AWWA JAW50923

The Environmental Justice (EJ) movement is relatively new, appearing on the drinking water regulatory policy scene in the early 1990s. It combines concern for environmental protection and for impoverished minority communities. Until recently, water suppliers were only peripherally involved with the EJ movement, which has focused most of its efforts on pollution from industrial sites. The US Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) recently issued proposed rule for radon is the first drinking water rule to directly address EJ issues. This article reviews the relevance of EJ to drinking water regulation.