Under the SDWA, EPA sets legal limits on the levels of contaminants in drinking water. The legal limits reflect both the level that protects human health and the level that water systems can achieve using the best available technology. Besides prescribing these legal limits, EPA rules set water-testing schedules and methods that water systems must follow. In case a specific limit cannot be set, the rules also identify techniques for treating the water. The 1996 Amendments authorized one billion dollars per year through the year 2003 of financial assistance to the states to be used for low interest loans to public water systems for the construction of facilities to ensure safe and adequate drinking water.
Virgin Island receives fundings in the form of grants.
The CCR includes information on source water, the levels of any detected contaminants, compliance with drinking water standards, and educational information. Customers should expect to receive their reports by July 1st of each year. A significant change to the SDWA was the establishment of a program that authorizes EPA to distribute Federal Grant Money to Indian Nations for needed public drinking water system infrastructure improvements. No new pre-applications were submitted. Source Water Protection Programs Assessment is one of the 1996 Amendments key prevention initiatives, which can provide information vital to the success of new drinking water regulatory flexibility for States and water systems.