David Spath, former California State Drinking Water Administrator from 1996 to 2006, reflects on the evolution of California's drinking water program. He began working for the State of California in 1972, just before the enactment of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Spath highlights the importance of the Safe Drinking Water Act as a public health law aimed at safeguarding drinking water quality for the well-being of people. He discusses the program's efforts in identifying contaminants in groundwater, particularly pesticides in the central part of the state, leading to statewide studies that influenced regulatory efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This series is a collaboration with the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators.
