Final answer:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the agency responsible for regulating drinking water, including drilling, and sewage as mandated by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974. The EPA sets national standards which are implemented and enforced by individual states.
Step-by-step explanation:
Agency Responsible for Drinking Water and Sewage:
The agency in charge of drinking water regulation, including standards for water drilling, and sewage in the United States is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Originating from the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974, the EPA has the authority to set and enforce standards for public water systems that serve over 25 people. This includes monitoring and regulating the levels of pollutants through Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) guidelines, establishing Treatment Technique (TT) requirements, and overseeing the protection of drinking water sources, such as surface and groundwater. Implementation and enforcement of the drinking water standards are delegated to individual states, but with the EPA setting the national standards to ensure public health is protected across all states.
The EPA's programs also cover the regulation of injection wells to protect underground water sources, and they are actively involved in research, such as studying the impact of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Public notifications are required from water systems to inform consumers about serious water issues as part of the SDWA. Furthermore, the EPA establishes protocols for waste management including the treatment of wastewater and sewage. The treatment steps include flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, aeration and disinfection. Adding fluoride to municipal water systems for the prevention of tooth decay is also overseen by the EPA.