David Boren: “I am pleased to join my distinguished colleague, the senior Senator from New Mexico, as a sponsor of the Safe Drinking…”

“I am pleased to join my distinguished colleague, the senior Senator from New Mexico, as a sponsor of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1993. This important legislation contains badly needed improvements to the Safe Drinking Water Act that will increase compliance with its provisions, particularly among small systems; reduce the administrative burdens that the act imposes on States; provide financial assistance to States and water systems; and, most importantly, strengthen protection of public health. Everyone agrees that the current safe drinking water laws are broken. One need look no further than to my own State of Oklahoma for evidence of this. Oklahoma has 2,453 public water systems. Only 42 of these water systems serve over 10,000 persons, and only 114 systems serve more than 3,300 persons. Therefore, the other 95 percent of Oklahoma's public water systems serve under 3,300 persons. And the vast majority of these serve fewer than 500 persons. These small and very small systems are run by conscientious people trying their hardest to provide safe drinking water to their customers. The managers of these water systems have no other interest than to provide the safest water possible; after all, in addition to their customers--who are friends and neighbors--they and their families drink it everyday. Ironically, despite its title, the Safe Drinking Water Act as it is currently written often makes the provision of safe drinking water more difficult.”