Key Takeaways:
- The EPA sets standards to ensure safe drinking water and protect public health in the United States.
- EPA drinking water standards help protect humans from diseases like cholera or dysentery and preserve our planet’s aquatic ecosystems.
- The Safe Drinking Water Act and National Primary Drinking Water Regulations set legal regulations and maximum levels of contaminants for safe drinking water.
- You can test your home water source and use a Tyent water ionizer to ensure your drinking water always meets EPA standards.
Safe and clean drinking water is essential for good public health, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plays a major role in setting and maintaining water quality standards.
It’s important to understand how your local water quality affects your life. Many of us drink from our kitchen taps, but is tap water safe? Water purifiers like Tyent’s ionizer machines can help ensure you’re only drinking water that’s healthy according to EPA regulations. But what are EPA standards, and how can you make sure your water meets them? We have a complete guide to help you understand EPA drinking water quality standards.
In this article, we’ll cover what the EPA drinking standards are, why they matter, and how to ensure EPA drinking water quality standards at home.
What is the EPA?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a United States federal agency dedicated to protecting human and environmental health. The agency manages national efforts to reduce environmental risk and ensure compliance with federal laws protecting human health and the environment.
The EPA works to ensure Americans have access to clean water, land, and air by:
- Developing and enforcing regulations
- Studying environmental issues
- Offering grants for projects protecting human health and the environment
- Sponsoring partnerships
- Providing education for all parts of society
Why EPA Drinking Water Standards Matter
The EPA sets water quality standards in the U.S. to “protect human health and aquatic life.” Enforced drinking water standards are essential to public health and safety. Legal standards set limits for pollutants in water to protect the health of those drinking from regulated water sources.
Drinking contaminated water can lead to the transmission of diseases like:
- Cholera
- Dysentery
- Hepatitis A
- Typhoid
- Polio
The EPA and its partner organizations work to limit or completely eliminate harmful substances from drinking water to prevent the spread of such diseases.
Beyond human health, drinking water quality standards are important for preserving our planet by protecting ecosystems and biodiversity. Aquatic organisms, plants, and wildlife need clean water for their survival and well-being, too. Water quality maintenance can support the preservation of delicate ecosystems, protect natural habitats and species, and safeguard fishery sustainability.
How the EPA Determines Drinking Water Quality Standards
States, territories, and authorized tribes each have their own legal procedures for adopting water quality standards, which the EPA reviews, approves, and helps enforce. Here are a few laws and regulations governing water quality standards in the U.S.
The Safe Drinking Water Act
Passed by Congress in 1974, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) protects drinking water quality in the U.S. It focuses on “waters actually or potentially designed for drinking use.” This includes above ground and underground sources.
The EPA gained authorization under the act to establish minimum health standards to protect tap water, and all who own or operate public water systems must comply with those standards. The 1996 amendments to the SDWA require the EPA to use the highest-quality peer-reviewed science and careful consideration of risks and cost assessments when developing drinking water standards.
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
The National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) are primary health standards and treatment techniques designated for public water systems. These standards are legally enforceable and help limit water contaminants. The NPDWRs regulate more than 90 contaminants (including harmful chemicals and germs), and utility companies must follow these standards.
Contaminants regulated by NPDWRs include:
- Microorganisms: Includes Giardia lamblia, coliforms like E. Coli, and enteric viruses
- Disinfection byproducts: Includes chlorite, bromate, and haloacetic acids
- Disinfectants: Includes chlorine and chlorine dioxide
- Inorganic chemicals: Includes asbestos, arsenic, barium, chromium, copper, cyanide, and mercury
- Organic chemicals: Includes atrazine, carbon tetrachloride, ethylbenzene, and glyphosate
National Secondary Drinking Water Standards
The EPA’s National Secondary Drinking Water Standards, also known as “secondary maximum contaminant levels” (SMCLs), are non-mandatory standards for water quality, established for 15 different contaminants.
These guidelines help public water systems manage aesthetic elements of their drinking water, such as color, odor, and taste, rather than health considerations. The EPA doesn’t enforce these standards, but the EPA does require special notice to water users when water exceeds the fluoride SMCL of 2.0mg/L.
