Drinking water quality legislation of the United States

In the United States, public drinking water is governed by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Among other provisions, it protects the right of employees to report potential violations. 42 U.S.C. 300j-9(i). Within 30 days of any retaliation, a whistleblower can file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Municipalities throughout the US - from the largest cities to the smallest towns - sometimes fail to meet EPA standards. The EPA may fine the jurisdiction responsible for the violation, but this does not always motivate the municipality to take corrective action. In such cases, non-compliance with SEPA may continue for many months or years after the initial violation. This could result from the fact that the city simply doesn't have the financial resources necessary to replace aging water pipes or upgrade their purification equipment. In rare cases, the source water used by the municipality could be so polluted that water purification processes can't do an adequate job. This can occur when a town is downstream from a large sewage treatment plant or large-scale agricultural operations. Citizens who live in such places - especially young children, the elderly, or people of any age with autoimmune deficiencies - may suffer serious health complications as a long-term result of drinking water from their own taps.

California
Timeline of Existing Federal Water and State Drinking Water Quality Regulations

National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NIPDWR) Promulgated 1975-1981 Contained 7 contaminants Targeted: Trihalomethanes, Arsenic, and Radionuclides Established 22 drinking water standards

Phase 1 Standards Promulgated 1987 Contained 8 contaminants Targeted: VOCs

Phase 2 Standards Promulgated 1991 Contained 36 contaminants Targeted: VOCs, SOCs, and IOCs

Phase 5 Standards Promulgated 1992 Contained 23 contaminants Targeted: VOCs, SOCs, and IOCs

Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR) Promulgated 1989 Contained 5 contaminants Targeted: Microbiological and Turbidity

Stage 1 Disinfectant/Disinfection By-product(D/DBP) Rule Promulgated 1998 Contained 14 contaminants Targeted: DBPs and precursors

Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (IESWTR) Promulgated 1998 Contained 2 contaminants Targeted: Microbiological and Turgidity

Radionuclide Rule Promulgated 2000 Contained 4 contaminants Targeted: Radionuclides

Arsenic Rule Promulgated 2001 Contained 1 contaminant Targeted: Arsenic

Filter Backwash Recycling Rule Promulgated 2001 Contained - Targeted: Microbiological and Turgidity