Safe Drinking Water:
How can we provide it in our community?

Bulletin 882-00

Worksheet 12

Times Union, Albany, New York, Oct. 6, 1996

Public attitudes toward drinking water

Two of every five Americans rate the quality of their drinking water as fair or poor and say federal standards are not strict enough. Many are willing to pay higher water bills for their utilities to meet standards.

Officials rate quality higher than others
PUBLIC OFFICIALS		ENVIRONMENTALISTS		GENERAL PUBLIC
Customers doubt U.S. standards too strict			Customers willing to pay more to meet U.S. standards
Note: Poll taken in March 1993 of 1,603 adults, plus 100 public officials and 49 environmentalists. Percentages may total more than 100% due to rounding.
Graphic by Patrick Zeller, San Antonio Express-News

Issue: Drinking water suppliers need to think ahead and be prepared for increased expectations from their customers.

What is the future direction of the laws and regulations regarding public water supplies?

The U.S. Congress has already passed the following laws, with reauthorization on a ten-year cycle. The next reauthorization is scheduled for 2004.

• 1974–the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed by the U.S. Congress, setting the standard for safe drinking water.
• 1986–the Safe Drinking Water Act was reauthorized and amended by the U.S. Congress, expanding the standards. Also introduced was the concept of well-water protection.
• 1996–the Safe Drinking Water Act was again reauthorized and amended by the U.S. Congress. It expanded the focus of preventing contamination to all water sources. The Act also introduced the concept of enhanced water system management, and established a drinking water loan program.
• 2004–the Safe Drinking Water Act will be reconsidered by Congress. What do you think the new initiatives will be?

The Ohio Legislature requires the director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to adopt drinking water regulations that are at least as stringent as those adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to retain primary enforcement authority (known as primacy). Therefore, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency updates its program in response to changes in federal law. The director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency must justify to the Ohio legislature any rules that are more stringent than the federal rules.