When evaluating treatment strategies for iron and manganese, compliance with which regulation is necessary?

• A. Safe Drinking Water Act
• B. Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (D/DBP Rule)
• C. Clean Water Act
• D. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Answer: (B)

The Safe Drinking Water Act is the primary regulation that governs the quality of drinking water in the United States, including specific standards for contaminants such as iron and manganese. Ensuring compliance with this act is essential for any treatment strategy aimed at removing these metals from potable water supplies, as it sets the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) that must be met.

The Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule focuses specifically on the presence of disinfectants and their byproducts in drinking water. While it is critical for disinfectant management and the secondary effects such as byproducts, it does not specifically pertain to iron and manganese treatment strategies. Therefore, focusing on this rule would not address the compliance issues relevant to iron and manganese, which are more directly addressed under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

On the other hand, the Clean Water Act regulates water quality and pollution discharges into water bodies, while the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act primarily deals with waste management and hazardous waste. Both are important environmental regulations, but they do not carry the same relevance as the Safe Drinking Water Act when it comes to the treatment of contaminants like iron and manganese in drinking water systems.