Chapter 16

Protecting Drinking Water: The U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act

2004 Thomson Learning/South-Western

The Evolution of U.S. Safe Drinking Water Legislation

Setting Standards to Protect Drinking Water
Public Health Services Act of 1912 the first U.S. law to specifically call for drinking water health standards

The Evolution of U.S. Safe Drinking Water Legislation

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974
Aimed at protecting drinking water from any contaminant that could threaten human health or welfare

The Evolution of U.S. Safe Drinking Water Legislation

The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments (SDWA) of 1986
Expanded federal controls on drinking water and corrected some failings of the original SDWA

The Evolution of U.S. Safe Drinking Water Legislation

The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments (SDWA) of 1996
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) authorizes $1 billion per year from 1994 to 2003 to finance infrastructure improvements

Directives of the Safe Drinking Water Act

Soul-source aquifers underground geological formations containing groundwater that are the only supply of drinking water for a given area

Directives of the Safe Drinking Water Act

Relating the SDWA to Other Laws
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is more focused than the Clean Water Act

Directives of the Safe Drinking Water Act

Pollutants Controlled Under the Safe Drinking Water Act
Priority contaminants pollutants for which drinking water standards are to be established based on specific criteria

Setting Standards To Define Safe Drinking Water

Establishing National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs)
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) health standards for public drinking water supplies that are implemented uniformly Setting the Goal: The MCLG The maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) a component of an NPDWR that defines the level of a pollutant at which no known or expected adverse health effects occur, allowing for a margin of safety

Setting Standards To Define Safe Drinking Water

Setting the Standard: The MCL The maximum contaminant level (MCL) a component of an NPDWR that states the highest permissible level of a contaminant in water delivered to any user of a public system Defining Treatment Technologies Best available technology (BAT) a treatment technology that makes attainment of the MCL feasible, taking cost considerations into account

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Setting Standards To Define Safe Drinking Water

Current Status of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
As of 2002, NPDWRs have been announced for 69 organic and inorganic chemicals, 7 microorganisms, 7 disinfectants, and 4 radionuclides.

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Setting Standards To Define Safe Drinking Water

Establishing National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWRs)
Secondary maximum contaminant levels (SMCLs) national standards for drinking water that serve as guidelines to protect public welfare

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Analysis of U.S. Safe Drinking Water Policy

The Federal Role: Setting the Standards
Efficiency Implications Benefit based Economic Analysis (EA) a requirement under Executive Order 12866 that calls for information on the benefits and costs of a significant regulatory action. Cost Implications Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) a requirement under Executive Order 12291 that calls for information about the potential benefits and costs of a major federal regulation
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Analysis of U.S. Safe Drinking Water Policy

Figure 16.2 Inefficiency of Benefit-Based Primary Drinking Water Standards

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Analysis of U.S. Safe Drinking Water Policy

Economic Analysis (EA) for the New Arsenic Standard in Drinking Water
Incremental Benefits of the New Arsenic Standard Incremental Costs of the New Arsenic Standard Net Benefits of the New Arsenic Standard

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Analysis of U.S. Safe Drinking Water Policy

The State and Local Role: Compliance and Enforcement
Compliance Problems General Accounting Office (GAO) found that the extend of compliance by public water systems had been overstated by the EPA Enforcement Failures Inadequate enforcement action taken by state authorities and the EPA Analyzing the Issues

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Economic Principles in Pricing Water Supplies

An International Comparison
U.S. per capita consumption is higher than most nations around the world Water prices vary considerably across countries

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Economic Principles in Pricing Water Supplies

Figure 16.3 International Water Prices in 1996 (U.S. dollars per cubic meter)

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Economic Principles in Pricing Water Supplies

Pricing Practices of U.S. Water Utilities
Flat fee pricing scheme pricing water supplies such that the fee is independent of water use Uniform rate (or flat rate) pricing structure pricing water supplies to charge more for higher water usage at a constant rate Declining Block Pricing Structure a pricing structure in which the per unit price of different blocks or quantities of water declines as usage increases Increasing Block Pricing Structure a pricing structure in which the per unit price of different blocks of water increases as water use increases
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Economic Principles in Pricing Water Supplies

Figure 16.4 Alternative Pricing Structures of Water

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