All water utilities are regulated by the EPA and the DOHS. Investor-owned utilities are also regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The CPUC works in concert with DOHS to assure that high quality water is delivered to customers at the lowest possible cost. This dynamic relationship between CPUC and DOHS provides an extra layer of protection for consumers.

Safe Drinking Water Act
Recognizing a need to address water quality issues in the nation's drinking water supply, the EPA first passed the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974 regulating 14 contaminants. The SDWA was amended in 1986, bringing the total regulated contaminants to 56, including man-made contaminants like VOCs and SOCs for the first time. This revision primarily targeted surface water systems. Again in 1996, the SDWA was amended with an emphasis on source water protection and ground water sources. By the time this revision has run its course, more than 100 contaminants will be regulated with an ambitious plan in place to monitor and detect emerging contamination threats.