How to Ensure EPA Drinking Water Quality Standards
Let’s review the steps you can take to maintain EPA drinking water quality standards at home.
1. Know the EPA Drinking Water Quality Standards
EPA drinking water quality standards set legal limits for over 90 contaminants. Here are just a few contaminant standards and other regulations the EPA enforces:
Chemical contaminants:
- Arsenic
- Lead
- Copper
- Asbestos
- Cadmium
- Fluoride
Microbial contaminants:
- Aircraft drinking water
- Groundwater
- Surface water treatment
- Coliform
- Disinfectant/disinfection byproducts
Right-to-know rules:
- Consumer Confidence Report Rule
- Public Notification Rule
You can review the EPA’s regulations and the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations to understand what standards govern your local tap water.
2. Regularly Test Your Water
You can contact your local public health department or public water system to learn more about local regulations, but the EPA does not perform residential tests. If you want to verify that your private well water or public tap water meets EPA standards, you can perform a home water test.
With an at-home water test, you can use a sample of your tap water to determine whether it is free of contaminants and healthy to drink. At-home tests detect bacteria, nitrates, pH levels, and other chemicals.
Regular water tests are important because they help establish a record of water quality, identify causes of bad smells or tastes in water, and avoid potential health problems resulting from long-term exposure to chemicals.
3. Submit Water Quality Report to the EPA
If you find water quality violations, you can report environmental violations through their Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) system. You can also contact your local EPA office. A free water report from Tyent can also help you identify any contaminants in your water—request a report today and get results in just a few hours.
If you’re facing immediate danger to your water quality, such as through toxic spills, call 911 immediately.
4. Implement a Water Treatment System
Whether your water doesn’t meet minimum EPA standards or you want it to exceed them, a water treatment system like Tyent can help you eliminate contaminants and make your water clean and healthy.
Tyent’s water ionizers use two filters that offer a multi-stage cleaning system to rid your source water of impurities and contaminants. With a 0.1 micron filter media, you’ll get medical-grade filtration equalling that of kidney dialysis machines. The filters are also long, so water maintains contact with the filters for a longer period. More time moving through filters equals cleaner water. Plus, Tyent’s high-quality filtration systems provide better-tasting water.
More About EPA Drinking Water Quality Standards
We have answers to your FAQs about EPA drinking water quality standards.
What is the EPA standard for drinking water?
The EPA regulates over 90 possible contaminants in drinking water sources. Here are a few of the contaminants included in EPA standards and their maximum contaminant levels (MCLs):
- Coliforms (including fecal coliform and E. Coli): Zero
- Enteric viruses: Zero
- Chlorite (a disinfection byproduct): 0.8
- Arsenic: Zero
- Asbestos: 7 million fibers per liter (MFL)
- Cadmium: 0.005
What is the EPA standard for lead in drinking water?
We know by now that it’s important to keep lead out of your drinking water. EPA lead regulations require drinking water to have a lead maximum contaminant level of zero. The Clean Water Act also regulates lead by prohibiting the discharge of pollutants like lead into U.S. water unless they have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. These permits limit what people can discharge and implement other requirements to ensure discharge doesn’t impact water quality or human health.
Do the EPA standards apply to bottled water?
The EPA doesn’t regulate bottled water, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ensures bottled water follows healthy drinking water standards. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), the FDA took responsibility for ensuring bottled water meets the EPA standards for public drinking water. The FDA either adopts new EPA standards or determines they are unnecessary for bottled water.
Meet EPA Drinking Water Quality Standards With Tyent
Clean drinking water is a key ingredient for a healthy lifestyle. Following EPA standards is a great way to ensure your drinking water is free from all known and regulated contaminants. They help limit your risk of exposure to chemicals, bacteria, and other contaminants known to cause major illnesses.
Tyent ionizers can help you meet those standards when your tap water isn’t as clean as you’d like. With medical-grade filtration systems, these machines will make your water the cleanest you’ve ever tasted—just check out Tyent’s many certifications verifying our ionizers meet the highest standards.
Plus, Tyent ionizers produce hydrogen-packed alkaline water, which is loaded with health benefits, including enhanced hydration, powerful antioxidants, and support for a balanced pH in the body.
Meet EPA water standards today with Tyent.
