Depending on the organic, they can be categorized as begin regulated under Primary or Secondary Drinking Water Standards and also as an unregulated contaminant with No Standard. There are many organic compounds that do not have specific drinking water standards that are set by the EPA or by any states. In some cases this is because the organic compound has not been used in the United States or there is not enough information to set a specific standard. In cases where there is limited information but a health concern, the EPA has developed Health Advisory Standards and many states have developed clean-up standards or criteria. In some cases, organic compounds have been given a drinking water standard by a foreign country or the World Health Organization.
The main reason an organic compound does not have a drinking water Primary or Secondary standard is because a law has not been passed to regulate that specific chemical. Most likely this is because the chemical does not pose a known or suspected health risk or a formal conclusion about the aesthetic effects or health risks have not been clearly determined.
