as non-enforceable containment level goals. • Bottled water is not regulated under SWDA, it’s instead regulated by the FDA. • SDWA also does not apply to private wells that serve less than 25 people. • The 1986 amendment also required standards to be set that limited Lead contamination. • SDWA protects the public’s drinking water as well as its sources from environmental risks that include: pesticides, waste injected deep undergrounds, human waste, disposed chemicals, etc.

3. The 1996 amendment also required the EPA to consider cost-benefit analysis, and detailed scientific research when setting contaminant levels. • The 1996 amendment also incorporated water source-protection, operator training and funding for improvements into the Act. • This was done to ensure water quality from source to tap. • Individual states can apply to have the authority to regulate their drinking water systems independently through EPA standards (all states have this privilege except Wyoming and the District of Columbia).