State Regulatory Heterogeneity and Compliance With the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Acts

Abstract

AbstractWe examine the implications of state water quality regulatory heterogeneity for waste and drinking water violations in the continental US using Environmental Protection Agency data from 2007 to 2017. Using discrete regression analyses, we find some evidence that cumulative violations are higher when additional state water quality standards are introduced. However, one year after a new standard is implemented, cumulative violations seem to decline relative to the number of violations before introducing additional regulations. Compliance may improve after introducing new standards as operations and procedures are modified, the use of inputs like disinfectants is adjusted, or technologies are upgraded in response to new standards.