Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The federal agency that sets drinking water standards, regulates public water systems, and publishes the data that IsWaterSafe uses to assess water safety.
How It Works
The EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water administers the Safe Drinking Water Act. It sets MCLs, conducts risk assessments, develops treatment guidelines, and maintains SDWIS. The EPA also manages the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which provides low-interest loans to water systems for infrastructure improvements. In 2024, the EPA made history by setting the first-ever national standards for PFAS in drinking water and issuing $9 billion in funding to help water systems comply. The EPA's regulatory process for new drinking water standards is slow, it typically takes years from initial risk assessment to final rulemaking, which is why some contaminants of concern (like perchlorate and manganese) lack enforceable federal standards.
Related Terms
- Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), The primary federal law governing drinking water quality, authorizing the EPA to set standards for contaminants in public water systems and requiring states to enforce those standards.
- Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), The highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water, set by the EPA and enforceable by law. Exceeding the MCL triggers a health-based violation.
- SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System), The EPA database that tracks every public water system in the United States, violations, enforcement actions, contaminant levels, and system characteristics.
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About This Definition
This definition is part of the IsWaterSafe Drinking Water Safety Glossary, 22 terms explaining water contaminants, treatment methods, and safety standards. Written for homeowners, renters, journalists, and public health professionals.