| What is a drinking water regulation? |
| The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is mandated to set what is called a national drinking water regulation, which the states must enforce. Consisting of both primary and secondary standards, a primary drinking water regulation ensures protection of the public health while a secondary drinking water regulation relates to the taste, odor, and appearance of drinking water. A primary drinking water regulation, by definition, includes either a maximum contaminant level (MCL) or, when a MCL is not economically or technologically feasible, a prescribed treatment technique, which would prevent adverse health effects to humans. An MCL is the permissible level of a contaminant in water that is delivered to any user of a public water system. Home Page | FAQs | Glossary | Contact Us |