The legislative assembly declares it to be the policy of this state that safe supplies of drinking water are essential to the maintenance of public health and welfare. Those persons supplied with water from public water systems must be able to rely with confidence upon the quality of water publicly used for human consumption. Those persons served by public water systems are entitled to regulation of those systems so that they may purchase healthful water, free of harmful contaminants. It is the intention of the legislative assembly that these policies will be fulfilled by the state in accordance with the terms of this chapter and consistent with the provisions of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974.