Skip to main content

EPA and State Progress in Enforcing the National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations

Published: Jun 15, 1983. Publicly Released: Jun 15, 1983.
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

Testimony was given concerning a GAO report which discussed how well the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the states have implemented provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act. GAO work indicated that compliance with these regulations was the exception rather than the rule. Almost all of the violations were incurred because required tests were not made rather than because water did not meet quality standards, and most of the violations occurred at small systems which often lacked a full-time and properly trained operator. Of the five states which GAO reviewed that are required to collect radioactive material as well as inorganic and organic chemical samples, two have not been collecting the required samples because of the lack of state funds and personnel. Enforcement actions in states reviewed ranged from none to minimal, followed no particular pattern, and were not as timely as they should have been. GAO was not able to evaluate an EPA small-system-compliance strategy because it has not been fully implemented. GAO has recommended that EPA develop and implement specific guidelines the states can use in developing their respective enforcement strategies. EPA reported that only 11 percent of all of its violations had been followed by public notification. When public notification did occur, the effectiveness of the notification was questionable because of the time lag between the occurrence of the potential health hazard and notification to the users.

Full Report

Office of Public Affairs