▁to ▁international ▁law ▁when ▁the ▁UN ▁recognized ▁water ▁and ▁general ▁san itation ▁as ▁a ▁basic ▁human ▁right . ▁It ▁requires ▁states ▁and ▁nations ▁to ▁provide ▁clean , ▁accessible ▁drink ing ▁water ▁to ▁their ▁people . ▁ ▁Sa fe ▁Dr inking ▁Water ▁Act ▁( SD WA ): ▁The ▁Sa fe ▁Dr inking ▁Water ▁Act ▁was ▁put ▁into ▁law ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁It ▁provides ▁protection ▁to ▁water ▁both ▁above ▁and ▁below ▁ground . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁am end ments ▁were ▁added ▁requiring ▁the ▁E PA ▁to ▁assess ▁ris ks ▁and ▁costs ▁when ▁creating ▁standards ▁for ▁this ▁law . ▁ ▁Activ ism ▁ ▁When ▁it ▁comes ▁to ▁America ▁alone , ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁much ▁activity ▁surrounding ▁the ▁issues ▁of ▁water ▁in ▁Stand ing ▁Rock , ▁N D ▁and ▁Fl int , ▁Michigan . ▁When ▁the ▁issue ▁arose ▁of ▁a ▁pipeline ▁being ▁implemented ▁on ▁the ▁Stand ing ▁Rock ▁Indian ▁Res ervation ▁of ▁North ▁Dak ota , ▁residents ▁began ▁to ▁take ▁action ▁almost ▁immediately . ▁When ▁the ▁pipeline ▁was ▁proposed ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁Si oux ▁tribe ▁released ▁a ▁pet ition ▁that ▁gar ner ed ▁almost ▁half ▁a ▁million ▁sign atures ▁within ▁ 3 ▁months . ▁This ▁post pon ed ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁pipeline , ▁but ▁the ▁action ▁did ▁not ▁stop ▁there . ▁In ▁July ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁tribe ▁attempted ▁to ▁sue ▁the ▁Army ▁Corps ▁of ▁Engine ers ▁with ▁the ▁argument ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁harm ▁the ▁area ' s ▁water ▁supply