By: Environmental Forum, the the Environmental Law Institute's policy journal
On December 16, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The United States can chalk up many successes under the statute. Thanks to the SDWA, Americans tend to take for granted that tap water in homes, restaurants, workplaces, and schools is potable.
But the SDWA’s unquestioned success does not mean the work of water safety is done. For many, the crisis from lead-pipe contamination in Flint, Michigan, a decade ago continues to stand out as an SDWA failure. Inadequate funding has long been cited as hampering efforts directed at supplying uniformly safe drinking water, especially when expensive treatment techniques are needed.
EPA notes, however, that the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides over $35 billion in dedicated safe drinking water funding to replace lead service lines and address PFAS. The new funding is welcome, but will more money address the remaining and emerging drinking water issues? How far will EPA’s national standards announced in April for PFAS in drinking water go in ensuring drinking water is safe from these widespread contaminants—especially given concerns expressed by city and county officials who say they need longer compliance timeframes? Will EPA’s improvements to the 2021 lead and copper rule, due in October, be enough to be rid of this scourge? Plus, climate change, cybersecurity, and other issues are creating new sources of concern. Can technological breakthroughs address both enhanced drinking water safety and affordability?
Clean Water Action National Campaigns Director Lynn Thorp is one of the authors in the Environmental Forum Safe Drinking Water Act 50th Anniversary "Debate in Print"
