What You  Can  Do
To  Keep  Your  Drinking Water  Safe
     Be Aware of Your Water Source
            and Supplier
 • Where does your water come from?
 • Who is your water supplier?
 • Has your water been tested recently?
 • Is it tested regularly?
 »How is it treated and protected from
  contamination?
 «Have water shortages occurred in your
  community?
           Conserve Water
       In the Home/On the Farm
 • Improve water use and management
  practice
 • Repair leaking faucets and toilets
 • Understand crop needs for water and
  irrigate appropriately
 • Water your lawn wisely
  Wisely Use and Dispose of Household,
     Lawn, and Garden Chemicals
 • Follow all directions carefully
 • How much is needed? Use only what
  you need
 • Sponsor or participate in pesticide
  collection/disposal activities
      Minimize the Production of
           Waste Materials
 • Compost vegetable wastes
 • Recycle newspaper, aluminum cans,
  glass containers
 • Don't buy more of anything than you
  can use
• Recycle used motor oil
• Think of the impact of what you do on
 water quality
   Learn the Facts About Your Water
• Don't believe everything you hear or
 read in advertisements—get the facts
• Review results of drinking water tests
 in your community
• Attend public meetings
• Follow the news about drinking water
 matters, such as the development of
 new standards
• Learn about potential contamination
 sources of groundwater and surface
 water

   Get Involved in Your Community
• Urge your water supplier and state and
 local regulatory and health officials to
 insure that your water supply complies
 with all standards
• Support efforts to educate the public
 and elected officials about the need to
 protect and improve the quality of
 drinking water
• Express willingness to pay higher
 water rates, if necessary, to finance
 improvements in water quality
• Support efforts to protect water
 supplies
                              National
                            H Drinking Water Week
                              Drinking water: on'ftp for the Future

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                  Working Together
To  Keep \bur  Drinking Water Safe
    Public and Private Water Utilities
 • control location of wells and intake
  pipes that draw water into drinking
  water systems
 • sample and test water and maintain
  test records
 • treat water to meet standards for
  public health and safety
 • protect watershed or wellhead areas
 • inform and involve public about future
  plans and needs
 • notify public if any problems arise
            State and Local
      Pollution Control Agencies
 • protect surface water
 • protect groundwater from
  contamination
 • monitor groundwater and detect
  contaminants
     State Drinking Water Programs
 • establish state drinking water standards
  (at least as strict as national standards)
 • train staff of local water systems
 • inspect water systems and maintain
  records
 «take enforcement actions against water
  systems in violation of law
          State Groundwater
         Protection Programs
 • develop comprehensive groundwater
  protection strategies
 • develop programs and recommend
  laws to control contaminating sources
  and activities
 » conduct statewide inventory and
  monitoring of groundwater
    EPA Drinking Water Program
• assume responsibility for enforcement
 when necessary
• establish drinking water standards
»establish monitoring and reporting
 requirements
• provide funds and technical assistance
 to the states
»set rules for underground injection
 wells
• conduct research and training
 activities
• inform the public about new drinking
 water regulations
 EPA Groundwater Protection Program
• coordinate EPA groundwater
 protection strategy within various
 affected EPA programs, focusing
 programs' attention on groundwater
 concerns
• assist states in developing
 comprehensive programs
• administer wellhead protection and
 sole-source aquifer protection
 programs
       Other Federal Agencies
• work together with EPA and state
 agencies on drinking water programs
 and groundwater protection programs
     Public Utility Commissions
• regulate the financing of investor-owned
 water systems and the rates their
 consumers pay for water
                          8"8- National
                            » Drinking Water Week
                              Drinking water: On Tap for the Future

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