The origin of federal drinking water quality standards

Abstract

In the USA, the first federal drinking water standards were established by the Public Health Service (PHS) in 1914. This paper identifies the scientific and engineering foundations for the standards, namely an understanding of the etiology of waterborne disease, standard methods for assessing water quality and treatment methods capable of assuring water quality. The legal basis for the standards was the 1893 Interstate Quarantine Act, which gave the PHS the responsibility of preventing the spread of disease through interstate commerce, although the Act did not specifically call for the creation of water quality standards. This statutory authority limited the applicability of the standard to water served on interstate carriers, principally trains. However, it was immediately recognised that the standards would be perceived as a generally relevant standard. The standards were considered to be relatively stringent, which led to some adverse reaction from water suppliers. However, compliance with the standards gradually became the norm among major urban water suppliers. The standard setting effort may be seen as an attempt to use the prestige of the federal government to create a consensus in favour of higher quality water, through the promulgation of strict but achievable standards.