Which regulatory agency is primarily responsible for drinking water standards in the United States?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the agency that establishes and enforces drinking water standards in the United States, playing a crucial role in ensuring public health and safety. The EPA implements the Safe Drinking Water Act, which mandates the protection of the nation's drinking water supply by setting standards for drinking water quality and overseeing states, localities, and water suppliers to ensure compliance.

The EPA conducts research, monitors water quality, and provides guidance to water utilities to ensure that drinking water is safe for consumption. This includes regulating the levels of dangerous contaminants and ensuring water systems are properly maintained.

The other agencies mentioned have specific functions that do not directly connect to regulating drinking water standards. The Food and Drug Administration typically oversees food safety and also regulates bottled water but does not manage public drinking water supplies. The U.S. Geological Survey focuses primarily on natural resources, including water, but does not set regulatory standards for water quality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while involved in public health initiatives, does not regulate drinking water but provides recommendations and study disease transmission related to waterborne pathogens. Therefore, the EPA's role in creating and enforcing drinking water standards makes it the appropriate answer to this question.