21 Questions For The EPA
By Kevin Westerling,
@KevinOnWater
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the U.S. EPA organized a Twitter chat (#safetodrink) on Dec. 16 as an open forum for questions and answers on SDWA issues, or whatever else popped up.
Peter C. Grevatt, director of the EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW), fielded questions from the Twittersphere. Here's how the hour-long virtual Q&A unfolded.
Hi! We're here with Peter Grevatt talking about 40 years of the Safe Drinking Water Act. #SafeToDrink pic.twitter.com/TyFT0MoMkl
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q1. @NRDCWater: Can you talk about how wetlands/small streams help keep water #safetodrink & about your proposal to protect them better?
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A1. @NRDCWater: To protect drinking water sources we must protect the streams that feed into them. http://t.co/y2GPpc53GW #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q2. @sceastwood: How can we protect drinking water sources better to avoid disruption incidents like this year? #safe2drink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A2. @sceastwood: Work with communities and states to identify and manage pollution sources. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A2. @sceastwood: We convene Source Water Collaborative to help protect drinking water sources http://t.co/0RPKxtLfvc #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q3. @CleanWaterCT: How does Definition of Waters of US rule protect drinking water sources? #safe2drink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A3. @CleanWaterCT: Vulnerable streams feed into drinking water supply for 117 million people. Rule would protect those streams. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A3. @CleanWaterCT: Check out this map: http://t.co/tpdoKlXHm3 #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q4. @safehealthyct: What are most important drinking water challenges for the next 40 years? #safetodrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A4. @safehealthyct: Source water protection, infrastructure, responding to climate change are leading challenges. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q5. @CleanWaterforNC: Why is the oil and gas industry exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act, and when will that change? #safetodrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A5. @CleanWaterforNC: Safe Drinking Water Act recognizes that when done safely, energy development strengthens our economy. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q6. @LTCWA: What is EPA doing to make sure the Clean Water Act helps the Safe Drinking Water Act? #safetodrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A6. @LTCWA: Integrated planning helps w/stormwater & wastewater projects, which benefit drinking water. http://t.co/JTqObmQXg2 #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q7. @cleanh2oaction: What are most important drinking water challenges for the next 40 years? #safe2drink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A7. @cleanh2oaction EPA estimates $384 billion need for drinking water infrastructure for next 20 years. http://t.co/i6CB0XdQQC #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A8. @CleanWaterCT: Resilience to climate change is critical. EPA has CREAT tool & Climate Ready Water Utilities. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A8. @CleanWaterCT: Here's the link: http://t.co/MCrXpYkk2f #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q9. @Angelapaints: Can you direct me to the site for water quality reporting regulations? #SafetoDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A9. @Angelapaints: Utilities are required to report compliance with drinking water regulations. http://t.co/0A3l1dzdUX #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q10. @ASDWAorg: ...agree -- how can we collectively foster a greater appreciation of those realities with the American public? #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A10. @ASDWAorg: We need to build on our success by educating the public on what keeps their drinking water safe. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A10. @ASDWAorg: Check out this link: http://t.co/sFw35TtNnw #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q11. @ChooseCleanH2O: How can we work with farmers, not against them, to reduce nutrient pollution? #safetodrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A11. @ChooseCleanH2O: EPA & USDA are partnering with farmers to protect drinking water sources. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A11. @ChooseCleanH2O: One example: Today @GinaEPA highlighted opportunities for water quality trading. http://t.co/JrPyCkvSav #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q12. @future500: Thoughts on #waterpricing as solution for West’s drought conditions? http://t.co/ctayouAm4h #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A12. @future500: Determination of community water rates is a local issue. Water efficiency and reuse are part of the solution. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q13. CleanWaterforNC: EPA permits e-delivery of consumer confidence reports. How to ensure rural, low-income have equal access? #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A13 @CleanWaterforNC E-CCR improves access to drinking water info & customers can still get a paper copy http://t.co/oCF8EBAAhi #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q14. @AWWAACE: @EPAwater Happy anniversary! What are the most pressing topics you will be addressing in 2015? #safe2drink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A14. @AWWAACE: Implementation of drinking water regulations, infrastructure, algal toxins, climate adaption and water reuse. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q15. @KellenKlein: What should consumers know about differences between tap water & bottled water (safety, testing, price)? #safetodrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A15. @KellenKlein: EPA regulates tap water only. Access to safe tap water makes our communities strong. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q16. @1888nitrate: ...how do we regulate Nitrates & other nutrients in the face of ag lobbies? #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A16. @1888nitrate: EPA is involved in many efforts to reduce nutrient pollution. See this list: http://t.co/yuJ09WXcZ1 #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q17. @RyanPartelow: what is the most important thing an ordinary citizen can do to protect clean water? #safetodrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A17. @RyanPartelow: Support protection of drinking water sources in your community. http://t.co/1z4AiYiol0 #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q18. @TraceyC_online: what are the specific challenges related to coastal areas and salt water contaminants? #safetodrink #climatechange
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A18. @TraceyC_online: Drinking water utilities on coasts challenged by extreme weather and salt water intrusion in aquifers. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q19. @AWWAACE: What does your regulatory agenda look like for 2015? #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A19. @AWWAACE: Regulatory determination 3 (http://t.co/CuVUdqwuRq), lead and copper rule, perchlorate modeling. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q20. @Angelapaints: Our state allows Fracking Waste. Are there special tests or monitoring for that water? @EPAwater #SafetoDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A20. @Angelapaints: EPA regulates wastewater disposal & underground injection of flowback & produced water under SDWA & CWA. #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Q21. @LTCWA: .@epawater how does epa sdwa guidance protect drinking water from hydraulic fracturing when diesel used? #safetodrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
A21. @LTCWA: EPA recently released guidance on the use of diesel in hydraulic fracturing. http://t.co/sdsN5lVK4x #SafeToDrink
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
Thanks for joining our Twitter chat today. Let's continue the conversation about keeping our drinking water #SafeToDrink.
— U.S. EPA Water (@EPAwater) December 16, 2014
For more SDWA information and celebration, visit EPA's "40 Years of Safe Drinking Water."