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^ <br />U .0 <br />_ <br />the S�ef f~. r*nking W <br />~~ <br />SAFE DRINKING ���ER ACT ° 19742004 = PROTECT OU0 HEALXH FROM SOURCE TO TAP <br />The Safe Drinking Water Act (5DWA) was <br />originally passed by Congress in 1974 10 protect <br />public keu||h by regulating tlhu notion's public drinking <br />wafer supply. <br />The law was amended in 1986 and 1996 and requires <br />many actions |o protect drinking water and its <br />voorces--rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and ground <br />water wells. (5DYYA does not regulate private wells <br />which oewo fewer than 25 individuals.) <br />3DYVA authorizes [he United 5|otas Environmental <br />Protection Agency (US EPA) to set nohono| hoo||h' <br />� <br />� <br />� <br />� <br />| <br />T=��m�������� <br />� <br />" <br />� <br />» <br />~ <br />n <br />" <br />based standards for drinking water to protect against <br />both naturally -occurring and man-made contaminants <br />t6n/ may be found in drinking water. US EPA, states, <br />and water systems then work together to make sure <br />[hat these standards are met. <br />Millions of Americans receive high quality drinking <br />woler every day from their public v,aler uyolemx, (which <br />may be publicly or privole|y owned). Nonetheless, <br />6/inking water oofe1y connui be token fo/ granted. <br />There are o number of threats to drinking *olcr: <br />improper|y disposed of chemicals; animal wastes; <br />pesticides; human +h/eols; wastes injected <br />vnde,groon6/ and nn1uro||y'occur,ing su6sionceo can <br />all contomino1n drinking water. <br />Likewise, drinking water that is not properly |,eolo6 <br />or disinfected, or which travels through on improperly <br />maintained 6iutribuhon system, may also pose o hyohh <br />,is k, <br />{}/iQino||y, 31')VYAfocuoed primarily on treatment as <br />11no means of providing safe drinking water at the top. <br />The 1996 omon6montn0romHyenhanced [he exinhog <br />law by recognizing source water protection, operolor <br />I,nining, funding [or wale, syxlem improvements, on6 <br />public information as important components of safe <br />drinking water. This approach ensures 11ho quality of <br />drinking water by p,o|echng it [rum soo,co |u top. <br />