Domain

Physical environment

Rationale for use of indicator

This is one of several indicators that provide a view of environmental concerns in a specific county. Congress enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974 to ensure that every water supplier provides drinking water that meets minimum health-based safety standards, which are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has set health-based limits for over 80 contaminants that may be found in drinking water. The contaminants include metals, pesticides, and micro-organisms. Drinking water contaminants can result in a variety of adverse health effects, depending on the amount of the contaminant ingested, the duration of ingestion, the contaminant's toxicity, and the age and general health of the person exposed.

Data Source

US Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Information and Statistics 1996 [Online: http://www.epa.gov/ceis/]

References

USDHHS.Healthy people 2000: national health promotion and disease prevention objectives: full report, with commentary. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service; 1991. Report No.: DHHS publication no. (PHS) 91-50212