States' Compliance Lacking in Meeting Safe Drinking Water Regulations: Report to the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency |
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701 violations American Samoa coliform bacteria Colorado community water systems Congress contaminant Drinking Water Act Drinking Water Division's drinking water program drinking water quality drinking water regulations drinking water supplies enforcement actions EPA regional offices EPA's Eschwege failure to test Federal testing requirements fiscal year 1980 five primacy Fredericksburg full-time and properly funding GAO's ground water health hazards interim primary drinking national interim primary noncommunity systems noncompliance problems Office of Drinking operator apathy organic chemicals percent primary drinking water public notification requirements PUBLIC NOTIFICATION SYSTEM public water systems radionuclides recorded against 28,000 required tests Safe Drinking Water section chief seven States included small system small water systems South Dakota standard is exceeded system compliance strategy system serving systems failing test their water three EPA regional turbidity Virginia Drinking Water water program officials water quality standards water source water system users water users waterborne disease outbreak West Virginia Drinking
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Page 1 - While little is known about the health effects of most chemicals, the public is concerned that many cause cancer, birth defects, and other related health problems. THE FEDERAL PROGRAM TO INSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER In December 1974, the Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 USC 300f et. seq.) to insure that public water supply systems throughout the Nation meet minimum national standards for the protection of public health. The act represents the first national commitment to safeguard public...
Page 6 - In fiscal year 1980, 90 of the 140 community systems and 48 of the 70 noncommunity systems included in our sample failed to comply with the Federal testing requirements for one or more of the contaminant groups. Noncompl iance ranged from missing a single monthly coliform bacteria sample to not testing an entire system for any contaminants during the 12-month period.
Page 1 - State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Wake Island, Outer Continental Shelf lands defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Johnston Island, and the Canal Zone.
Page iv - ... use when developing the enforcement strategy sections of their State plans which accompany the annual drinking water program grant application. These guidelines will help States to more effectively use their limited resources and provide for consistent application of enforcement actions. (See p. 12.) AGENCY COMMENTS Although written comments were not obtained, GAO discussed the report with the Director, Office of Drinking Water and, where appropriate, the Director's comments were included. The...
Page 2 - The regulations also prescribe how often drinking water supplies must be tested for each contaminant and steps water owners or operators must take to notify EPA or the primacy State and water users when a standard is exceeded or required testing is not performed. The interim primary drinking water regulations define two types of public water systems — community and noncommunity. Community systems serve year-round residents whereas noncommunity systems serve transient, nonresident populations.
Page 2 - ... recordkeeping and reporting requirements, (4) issue variances and exemptions (if the State elects to do so) under conditions as stringent as those in the act, and (5) have a plan for providing emergency water supplies. EPA has set out in detail what is considered to be an adequate enforcement program. (See app. I for primacy requirements . ) To assist States in developing and implementing their drinking water programs, the act authorizes EPA to award annual public water system supervision grants....
Page 7 - Since he is away much of the time, the necessary tests are often not taken. Another reason EPA regional and State officials gave for systems not complying with the testing requirements was operator apathy. For example, in discussions with the Director, Water Facilities Engineering Service, Oklahoma Department of Health, we were told that operator apathy was considered a significant problem associated primarily with small water systems. The Bradley, Oklahoma, system amply demonstrates this point....
Page i - DIGEST The National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations established drinking water quality standards and water testing requirements to ensure the quality of drinking water provided by the Nation's 215,000 public water systems. However, compliance with these regulations by the Nation's public water systems, in literally thousands of cases, appears to be the exception rather than the norm. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) statistics for fiscal year 1980, show that over 146,000 violations...