Greenbytes: December 20, 2004 Edition

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Feature: Safe Drinking Water Act In Its Prime at 30

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Safe Drinking Water Act, one of the most important public health laws ever enacted in the United States. The Act aims to ensure that 170,000 public water supplies, serving 275 million people, meet national standards that protect consumers from harmful contaminants in drinking water. Locally, the Act regulates almost 11,000 public water systems serving nearly 12 million consumers in New England.

Water is the liquid of life; it makes up two-thirds of our bodies, yet most of us take the safety of our drinking water for granted. Because public health protection has been, and remains, the drinking water industry's most important focus, the U.S. has one of the safest public drinking water supplies in the world.

In opening remarks before the New England Water Works Association's December meeting in Randolph, Mass. today, EPA Regional Administrator, Robert W. Varney stated, "the 275 million people who benefit from the Safe Drinking Water Act's vital public health protection can raise their water glasses tall today -- let's toast its 30th Anniversary and acknowledge its importance."

"The public can be confident about the quality of their drinking water because of the hard work of the professionals charged with ensuring its safety,"said Ray Raposa, Executive Director of the New England Water Works Association. "While public health protection will always be our goal, we proudly celebrate our past achievements and look forward to the challenges ahead."

Since tap water reliably flows from the spigots in our homes, it's easy to forget that the water our families drink, cook and bathe in, comes from either deep in the ground or from a lake, river or reservoir. The Safe Drinking Water Act safeguards our water supplies by employing a multi-layer approach to protect water quality -- beginning at the source. The Act mandates that states conduct detailed source water assessments to help identify potential contaminant sources and take steps to protect them.

Through the years the Safe Drinking Water Act has grown to increase its protection of public health. The original 1974 Act called for EPA to create drinking water regulations and set standards for 18 contaminants. Today more than 83 harmful chemical, radiological and microbiological contaminants are regulated.

The Act requires water suppliers to test water and adequately treat it so that it can meet the increasing number of health-based standards. It gives EPA, delegated-states and tribes, authority to enforce the standards, and requires water suppliers to keep their systems in good working order.

The Safe Drinking Water Act provides necessary funding to help water suppliers meet the increasing demands of the Act, at a time when the aging infrastructure of many water systems require costly upgrades. In support of improved drinking water quality, EPA presented two major grants to water suppliers today -- a $29 million state revolving fund grant to the Mass. Water Pollution Abatement Trust, and a grant to the New England Water Works Association for $115,000 to be used for development of a first responder sampling guide.

The Safe Drinking Water Act dictates that public water suppliers provide annual reports about water quality to every drinking water consumer. The Act's multi-faceted approach relies on the hard work and involvement of many partners, including EPA, states, tribes, water suppliers, industry and consumers.

Drinking water utilities today find themselves facing challenges they never envisioned 30 year ago -- security and counter-terrorism have become a focal point since our world changed after 9/11. Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act in 2002 specify actions certain community water systems must take to improve the security of the nation's drinking water infrastructure. The new requirements call for assessments of system vulnerabilities and development of emergency response plans.

Our work to keep our Nation's supply safe is not done - we must meet our new challenges, keep pace with advances in science and technology and protect our drinking water supplies at the source. EPA plans to continue to implement new rules and help the Act grow with the changing needs of our society -- so that our children can toast future Safe Drinking Water Act milestones and can confidently continue to enjoy safe drinking water.

Web Resources

• Drinking Water

Press Releases

EPA Awards $552 K For State Innovations Grants to Environmental Agencies in ME, RI, VT

EPA Settles with 276 More Parties at Plaistow, N.H. Superfund Site

EPA and Yale-New Haven Hospital Sign Pact For Self-Audit

Bridgeport, CT Company to Pay $25,123 for Clean Air Act Violations

RI Real Estate Investor Agrees to Pay $20,000 to Settle Violations of Lead Disclosure Laws

Investigation Continues at Nuclear Metals Site in Concord, MA

Clean Up Will Begin at Connell Street Property in Tiverton, RI

City of Bangor Agrees to Pay $59,586 and spend $165,432 on Cleaner Fuel to Settle Claims of Environmental Violations at Airport Facilities

EPA Extends Public Comment Period on New Information in Final Ecological Risk Assessment for GE Pittsfield / Housatonic River Site

Burlington, VT Schools Awarded for Exceptional Indoor Air Quality Program

North Haven, CT Schools Awarded for Exceptional Indoor Air Quality Program

EPA Settles Hazardous Waste Case with the State of Massachusetts Case Sparks Change in State Contractor Policy

CT Health Centers Get Needed Lift from EPA Settlement with Medical Product Maker

EPA to Begin Clean-up at Facemate Corp. in Chicopee, MA

MMR Impact Area Review Team
December 28, 2004

Raymark Advisory Committee
January 11, 2005 - Stratford, CT

Massachusetts Military Reservation Plume Cleanup Team
January 12, 2005

Fort Devens Restoration Advisory Board
January 13, 2005

South Weymouth Naval Air Station Restoration Advisory Board
January 13, 2005 - South Weymouth, MA

Art and the Environment - A Regulatory Workshop for Art Colleges and College and University Art Programs
January 19, 2005 - Providence, RI

NETC (Newport) Restoration Advisory Board
January 19, 2005 - Newport, RI

Beede Superfund Site - dec 04 liable and settled parties lists posted

Environmental Justice - dec newsletter posted

General Electric Pittsfield Superfund Site - nov 3 meeting info posted

New Bedford Harbor - fish smart campaign added

SIP - updated information

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