ACTIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN TO PROTECT YOUR DRINKING WATER
AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED:
EPA, states, and water systems each work to protect the nation's
drinking water supply. Opportunities for public involvement
exist at all of these levels.
At the Federal Level:
EPA activities
to protect drinking water include setting drinking water standards
and overseeing the work of states that enforce federal or their
own, stricter, standards. EPA is committed to seeking public
input as it develops new drinking water standards and other
requirements of the drinking water program.
Public Meetings and Comment. EPA holds many public meetings
on issues ranging from a proposed drinking water standard for
arsenic to the development of the National Contaminant Occurrence
Database. You can also comment on proposed regulations and drafts
of other upcoming EPA activities. A list of public meetings
and regulations that are open for comment can be found on EPA's
drinking water web site at
www.epa.gov/safewater/pubinput.html
or you can call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
At the State Level:
SDWA gives states flexibility in implementing drinking water
protection efforts so that they can meet the specific needs
of their citizens while maintaining a national level of public
health. States are required to seek public input on the activities
listed below. To find out whom to contact in your state about
any of these activities, call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline
at (800) 426-4791 or visit EPA's web site at
www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo.htm
and click on your state.
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). This
federal grant program provides money for states, who, in turn,
provide loans to drinking water systems to upgrade their facilities
and ensure compliance with drinking water standards. Each year,
your state develops an intended use plan for how it intends
to use its grant, including a list of water systems that will
be receiving funds to upgrade their treatment facilities. This
list is available to the public, and your state is required
to seek public input in the development of the intended use
plan.
Source Water
Assessments. States have developed and are implementing
programs to assess and protect all sources of public drinking
water. States have also established citizen advisory committees
to help develop their programs, and may continue to seek input
as they conduct assessments between now and 2003. You can help
implement your source water assessment program by assisting
your state (or your local government or water system if the
state delegates the responsibility) as it conducts your drinking
water source assessment. This may include helping your state
inventory the potential pollution threats to your drinking water
source. Also, a portion of your state's federal grant money
from the DWSRF can be set aside specifically for acquiring land
to buffer your drinking water source or to fund local protection
activities. You can contact your state agency to find out if
and how your state plans to use these set-aside funds.
Capacity Development Program. By October 2000, states
must develop strategies to ensure that all water systems have
the technical, financial, and managerial capability to ensure
that safe drinking water is provided to their customers. States
are required to involve the public in the development of these
strategies, and to make the final strategy available to the
public.
Operator Certification Program. Some states are currently
revising their existing programs to certify operators of public
water systems to meet new requirements. These states are required
to submit their program changes to EPA by February 2001. States
whose current programs already meet the new requirements must
resubmit their programs to EPA by August 2000. EPA guidelines
require states to include ongoing stakeholder involvement in
the revision of operator certification programs. EPA's guidelines
strongly recommend that states use stakeholder boards or advisory
committees to help implement these programs. Call your state
to find out how you can provide input as your state revises
and implements its program.
At the Local and Water System Level:
Consumer Confidence Reports. Your water system is the
first source for specific information about your drinking water.
By late October 1999, your water supplier must make its first
consumer confidence report (also called a drinking water quality
report) available to the public. Beginning in 2000, water suppliers
must provide their annual report to the public by July. The
information contained in these reports on the condition of the
drinking water and opportunities for public involvement can
spark a dialogue between the water supplier and its customers.
You can also ask your water supplier for more information beyond
the report. Having this information will allow you to better
understand and participate in decisions by your water system
regarding treatment improvements and protection efforts.
Source
Water Protection. Protection of drinking water is everyone's
responsibility. You can help protect your community's drinking
water source in several ways. For example, your state may delegate
the responsibility to conduct the assessment of your drinking
water source to your local government or water supplier. If
this is the case, you can help your local government or water
supplier as it creates an inventory of potential pollution threats
to the source of your drinking water. You can also work with
them to periodically update the assessment to include any land
use changes that may occur over time.
You can work with your water supplier, local government, an
existing community watershed group, or start your own community
group and use the information gathered through the assessment
to create or improve a broader source water protection program.
Some communities that get their water from ground water wells
already have drinking water protection programs, called wellhead
protection programs, where pollution prevention measures are
being implemented. If you live in such a community, you can
contact your water supplier or local government for information
on how to participate in the wellhead protection program. Again,
there is funding available through the DWSRF for community protection
activities.
EPA has created several publications that help communities develop
and implement drinking water protection programs. They can be
ordered through EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline [1-800-426-4791]
and are also available on the Internet at:
www.epa.gov/safewater/Pubs/
WHERE YOU CAN GO FOR MORE DRINKING WATER INFORMATION:
Hotline:
EPA operates the Safe Drinking Water Hotline [1-800-426-4791,
www.epa.gov/safewater/drinklink.html],
which can answer questions about the regulations and programs
developed under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and provide federal
and state contacts for specific information. It can also provide
information on drinking water publications.
Internet: EPA's drinking
water web site [www.epa.gov/safewater]
provides information on EPA's implementation of SDWA, the contaminants
regulated under SDWA, educational activities and publications
on drinking water, links to other drinking water web sites and
much more.