Safe Drinking Water Act (U.S.C. 1400-1465).

This Act aims at protecting the quality of drinking water in the United States. It focuses on all waters actually or potentially designed for drinking use, whether from above ground or underground sources. The Act authorizes Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to establish minimum standards to protect tap water and requires all owners or operators of public water systems to comply with these primary (health-related) standards. It also requires that EPA considers a detailed risk and cost assessment, and best available peer-reviewed science, when developing these standards. EPA also establishes minimum standards for state programs to protect underground sources of drinking water from endangerment by underground injection of fluids.
National primary drinking water regulations made under this Act shall in principle apply to each public water system in each State. The Act also defines emergency powers of EPA in the circumstance of contamination of a public water system or an underground source of drinking water. The Act establishes a National Drinking Water Advisory Council.