What applies to each public water system and are enforceable, with violations that can result in fines and imprisonment?

• A. The Primary Drinking Water Regulations
• B. The Secondary Drinking Water Standards
• C. The Clean Water Act provisions
• D. The Safe Drinking Water Act amendments

Answer: (A)

Primary Drinking Water Regulations establish the enforceable, health-based limits that every public water system must meet. They set maximum contaminant levels and required treatment techniques to protect human health, and violations can lead to enforcement actions that include fines and criminal penalties. Because these standards are legally binding nationwide under the Safe Drinking Water Act, they apply to all public water systems and carry real consequences for noncompliance.

Secondary Drinking Water Standards, by contrast, are guidelines aimed at aesthetics like taste, odor, and color and are not enforceable with penalties. The Clean Water Act deals with discharges of pollutants into surface waters, not the internal quality standards for drinking water within a public system. Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act refer to changes in the law itself, not the specific enforceable limits.