Development of the revised drinking water standard for chromium

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Toxicology

Background:

• The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is mandated by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to establish regulations for contaminants in drinking water.
• Regulations are being developed in phases, addressing various contaminant types including synthetic organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, microbiological contaminants, and radionuclides.
• Existing drinking water standards are subject to review and revision to ensure continued protection of public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the fundamental concepts and approaches employed by the EPA in establishing drinking water regulations.
• To detail the EPA's methodology for revising the drinking water standard specifically for chromium.
• To provide insight into the regulatory process for managing contaminants in public water supplies.

Main Methods:

• Review of EPA's regulatory development framework under the SDWA.
• Analysis of the scientific and risk assessment principles guiding contaminant standard setting.
• Examination of the specific considerations for revising the chromium drinking water standard.

Main Results:

• The EPA utilizes a phased approach to regulate diverse drinking water contaminants.
• Fundamental concepts involve risk assessment, toxicology, and public health protection.
• The revision of the chromium standard is based on updated scientific understanding and regulatory principles.

Conclusions:

• The EPA's regulatory process for drinking water is comprehensive and science-based.
• Revisions to standards, such as for chromium, ensure regulations remain protective.
• The SDWA provides the legal framework for safeguarding drinking water quality nationwide.