Summarize a statute or regulation of your choice. I would prefer it has something to do with engineering, but I am open to suggestions. Provide a 2-page brief and prepare a 5-7 minute presentation for the class on your topic.

Summary of the SDWA

Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 USC §300 f No 93-523, 1974

Amendments

1986- NPDWRs were promulgated for certain VOCs, required the application of future NPDWRs to non transient, non-community water systems.

1996- Emphasized science and risk based analysis for setting standards, developed a revolving fund to help finance new water system infrastructure, enhanced surface water treatment rule was developed to focus on microorganisms in distributed water.

Objectives

The main goal of the SDWA is to identify and control contaminants in “finished” waters. The enactment of this legislation is designed to protect the consumer by making the supply industry more transparent and setting standards for the quality and constituents contained in distributed water. The funding of system upgrades is also an objective of this act.

Structure

The main parts of this legislation are the development of NPDWR’s and NSDWR’s. National primary drinking water regulations (NPDWRs) have specified MCLs for contaminants, or, treatment techniques for contaminants that are difficult to measure or that have uncertainty about harmful levels. These standards must be met by water suppliers. National secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWRs) are based on aesthetic qualities of the water such as taste, odor and color. These have no health risks associated with them. The standards by which the water is regulated are known as maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). Another set of standards is the maximum contaminant level goals. These are the goal that will be achieved in the future but are not feasible at the present. The EPA must look at unregulated compounds and decide whether or not to regulate them every 5 years.

Judicial action

American Water Works v. US EPA, 40 F. 3d 1266 (1994) – This is a decision based on the acts declaration that distributors replace all lead pipes in their distribution system. This decision determined that utilities were not responsible for pipes on private properties.

Hartwell corporation v. Superior Court of Ventura CO. 38 P 3 rd 1098 (CA 2002) – This case affirmed that water suppliers may be held negligible more supplying water to consumers if it poses a health risk, even if it meets all NPDWRs.

WR Grace & Co. v. EPA 261 F.3d 330 (2001) – this case the courts vacated the EPA’s orders that Grace remediate ground water to 1.2 mg/L NH3 because the number chosen was ambiguous and lacked scientific justification.