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Water Quality
Federal Testing Requirements Under the Safe Drinking Water Act
- The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), passed in 1974 and amended in 1986 and 1996, gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to set drinking water standards.
www.epa.gov/safewater/standard/setting.html
- The EPA has a "multiple barrier" approach
- assessing and protecting drinking water sources
- protecting wells and collection systems
- making sure water is treated by qualified operators
- ensuring the integrity of distribution systems
- making information available to the public on the quality of their drinking water
- Drinking water standards apply to public water systems (PWSs), which provide water for human consumption through at least 15 service connections or regularly serve at least 25 individuals.
- Public water systems include municipal water companies, homeowner associations, schools, businesses, campgrounds and shopping malls.
- There are two categories of drinking water standards: Primary and Secondary.
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
- Primary Standards (NPDWRs) are legally-enforceable standards that apply to public water systems.
- Primary Standards are classified and listed in the following categories:
- Microorganisms
- Disinfectants
- Disinfection Byproducts
- Inorganic Chemicals
- Organic Chemicals
- Radionuclides
- Primary Standards protect drinking water quality by limiting the levels of specific contaminants that can adversely affect public health and are known or anticipated to occur in water.
- Primary Standards are listed as Maximum Contaminant Levels or Treatment Techniques.
Maximum Contamination Levels (MCLs)
- The Maximum Contamination Level (MCL) is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
- MCLs are enforceable standards.
- The EPA also sets a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG), which is the maximum level of a contaminant in drinking water, delivered to any user of a public water system, at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons would occur, and which allows an adequate margin of safety.
- MCLGs are non-enforceable public health goals.
Treatment Techniques (TTs)
- A Treatment Technique (TT) is an enforceable procedure or level of technological performance which public water systems must follow to ensure control of a contaminant.
- A Treatment Technique (TT) is set, rather than an MCL, when there is no reliable method that is economically and technically feasible to measure a contaminant at particularly low concentrations,
- Primary Standards, MCLs and Treatment Techniques
National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations
- Secondary Standards (NSDWRs) are non-enforceable guidelines regarding contaminants that may cause cosmetic effects (such as skin or tooth discoloration) or aesthetic effects (such as taste, odor, or color) in drinking water.
- The EPA recommends Secondary Standards to water systems but does not require systems to comply.
- States may choose to adopt them as enforceable standards.
- Secondary Standards
Contaminant Candidate Lists (CCLs)
City and Communal Water Systems
Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs)
- The EPA Consumer Confidence Rule requires public water suppliers that serve the same people year round (community water systems) to provide a consumer confidence report (CCR) to their customers.
- These reports are also known as annual water quality reports or drinking water quality reports.
- The CCR summarizes information regarding sources used (i.e., rivers, lakes, reservoirs, or aquifers), any detected contaminants, compliance efforts, and educational information.
- The reports are due to customers by July 1st of each year.
- Non-government systems typically distribute CCRs only to subscribers.
- City of Santa Fe Water Division 2005 Water Quality Report
- Santa Fe County Water Resources Division 2005 CCRs
- South Sector (Rancho Viejo and Las Lagunitas)
- Valle Vista County Housing and Pueblo Garcia Heights
- West Sector (El Prado, La Serena, La Vida Los Suenos and Sonrisa
Regulation of Private Wells
- Private well water quality is NOT governed by EPA regulations.
- The Office of the State Engineer issues a permit and requires the filing of a completion report under existing Rules and Regulations Governing the Drilling of Wells.
- The Office of the State Engineer also oversees the Appropriation and Use of the Ground Water in New Mexico, per the New Mexico Administrative Code.
- Primary and Secondary Standards for public systems are a useful guideline for the treatment of water in private wells.
- EPA recommends testing private water supplies annually for nitrates, coliform bacteria, total dissolved solids (TDS), and pH levels to detect contamination problems early.
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