NEWS RELEASE
December 16, 2004
Contact:
Kevin Brown, Director, Division of Drinking Water, (801) 536-4188
(Salt Lake City, Utah) – Utah today celebrates the passage of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, which has been protecting drinking water sources and providing safe drinking water to millions of Utahns and visitors to Utah for 30 years.
“The Safe Drinking Water Act has moved the state and nation forward in a remarkable way in improving the quality of drinking water and the health of our citizens,” said Utah Division of Drinking Water Director Kevin Brown. The Utah Division of Drinking Water implements the Safe Drinking Water Act on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“We enjoy one of the safest drinking water supplies in the world,” Brown said. During the 30 years since the passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act, Utah has been able to:
In Utah, and across the nation, the number of contaminants regulated by public drinking water systems has increased from a few dozen in 1974 to nearly 100 in 2004, while the number of waterborne disease outbreaks has dropped.
“Thirty years of progress in providing safe drinking water has paid off in terms of a higher quality of life, improved health, economic growth benefits and a safer environment,” Brown said.
The federal Safe Drinking Water Act was passed to ensure that citizens of the United States had access to the same relative quality of drinking water across the country. The Safe Drinking Water Act was reauthorized in 1986 and 1996.
For more information about drinking water in your community, please visit www.drinkingwater.utah.gov.