Which agency is responsible for enforcement of regulations for water plants in the State of South Carolina?

• A. EPA
• B. SCDHEC
• C. OSHA
• D. FDA

Answer: (B)

The key idea is who enforces drinking-water regulations at the state level. In South Carolina, the responsibility falls to the state health and environmental agency that implements federal drinking-water standards and carries out the day-to-day enforcement, including permits, inspections, and compliance actions. That agency is SCDHEC.

The federal EPA sets and enforces drinking-water standards nationwide, but states carry out the enforcement locally. OSHA focuses on workplace safety and isn’t the regulator for public water systems, and FDA regulates bottled water and certain other products, not the regular oversight of public water utilities.