By Alan Roberson, Executive Director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators
The 50th anniversary of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act in 2024 was a significant milestone. The drinking water community celebrated the substantial public health achievements resulting from this important policy framework but also reflected on what it has learned and how best to implement the Act over the next 50 years in a manner that advances its main policy objectives.
Many argue that the future success of the Act necessarily depends on federal policymakers addressing the greatest threat to its legacy—aging water system infrastructure—which threaten states’ abilities to comply with an ever-increasing number of complex regulatory requirements. Arguably, improving national compliance with existing drinking water standards by ensuring the long-term health of drinking water systems is equally, if not more, important than promulgating new standards.
California policymakers have a similar opportunity to reflect on the future of the state’s own Safe Drinking Water Act, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Like other states, California also finds itself plagued by aging and deteriorating drinking water infrastructure; a crisis exacerbated by federal funding shortfalls and the persistent threat of state budget deficits. More than 400 public water systems are considered ‘failing,’; and more than 650 are ‘at risk’ of failing, according to a June 2026 report. According to that same report, almost 80 percent of failing water systems serve disadvantaged communities. And many small systems have antiquated and failing infrastructure, with financial instability further compromising the long-term viability of these systems.
The State Water Resources Control Board is the agency primarily responsible for protecting drinking water quality in California. Its mission, in part, is to protect public health and the environment by preserving and restoring drinking water quality for the benefit of present and future generations. This tremendous responsibility rests largely with the Deputy Director of the Division of Drinking Water. The Deputy Director is responsible for safeguarding California’s drinking water, determining which contaminants should be prioritized, and deciding how safe is safe enough within the context of what is technologically and economically feasible for water systems and, ultimately, for the customers who pay the water bills. Darrin Polhemus, the current Deputy Director, is retiring after 10 years at the helm of the Division. With the selection of a new Deputy Director, and given California’s reputation as a bellwether for national policy, the State Board has an opportunity to set the tone for the next several decades of both state and national drinking water policy.
The regulatory framework established by federal and state safe drinking water laws has been remarkably successful. California has pushed beyond the boundaries of federal regulations, having established standards for an additional 14 contaminants and regulating some at lower levels. California also employs “Notification” and “Response” levels for dozens of other emerging unregulated chemicals. Yet today, it may be more important to preserve the gains of the last half-century through new and improved technology and infrastructure than to pursue incremental reductions in risk that only provide theoretical public health protection. Prioritizing the long-term, structural health of drinking water systems over inflammatory headlines and calls for action requires strong leadership, independent thinking, technical competence, and clear communication.
California’s drinking water is unquestionably safe—98.6 percent of Californians are served by systems that meet state and federal drinking water standards—and the new Deputy Director must have the confidence and credibility to defend the current safety of California’s drinking water in a manner that gains the public’s trust and the respect of scientists, fellow regulators, and legislators to help focus the conversation on what actions are truly necessary to ensure the success of California’s Safe Drinking Water Act for the next 50 years. A strong technical background is essential to navigate an increasingly complex science-policy debate, as is a solid grounding in the technology and engineering principles used by water systems. Mounting pressure on state funding for drinking water restoration and protection programs and growing
affordability challenges for system ratepayers will also necessitate strong fiscal acumen. Transparency and objectivity is especially critical when claims about emerging contaminants cast doubt on water safety.
Quite simply, failed systems lead to failed standards that undermine protection of public health. Conversely, strong systems lead to strong standards that protect public health. And strong systems cannot be achieved or maintained without strong leadership.
Alan Roberson is an experienced water policy advisor and former Executive Director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA)
