Which Water Standards Are Set by the EPA, and Which Are Left in the Hands of Local Water Utilities?

15 Jan

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By James Wisler
Customer Service Residential Plumbing Water Treatment
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When it comes to our water supply, most people don’t know what the EPA is in charge of regulating and what’s in the hands of our local water utilities. As essential as water is, it’s something that we should all be educated about.

The EPA enforces what they call primary standards. (I won’t list them all here, because there are so many.) If these primary standards aren’t met, then the water would have the possibility of making someone ill. Primary standards look at things like arsenic, chlorine, lead, bacteria, high levels of fluoride, nitrates, etc. It’s mandatory that local water utilities adhere to these standards so that the water is safe to drink by the public.

Another set of standards is called secondary standards. These are recommendations for the EPA that are nonenforceable. While the EPA will recommend that these standards are met, it is not required that the local water company meets them. These are more cosmetic issues like color, iron, pH, sulfur, smells, and total dissolved solids (like calcium). Most good water companies will adhere to these secondary standards, but remember, it’s really up to their own discretion.

To obtain more detailed information about exactly what’s contained in each of these standards, visit the EPA’s website. If anyone has a question about exactly what’s in the water at their home, we do free in-home water testing. It’s a very simple process: just give us a call and set up an appointment for a specialist to come to your home. We mainly test for the secondary items and the test usually takes from an hour and a half to two hours to complete. Once we’re done, we’ll be able to give the results for most of the secondary standards right at your home.

Contact us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382 if you have any questions about the different water standards, how they impact your home, or what you can do to have the best possible water quality.