Which federal agency sets drinking water standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act?

• A. EPA
• B. FDA
• C. CDC
• D. NIOSH

Answer: (A)

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the agency with the authority to set drinking water standards is the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA develops and enforces maximum contaminant levels and treatment requirements for public water systems to protect public health, with states carrying out the implementation under EPA oversight. This role includes establishing enforceable standards that water systems must meet, plus monitoring and reporting requirements.

Other agencies have different focuses: the FDA regulates bottled water as a food product that moves through interstate commerce, ensuring safety and labeling for that category rather than setting standards for public drinking water systems; the CDC provides public health information and investigates outbreaks but does not set enforceable drinking water standards; and NIOSH focuses on occupational safety and health, not environmental drinking water standards.