Drinking Water Protection

Drinking water protection is the set of government programs that keep tap water safe to drink. It covers water sources, treatment plants, pipes, and testing. The EPA sets national standards, states and local water systems carry them out, and public health agencies respond when something goes wrong.

People usually ask how safe their water is and who checks it. They want to know how utilities report test results, what happens when contamination is found, and who is responsible for aging pipes and private wells. They also ask how to find information about their own water system.