Section 116270 Of Article 1. Pure And Safe Drinking Water From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 104. >> Part 12. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 1.
116270
. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Every resident of California has the right to pure and safe
drinking water.
(b) Feasible and affordable technologies are available and shall
be used to remove toxic contaminants from public water supplies.
(c) According to the State Department of Health Services, over 95
percent of all large public water systems in California are in
compliance with health-based action levels established by the
department for various contaminants.
(d) It is the policy of the state to reduce to the lowest level
feasible all concentrations of toxic chemicals that, when present in
drinking water, may cause cancer, birth defects, and other chronic
diseases.
(e) This chapter is intended to ensure that the water delivered by
public water systems of this state shall at all times be pure,
wholesome, and potable. This chapter provides the means to accomplish
this objective.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature to improve laws governing
drinking water quality, to improve upon the minimum requirements of
the federal Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996, to establish
primary drinking water standards that are at least as stringent as
those established under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, and to
establish a program under this chapter that is more protective of
public health than the minimum federal requirements.
(g) It is the further intent of the Legislature to establish a
drinking water regulatory program within the state board to provide
for the orderly and efficient delivery of safe drinking water within
the state and to give the establishment of drinking water standards
and public health goals greater emphasis and visibility within the
state.
(h) This act shall be construed to ensure consistency with the
requirements for states to obtain and maintain primary enforcement
responsibility for public water systems under the federal Safe
Drinking Water Act and acts amendatory thereof or supplementary
thereto.