One of the cleansing processes in the treatment of safe water is called disinfection. Disinfection is the selective destruction of pathogenic organisms, not to be confused with sterilization. Sterilization is the complete destruction of all organisms. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for setting drinking water standards and ensuring their enforcement. The Safe Drinking Water Act and its amendments contain specific maximum allowable levels of substances known to be hazardous to human health
