Standards for drinking water

Federal authority to establish standards for drinking water systems originated with the enactment by Congress in 1883 of the Interstate Quarantine Act, which authorized the Director of the United States Public Health Services (USPHS) to establish and enforce regulations to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases. 

Table 14.7 World Health Organization standards for drinking water...

Previously, two sets of international standards were used WHO European Standards for Drinking Water (last revised in 1970) and WHO International Standards for Drinking Water (last revised in 1971). Revision of these began in December 1978 and was completed in 1982. The revision formed a part of the International Drinking Water and Sanitation Decade, which has the aim of providing a supply of safe drinking water for all by the year 1990. 

Action levels for decisions related to drinking water quality are the Maximum Contaminants Levels of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The MCLs are the maximum permissible contaminant concentrations in the drinking water that is delivered to the user through a public water system. First enacted in the USA in 1974 and reauthorized in 1996, the SDWA protects drinking water and groundwater resources. This law establishes two kinds of standards for drinking water quality primary standards for the contaminants that pose a risk to human health (EPA, 1985), and secondary standards for the contaminants that affect the physical characteristics of water (odor, taste, and appearance). 

World Health Organization International Standards for Drinking Water, 3rd edn., Geneva, p. 37 (1971). 

Sayre JM. International standards for drinking water. J Am Water Works Assoc 1988 80 53-60. 

WHO. 1970. World Health Organization. European standards for drinking water, 2nd ed. Geneva WHO, 33. 

The Safe Drinking Water Act. Passed in 1974, this law gives the FDA authority to regulate bottled drinking water and the Environmental Protection Agency authority to set standards for drinking water supplies. 

PVC PIPES BREACH NEW LEAD STANDARD FOR DRINKING WATER... 

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is designed to ensure that public water systems provide water meeting the minimum national standards for protection of public health. The act mandates establishment of uniform federal standards for drinking water quality, and sets up a system to regulate underground injection of wastes and other substances that could contaminate groundwater sources. (Surface water is protected under the Clean Water Act.)... 

WHO, (2000) World Health Organization Guidelines and International Standards for Drinking-Water Quality. ACQWS paper No. 3. 

Ironically, while the industry public opinion survey (1 ) reported 90% of the people nationwide endorse national standards for drinking water, 63% do not believe that water is safe to drink just because the government allows analytically detectable amounts of chemicals. It remains the best way, though, to begin to address the public s concern about the perceived problem of agricultural chemicals in groundwater. 

Table 5. Guidelines and standards for drinking water quality, ppm.

U. 8. Treasury Department. Bacteriological standard for drinking water. 

Clean and wholesome drinking water is of essential importance for any society. Therefore, water intended for human consumption is one of the most comprehensively regulated and monitored media in any country. In this section, an overview is given on the standards for drinking water quality which are laid down by the European Community (EC), by the US Federal Government and by the Word Health Organization (WHO). 

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