EPA's goal is to ensure that all Americans have drinking water that is clean and safe to drink, and that the nation's aquatic ecosystems and their ecological components are healthy and sustainable. NHEERL supports this goal by conducting research on the effects of water contaminants on human and ecological health. This research helps provide a sound scientific foundation for risk management decisions under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, and other regulatory authorities. The two primary research areas of concern are drinking water and aquatic stressors.