Safe Drinking Water Act Turns 50
Symposium Charts Path for the Future of America’s Tap Water
Madison, WI, December 16, 2024 – Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), a landmark piece of legislation that transformed drinking water safety in the United States. Thanks to the SDWA, Americans enjoy some of the safest drinking water in the world, with utilities operating at a higher level of professionalism and accountability. Despite these achievements, significant challenges remain as millions across the country continue to face risks from inaccessible, unreliable or contaminated drinking water.
To address these pressing issues and lay the foundation for the next fifty years, the Water & Health Advisory Council partnered with the La Follette School of Public Policy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to host “SDWA 50: The Next 50 Years of Drinking Water in America,” a symposium dedicated to bridging the gap between the Act’s original vision and today’s realities.
Drinking water leaders, decision-makers, researchers, and community leaders from across the country came together to discuss the challenges of aging infrastructure, microbial and chemical contaminants, and the erosion of public trust. At the heart of the symposium was the unveiling of The Declaration for the Future of Drinking Water in America, a strategic vision outlining the steps necessary to ensure safe and reliable drinking water for all Americans over the next half-century.
“In the next 50 years of the SDWA, it is so important that we maintain focus on public health,” said Rob Renner, Chairman of the Council. “Safe drinking water is the single most important advancement in public health that has increased longevity in the United States.”
“This is not just a celebration of what we’ve achieved but a call to action,” said Manny Teodoro, Professor of Public Affairs at University of Wisconsin-Madison at The Water & Health Advisory Council. “We need bold and collaborative efforts to address the inequities and risks still present in our water systems. The future of drinking water requires risk prioritization, innovation, investment, and renewed commitment to public health.”
“The Safe Drinking Water Act has been enormously successful over the last 50 years in reducing harmful contaminants in tap water, an achievement that must be maintained,” said Kathryn Sorenson, Director of Research at the Kyl Center for Water Policy, Arizona State University. “Yet, the structure of the Act forces investment in addressing new contaminants with diminishing public health benefit at increasing cost and crowds out investment in addressing the most serious threats to tap water: lack of investment in aging infrastructure, a fragile supply chain, lack of skilled labor, and cybersecurity.”
“We all share the expectation that everybody should have safe, affordable, and reliable water but we also recognize the challenges of what it takes to accomplish that,” said Chad Seidel, President, Corona Environmental Consulting. “The Safe Drinking Water Act has accomplished a lot in 50 years but it’s important that we think about how that functions for the next 50 years if we want to achieve the objective of safe, affordable and reliable water for everyone, everywhere, all the time.”
For more information on the Declaration for the Future of Drinking Water in America, visit www. wateradvisory.org/council/the-future-of-drinking-water-in-america/