Understanding Your Drinking Water

Common FAQs | Regulations | What You Can Do To Protect Your Drinking Water
Outreach Program | Publications | Links | Contact faucet with running water

Regulations

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) - A federal law which ensures safe drinking water for Americans

State Safe Drinking Water Act - A state law which ensures safe drinking water for the citizens of South Carolina

State Primary Drinking Water Regulation - The State of South Carolina regulation that enforces and implements the State Safe Drinking Water Act

What You Can Do To Protect Your Drinking Water

One of the best ways to protect drinking water is to keep pollution from getting into places where you get your drinking water. Areas where our drinking water comes from are called source waters. Source water areas are usually rivers and lakes or groundwater wells. For more information on protecting drinking water sources, visit our Source Water Protection Webpage. Also, EPA has a list of things you can do to protect source water.

More information on reducing water pollution.

woman and child pouring waterOutreach Program

The Drinking Water Education Program (DWEP) has education and outreach activities that support Safe Drinking Water Programs. Education and outreach is also geared to water industry professionals and other interested stakeholders. The DWEP Coordinator can provide presentations to community groups on: drinking water quality issues, water treatment technologies, water treatment processes, and water conservation

Learn about other DHEC Outreach Programs

 

Publications
women pouring water

Water Brochures

Drinking Water: Common Water Quality Problems & Their Treatment

Water Fact Sheets

The Facts on Water Conservation

The Facts About Lead in Drinking Water

The Facts About Groundwater

Teacher Resources

The Water Sourcebook - Lesson plans tied to national standards

The Best of The Science Fair Guidebooks - Science experiments on water, energy, etc.

Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow- A variety of lesson plans, including water quality

children drinking waterNewsletters

Turning the Tide - A newsletter with nonpoint source pollution information

Links

General Information

Water on Tap: What You Need To Know - An EPA resource on drinking water

National Sanitation Foundation - Offers a variety of information on drinking water

Health Effects

Children and Drinking Water Standards - EPA provides information on water quality and health in children

Health effects of contaminants in drinking water- EPA provides information on contaminants and there effects on human health

Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools - EPA provides information regarding lead in school drinking water systems

Medline Plus – An excellent resource of health information relating to drinking water

Water Conservation

Water Sense - EPA offers smart water choices to save money and maintain environmental standards

Our Water... It's Too Valuable to Waste - A SCDNR residential water conservation guide

50 Ways to Do Your Part - SCDNR offers water saving tips that educate consumers

Professional Water Associations

South Carolina Chapter of the American Water Works Association (SCAWWA)
Water Environment Association of South Carolina (WEASC)
South Carolina Rural Water Association (SCRWA)

Contact

Cheryl Wix , Drinking Water Education Coordinator at (803) 898-4180.

Bureau of Water . Phone: (803) 898-4300 . Fax: (803) 898-4215 . Contact Us