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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) issued an August 18th Project Notification stating that it is planning to begin preliminary research on the public notification of drinking water quality as required under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

OIG states the objective is to determine whether EPA adequately ensures that public drinking water systems notify the public as required by the public notification rule promulgated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (i.e., when the systems identify contamination at unsafe levels).

The investigative work will be conducted at EPA’s Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water within the Office of Water. Work will also be conducted at EPA’s Office of Civil Enforcement within the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. EPA regional drinking water and enforcement offices, along with selected state and drinking water utilities, will also be encompassed by the review.

The memorandum is authored by Kathlene Butler, Director of Water Issues, Office of Program Evaluation.

A copy of the Project Notification can be downloaded here.