Press Releases
12/30/2024
Connecticut Department of Public Health celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 30, 2024
CONTACT: Chris Boyle—Director of Communications
(860) 706-9654 – christopher.boyle@ct.gov
HARTFORD, Conn.— The 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is being celebrated and recognized in 2024 by public and environmental health leaders at the state Department of Public Health (DPH) and across the nation. Originally passed by Congress in 1974, the SDWA helps protect public health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water supply.
Prior to 1970, 40% of the nation’s drinking water systems failed to meet the most basic water quality standards. As of the end of 2023, 94% of Connecticut’s community water systems met all health-based standards set by the SDWA.
The SDWA authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish minimum standards to protect public health and drinking water. DPH’s Drinking Water Section is responsible for the administration of state and federal drinking water regulations and is dedicated to assuring the quality and adequacy of the more than 2,300 public water systems serving approximately 2.8 million people in Connecticut.
“Nothing is more elemental to public and individual health than water. Ensuring our residents have clean, safe drinking water by working collaboratively with the EPA and our water utilities to protect drinking water at its source has been one of the most significant public health achievements of the last 50 years,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD.
Since the original signing of the SDWA, numerous programs and amendments have been created to help protect the state’s drinking water including:
- Setting water quality standards and removing contaminants from our drinking water including microorganisms, volatile organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, synthetic organic chemicals and radionuclides
- Providing routine inspection of our public water systems to identify and correct sanitary deficiencies
- Improving protection of our water sources
- Setting standards for operator training and certification
- Requiring removal of lead service lines
- Recently establishing enforceable drinking water standards for PFAS in drinking water
- Assisting public water systems by providing funding for system infrastructure projects including new storage tanks, upgrading/constructing new treatment plants, installing new water mains, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition improvement projects, and upgrading cybersecurity efforts
Additionally, SDWA funds will continue to support the DPH Drinking Water Section in addressing water quality issues and emerging contaminants, developing a competent operator workforce and upgrading an aging water infrastructure.
For more information about public water systems and drinking water, please visit https://portal.ct.gov/dph/drinking-water/dws/drinking-water-section
-30-