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Fact Sheet Series: Regulation in Drinking Water SupplyWhy Regulations?Regulations provide a means of assuring the protection of a drinking water supply and also the protection of the public’s health. Safe high quality drinking water is an extremely valuable resource. It is essential for life and an adequate supply can assure the future growth of a community. However this valuable resource can be easily reduced in value or eliminated as a source of supply by contaminants, that in almost all cases could be reasonably prevented. Brief HistoryInformation on methods of treating drinking water have been found in Sanskrit on Egyptian walls dating back to the fifteenth century BC Hippocrates (460-354 BC) was aware of the importance of water and health. Evidence that drinking water contributed directly to disease, was based on epidemiological studies by John Snow in London, England in 1854. Snow removed pump handles from wells and as a result ended a cholera outbreak. Chlorinating, introduced in 1908, has been a very effective chemical in preventing infectious diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. However, there is more to assuring a safe water supply than the use of chlorine. Chlorine also has limited effectiveness against some micro-organisms and none against chemicals. Prior to the enactment of federal legislation, which set minimum standards for public drinking water throughout the United States, each state was responsible for protecting public water supplies and the public’s health. The role of the federal government was to assure the protection of drinking water supplies involving interstate travel (trains, buses, boats etc.) The administration of these programs was by the U. S. Public Health Service. The Public Health Service also developed a model drinking water program, and provided guidance, and technical assistance to the states. State programs varied considerably. Many did not require monitoring or inspections to assure that the drinking water was safe. The initial United States Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was passed in 1974. Its enactment followed a series of drinking water related disease outbreaks. The SDWA has been amended several times since its passage. Each amendment has addressed another issue that was recognized as either a threat to the source of drinking water supplies or the public’s health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers the federal SDWA. The EPA passes its authority to implement the safe drinking water program to the states through a process called "primacy". Connecticut was the second state in the nation to obtain the authority to implement the safe drinking water program. Primacy requires a state to enforce the regulations adopted by EPA and to support a state drinking water program with staff and other resources. The federal government provides some funds to assist the states but the major responsibility to support the program is with the state. Connecticut’s program to protect public drinking water supplies is administered by the Department of Public Health, Water Supplies Section. The program consists of regulations that have been promulgated by EPA and adopted by Connecticut. There are also state statutes and regulations that have been passed that deal with issues that are either unique to Connecticut or where the state wanted to have more stringent regulations than those developed by the federal government. What do these Regulations include?Source ProtectionThe initial siting of a well or surface water source of supply is extremely important in the present and future protection of the source of supply. The water supplier must control through ownership or deed arrangements the entire protective radius around a well water supply. The continued protection of the supply is required through the use of sanitary and watershed surveys to determine if any activity has or is occurring in such a way that it places the water supply at risk for contamination. Plain and simply these are inspections that determine whether the water supply continues to be properly protected and there are no sources of contamination such as oils, solvents, gasoline, pesticides, herbicides etc. near the water supply or its recharge area. Monitoring of the Water QualityThe regulations state the bacteria and chemicals (including organic compounds) that are to be routinely assessed and the frequency of sampling. The samples of drinking water must be collected as required, by a person trained to do so and submitted to a laboratory certified by the state department of public health. The laboratory results are then submitted to the department of public health for review. The response that is to be taken when a sample of drinking water exceeds a standard is clearly spelled out in the public health code regulations. Protection Within the Distribution SystemWater that is from a safe source can become contaminated as it travels through pipes to the consumer. To prevent this from happening, water suppliers, local health departments and other agencies seek to eliminate cross connections and interconnections between the protected public water supply drinking water and other sources of contamination. These sources of contamination are usually due to illegal plumbing connections that may allow contaminated water to enter the drinking water supply. NotificationThe regulations contain two types of public notification. One is the immediate notification when there is a threat to public health. The other is the periodic notification by the water supplier to its customers about the water quality that is being provided and the results of any regulatory actions that have been taken against the water supplier Information concerning a public water supply can be obtained from the water supplier, the water supply section of the state department of public health and may also be available through the local health department. What if I have questions?Further information can also be acquired by contacting us at www.waterbornediseases.org. Reference: Moeller, Dade W., Environmental Health, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, p. 126, 1997.
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2002 WATERBORNE DISEASE CENTER |
