How does epa test water quality

Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Importance of Water Quality and Testing. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. Sewage releases Naturally occurring chemicals and minerals for example, arsenic, radon, uranium Local land use practices for example, fertilizers, pesticides, livestock, concentrated feeding operations Manufacturing processes for example, heavy metals, cyanide Malfunctioning on-site wastewater treatment systems for example, septic systems In addition, drinking water that is not properly treated or that travels through an improperly maintained distribution system pipes may also create conditions that increase risk of contamination.

Water Testing The EPA sets standards and regulations for the presence and levels of over 90 contaminants in public drinking water, including E. More Information. Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer.

This is because ingesting one protozoan, virus, or bacterium may cause adverse health effects. For chemical contaminants that are non-carcinogens but can cause adverse non-cancer health effects for example, reproductive effects , the MCLG is based on the reference dose. A reference dose RfD is an estimate of the amount of a chemical that a person can be exposed to on a daily basis that is not anticipated to cause adverse health effects over a lifetime.

In most cases, the standard is a maximum contaminant level MCL. The MCL is the maximum level allowed of a contaminant in water which is delivered to any user of a public water system.

A treatment technique is an enforceable procedure or level of technological performance which public water systems must follow to ensure control of a contaminant. This is defined by SDWA as the level that may be achieved with:. EPA must analyze the quantifiable and non-quantifiable benefits that are likely to occur as the result of compliance with the proposed standard.

EPA must also analyze certain increased costs that will result from the proposed drinking water standard.

Where the benefits of a new MCL do not justify the costs, EPA may adjust the MCL for a particular class or group of systems to a level that "maximizes health risk reduction benefits at a cost that is justified by the benefits.

Read about Economic Analysis and Statutory Requirements related to development of drinking water regulations. Primary standards go into effect three years after they are finalized. If capital improvements are required, EPA's Administrator or a state may allow this period to be extended up to two additional years.

Under certain circumstances, exemptions from standards may be granted by states to allow extra time to seek other compliance options or financial assistance.

After the exemption period expires, the public water system must be in compliance. Small systems receive special consideration from EPA and states. More than 90 percent of all public water systems PWSs are small. These systems may face additional challenges in providing safe water at affordable rates. SDWA provides states with tools to help make compliance with standards affordable for small systems.

Water quality criteria can be numeric e. States, territories and authorized tribes typically adopt both numeric and narrative criteria. Designated uses and water quality criteria are the primary tools states and authorized tribes use to achieve the objectives and goals of the Clean Water Act, and antidegradation requirements complement these tools by providing a framework for maintaining existing uses, for protecting waters that are of a higher quality than necessary to support the Clean Water Act goals, and for protecting waters identified by states and authorized tribes as Outstanding National Resource Waters ONRWs.

Such policies are subject to EPA review and approval. Skip to main content. Standards for Water Body Health.