Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

  • PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation

    EPA is establishing the first-ever nationwide, legally enforceable drinking water standards to protect communities from PFAS in their drinking water.

    Learn more about the final regulation

  • Safe Drinking Water Act

    The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was originally passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water supply. Read the SDWA Overview. 

  • 50 Years of the Safe Drinking Water Act

    EPA developed a communications toolkit to recognize the 50th Anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act on December 16, 2024. 

    Access the communications toolkit

Protecting America’s drinking water is a top priority for EPA. EPA has established protective drinking water standards for more than 90 contaminants, including drinking water regulations issued since the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act that strengthen public health protection.  Over 92 percent of the population supplied by community water systems receives drinking water that meets all health-based standards all of the time.

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Last updated on May 7, 2025