Civil Enforcement

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was signed into law in 1974, and reauthorized in 1996, to ensure public health protection through compliance by public water systems with all health-based standards, including all monitoring and reporting requirements. It focuses on community water systems (serving year round populations at their primary residences) non-transient non-community systems and transient non-community water systems whether they are above ground or underground sources. There are direct public health effects from drinking water which does not meet safety standards. The law also placed increased emphasis on providing the public information about the quality of their drinking water. The 1996 amendments, require systems to report their water quality annually to their customers and produce an annual compliance report. In addition, the SDWA addresses underground injection control (discussed below).

Nationally, there are approximately 170,000 public water systems (PWS). These public water systems range in size from large metropolitan areas to rest stops and campgrounds, provided that they meet the public water system definition. The definition of a public water system is a system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such system has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves at least 25 individuals. Nationally, 22% of the public water systems (approximately 37,000 pws) had violations of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations in calendar year 1999.

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Underground Injection Control (UIC)

Underground injection is the technology of placing fluids underground, in porous formations of rocks, through wells or other similar conveyance systems. While rocks such as sandstone, shale, limestone appear to be solid, they can contain significant voids or pores that allow water and other fluids to fill and move through them. Man-made or produced fluids (liquids, gases or slurries) can move into the pores of rocks by the use of pumps or by gravity. The fluids may be water, wastewater or water mixed with chemicals. Injection well technology can predict the capacity of rocks to contain fluids and the technical details to do so safely.

The Safe Drinking Water Act established the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program to provide these safeguards so that injection wells do not endanger current and future underground sources of drinking water (USDW). The most accessible fresh water is stored in shallow geological formations called aquifers and is the most vulnerable to contamination. These aquifers feed our lakes; provide recharge to our streams and rivers, particularly during dry periods; and serve as resources for 92 percent of public water systems in the United States.

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Airline Drinking Water Enforcement

EPA is responsible for ensuring the safety of drinking water in the United States under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This includes drinking water on aircraft. In 2004, EPA randomly tested the drinking water on 327 U.S. and foreign flag aircraft from different airlines at 19 airports around the country. The results of that testing showed that 15 percent of the aircraft had water that tested positive for total coliform bacteria. Total coliform is an indicator that other disease-causing organisms (pathogens) could be in the water and could potentially affect people's health.

EPA immediately began working with domestic airlines to address this problem. On Oct. 19, 2005, EPA announced that settlements had been reached with 24 domestic airlines to implement new aircraft water testing and disinfection protocols. EPA will continue to work with smaller, regional and charter airlines to reach similar agreements to ensure drinking water quality. For more information, please review Airline Drinking Water Enforcement page.

Other Information Resources

Complete listing of "Enforcement Alert Newsletters"

Complete listing of "Water Bulletin Newsletters"

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