Which act established national health-based standards for drinking water?

The Safe Drinking Water Act is the legislation that established national health-based standards for drinking water in the United States. This act was enacted to ensure the quality of Americans' drinking water by setting regulatory standards for contaminants and overseeing state programs aimed at safeguarding public water systems. It empowers the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create and enforce regulations to protect drinking water sources, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and groundwater wells. The act is crucial in helping to prevent contamination and ensuring that the water delivered to consumers is safe to drink.

The other acts mentioned address different aspects of water regulation or environmental protection. The Clean Water Act focuses primarily on the quality of surface waters and controlling pollution in waters across the nation rather than drinking water specifically. The Water Quality Improvement Act and the Drinking Water Protection Act also contribute to water management but do not specifically establish the comprehensive national health-based standards for drinking water, which is the primary focus of the Safe Drinking Water Act.