The primary goal of the drinking water program is to prevent diseases associated with the water. In Harris County there are approximately 1,200 public drinking water systems, ranging from the City of Houston’s, which is the largest in Texas, to many that are among the state’s smallest. A public water system is defined as one that serves at least 25 people per day, at least sixty days of the year, or has 15 connections. 

The federal Safe Drinking Water Act, originally passed by Congress in 1974, authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set health-based standards for public drinking water to protect against naturally occurring and man-made threats to the water supply. Through inspections, Harris County Public Health assesses compliance with standards and regulations, identifying issues that can affect the quality of the drinking water. 

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