Safe Drinking Water Act, Explained

Safe Drinking Water Act, Explained

Author: Environmental Law Institute April 30, 2025 Duration: 40:42

In this installment of the People Places Planet Explained Series, host Dara Albrecht is joined by Robin Rotman, Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri, and Camille Pannu, Associate Professor at Columbia Law School and Director of the Environmental and Climate Justice Clinic, to break down the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)—the cornerstone law protecting America's drinking water.

 

The conversation covers SDWA’s origins, its regulatory reach over public water systems, and the emerging challenges tied to small system compliance, contaminants like PFAS, and growing infrastructure needs. Rotman and Pannu explain key concepts such as maximum contaminant levels, variances, citizen suits, and the relationship between SDWA and the Clean Water Act. They also discuss notable cases like Des Moines Water Works and Flint, Michigan, and examine how funding limitations and legal battles shape drinking water protections today. Looking forward, they reflect on future developments in private well regulation, point-of-use treatment technologies, and technical assistance for vulnerable communities.

 

This episode offers an essential primer for anyone interested in how public health, environmental law, and infrastructure converge at the tap.

Correction: The percentage of homes not on a regulated water system in the United States is roughly 15 to 20 percent, not 30 percent as cited in a former version of this episode.

★ Support this podcast ★

Produced by the Environmental Law Institute, People Places Planet is a conversation grounded in the practical realities of environmental stewardship. This podcast moves beyond abstract theory to explore how laws, policies, and innovative governance models are actively applied. Each episode features discussions with practitioners, scientists, legal experts, and community leaders who are directly engaged in crafting and implementing solutions. You’ll hear nuanced analysis on the intersection of business, regulation, and education, focusing on tangible outcomes rather than just identifying problems. The dialogue consistently centers on how complex frameworks operate in the real world, affecting specific communities, ecosystems, and industries. Listening provides a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that drive environmental progress and the challenges that arise at the intersection of human activity and planetary health. It’s an essential resource for anyone curious about the foundational rules and creative strategies shaping our relationship with the environment, offering clarity on the legal and policy threads woven through every environmental issue. Tune in for thoughtful, expert-driven perspectives that connect the dots between policy texts and their impact on the ground.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

People Places Planet
Podcast Episodes
Protecting the Right to Participate: Aarhus & Escazú [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:57
What does it take to give people a meaningful voice in environmental decision-making? In this episode of People, Places, Planet, host Natalie Triana, joined by ELI Senior Attorney Kristine Perry, explore two landmark reg…
Forever Chemicals, State Solutions: New Mexico's PFAS Playbook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:20
Forever chemicals are everywhere — in your carpet, your cookware, your cosmetics, and increasingly, your drinking water. PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — have been building up in our environment, our water, a…
TSCA, Explained [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:31
The Toxic Substances Control Act is the cornerstone of chemical regulation in the United States — but for most of its existence, it was widely considered unenforceable. In this episode of People, Places, Planet's Explain…